On Being Gracious

This past week saw the start of our All Church Fall Book Study Fear Of The Other: No Fear In Love by William H. Willimon, which follows our fall theme Simple, but Not Easy - Loving God and Neighbor. In the book, Willimon invites readers to consider the gospel command to love (and not merely tolerate) those considered to be "Other" or outside mainstream Christian culture. The first chapter, Saved by the Other, reminds us that we were saved by the ultimate "Other," Jesus Christ, and, as Christians, how this should shape our perception and reception of "Others."

This Sunday I will continue the Simple, but Not Easy theme in my sermon based on a scripture similar to the one used last Sunday. I will preach a different angle on Luke 6 as well as draw parallels to Genesis 50, where Joseph gets over his animosity toward his brothers who had thrown him into a pit thinking that he was now out of their lives. I will ponder what Joseph did to get over that event in his life and reflect on how we are often invited to get over events in our own lives so that we might get through to a new day.

I hope to see you this Sunday morning!