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One of the major themes we see throughout the scriptures is the theme of “exile.” God's people are challenged to live faithfully in foreign lands. The Jews spent many years in exile in Babylon, and then Persia, Greece, and Rome. The early Christians found themselves under the shadow of a Roman Empire that worshipped the emperor himself as god. We can imagine that none of that felt comfortable. And yet, they are never under the mandate to “win” the culture for Jesus. In Jeremiah 29, the children of Israel are commanded to go about living their lives faithfully, working and praying for the welfare of the city. In the midst of their exile, God shows them is his desire to work everywhere, among everyone. Christians are a people in a place. We are called to seek its highest good and to recognize where God is already at work. In the midst of persecution, Paul challenges Timothy to always look to Jesus, his resurrection, and the fact that he is the fulfillment of the story of God's people (2 Timothy 2:8-15). The resurrection means that no matter where we find ourselves, God is at work. By God's grace, we are invited to live faithfully, seeking the best for our city. Join us Sunday as we explore God’s faithfulness wherever we go.
At Sacrament, we believe that we are part of a story, a faith that has been passed down from generation to generation. At the beginning of Paul's second letter to Timothy, he says to his apprentice, "I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also." (2 Tim. 1:5) Some of us have parents and grandparents who handed down this faith to us. The challenge for us is to celebrate this beautiful story, and their faithfulness to pass it on, even if our faith looks a little (or a lot) different from theirs. Some us us are new to the faith and didn't grow up in a Christian home. The challenge for us is remember that we have inherited a faith from our Christian family, the body of Christ. Even if the faith is new to you, you have brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and grandparents spurring you on in the family of God. Some of us now have kiddos of our own. We are challenged by what it means to live out formative habits and virtues in our family life that will translate to the next generation. Paul says that the Spirit God gave us when we first stepped into this family is not a Spirit of fear, but a Spirit of power, love, and self-discipline (vs. 7). We need the family of God to surround us, reminding us of who we are and what we have been given. Join us this Sunday as we seek to embrace our story!
If you have ever been to the UK and have taken a train or subway, you may be familiar with the phrase "Mind the Gap," an audible warning designed to prepare oncoming passengers that they are about to cross a chasm and enter something new. They should be mindful of that chasm. Our lectionary texts this week remind us of the "gap" between what the world sees as "the good life"--fame, influence, and specifically wealth--and how the Christian sees "the good life"--"godliness with contentment." (1 Tim 6:6-19; Luke 16:19-31) Join us tomorrow as we are mindful of this gap, seeking to better live into this new reality.
Our fair city is doing some important construction work on the bridges on I-440. None of the construction will effect the immediate area around the church, but may impact your commute. May be a good idea to check your route and leave a bit early for church on Sunday. Northbound traffic on I-65 will be detoured to I-440 east. Southbound traffic on I-65 will be detoured to I-440 west. Eastbound traffic on I-440 will be detoured to I-65 south. Westbound traffic on I-440 will be detoured to I-65 north. Franklin Pike will be closed from Berry Road to Woodmont Boulevard.
From the very beginning, human beings have been called as stewards, cultivators, overseers of God's beautiful world. We haven't always taken that responsibility seriously, often turning our calling into domination rather than cultivation. Jesus invites us to remember our calling. The Parable of the Shrewd Manager (Luke 16), is sometimes called Jesus' most difficult parable. It's about money, but it's actually about much more than money. It shows us something about our responsibility to care for the world, not placing unreasonable barriers or restrictions on those who seek to enter the kingdom of God. We are reminded that God desires all that we are, but not more than that. Because of the love of Christ, we are not hopelessly indebted. God wants our hearts, for us to surrender to His kingship in Jesus, and he meets us where we are with his love, inviting us on the path of deeper life. This Sunday, we explore this idea of stewardship, cultivation, blessing, and the "Bare Essentials" of the gospel.
Throughout the scriptures, we are confronted with two seemingly contrasting realities: the deep brokenness of humanity and the extravagant love of God. Jeremiah 4 paints a picture of human sinfulness. Left to our own devices, we move not only towards destruction, but towards utter desolation. We see this in our individual tendencies, our relationships, and the systems of our world which always seem to bend towards oppression. And yet, our God is not content to leave us there. By the overflow of his grace, He calls us even when we are far away (1 Timothy 1:12-17). This extravagant grace is messy as it calls to the outsiders, those who would not otherwise be invited into "proper" religious circles. And it is not a gentle call, but a reckless, journey to find those who are lost. The extravagant grace of God both comforts and (appropriately) freaks us out. It comforts us because it means that our mission is not dependent on what we do. It freaks us out because our mission is not dependent on what we do. And it means that we don't get to control who is part of God's family (Luke 15:1-10). Join us Sunday as we see to live in this genuinely re-orienting reality of grace.
Just a reminder that, tonight, our pastor is being ordained a priest! Hope you’ll join us.
We’d love for you to join us for worship tomorrow at 10am!

RECENT SERMONS

Featured
People in a Place
Grandmas and the Gospel
Bare Essentials
Lost and Found
The Potter and the Clay
Faith in the Midst of Weakness
The Essence of Faith
Things Above
All the Things
Who Is My Neighbor?