Children's Sermon 1 Kings 21:1-14 It Belongs to Someone Else It Belongs to Someone Else 1 Kings 21:1-14 By Richard Niell Donovan Did you ever want something that belonged to someone else? • Maybe your friend had a toy that you liked––and you wanted that toy. • Or maybe your friend had a doll [...]
Sermon Psalm 37 Trusting God in Troubled Times A response to the Newtown, Connecticut school shooting. Biblical Commentary Children's Sermons Hymn Lists Psalm 37 Trusting God in Troubled Times The Rev. Vaughan Smith Several Psalms and many Proverbs divide all of humanity into two groups:the righteous and the wicked. Certainly in Psalms and Proverbs, [...]
There was a lot of vitality in Corinth. People exercised a variety of gifts. One gift, in particular, was causing trouble — the gift of tongues. Some people, then as now, made the speaking of unknown or spiritual languages the criterion for a faithful Christian. They wanted limit the church to tongues-speakers. They wanted conformity.
Paul says that we have a variety of gifts. Some are good at some things while others are good at doing something else. There is one Spirit, Paul says, but when the Spirit dispenses gifts to us they come out varied and different. But when we put all these gifts together, we form community.
Some regarded their spiritual gifts as superior to those of others and it went on. Paul spoke firmly to those Christians saying, "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12.13).
When you come up here today to join in this Eucharistic meal, know that you are receiving; just as Jesus' friends did 2,000 years ago--know that you are receiving the body and blood of Jesus, the covenant between God and you that your sins—all of them—are forgiven.
Paul told the church at Corinth to "remember." They had apparently forgotten what it meant to be a church. There were divisions among them, not because they were different, but because each was doing his/her own thing. It wasn't the supper of the Lord they sought, it was to feed their own stomachs.
The lesson we must learn my friends, is at all costs to avoid the worship of false gods.
"I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full" (15:11). Joy is what we feel when we see something so beautiful that we can hardly bear it. It is like seeing a full, completely formed, rainbow curve across the sky. Jesus tells us that he wants us to feel that sort of joy; joy that is full and complete. He asks us to live in his love and accept his joy.
Jesus teaches that the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a wonderful event where everything is ready and all are invited to come and enjoy what is offered. Each one of us has a personal invitation from God to accept his love; all is ready. Let's not be too busy to accept this invitation.