Text: Galatians 5:16-21 ( for a while)
LIve by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiouseness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and thing like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before; those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
I read this section again and after I read it and said...what?!? I read it again and Yes! I buy it. In fact, I'm going to leave this for next week. During next week, I plan on dealing with this little text. Most of all, I want to share with you how much I agree with the ending portion "those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Yes, it may take me a few days to deal with it all but I found it very important for how we view being followers of Jesus in the Reign of God ( or kingdom of God as it is noted here).
Connection: The Reign of God...the Kingdom of God. What is it that we will not inherit about it? Suggestion - the life. The life is not something for later...it is for now. Look back over yesterday's reading and the comment from Paul about self-indulgence vs. love of neighbor. What we do here in the next days...will be for the life of the community - now.
Most precious God, what you are able to do with your people is a miracle. Your willingness to rescue us from the many ways we run off and jump into the piles of our own making and yet you never stop picking us up and abiding with us - all of us. In the moments when we know we are the most pitiful creatures - you embrace us and bring us home and remind us (without end) that we are your dearly beloved. Amen.
I read this section again and after I read it and said...what?!? I read it again and Yes! I buy it. In fact, I'm going to leave this for next week. During next week, I plan on dealing with this little text. Most of all, I want to share with you how much I agree with the ending portion "those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." Yes, it may take me a few days to deal with it all but I found it very important for how we view being followers of Jesus in the Reign of God ( or kingdom of God as it is noted here).
Connection: The Reign of God...the Kingdom of God. What is it that we will not inherit about it? Suggestion - the life. The life is not something for later...it is for now. Look back over yesterday's reading and the comment from Paul about self-indulgence vs. love of neighbor. What we do here in the next days...will be for the life of the community - now.
Most precious God, what you are able to do with your people is a miracle. Your willingness to rescue us from the many ways we run off and jump into the piles of our own making and yet you never stop picking us up and abiding with us - all of us. In the moments when we know we are the most pitiful creatures - you embrace us and bring us home and remind us (without end) that we are your dearly beloved. Amen.
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