Untitled Sermon (2)

Philippians 1:20–26 NRSV

It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.

“How Have You Changed Since…?”

At men's breakfast last week, I asked us to discuss the following question: "How have you changed since becoming a Christian?"

One thing that I could've said but I didn't: presence, co-morning, validate grief instead of turning to "at least she's…"

How evangelicalism has been accused of being “pie in the sky,” so focused on the  spiritual that it neglects the physical (issues like social justice and the earth, etc.)

Do know where that phrase comes from – "pie in the sky"? Joe Hill was a Swedish-born itinerant laborer who migrated to the US in 1902 and became a leader in the radical labor organization the industrial workers of the world. In 1911, he wrote a parody of a Salvation Army song. The Salvation Army song was called In the Sweet Bye and Bye, and Hill created the phrase pie-in-the-sky to criticize how they were so upset with saving souls instead of feeding the hungry.

What I learned from Kate Bowler about how not to comfort someone; mourn with those who mourn, not offer cliches

Luther and drunk on a horse

My afib: doctors saying that I am too young, not believing that I also have CAD; Quincie saying “you have a bad heart”

People praying for healing -> Yes, but it’s not enough

{{What I prayed on the way to my procedure: God, if you want me now, I want you, but I do ask, for my family and for mission, that you give me longer on this earth

Passage from Philippians in which Paul tries to choose between life and death}}

{{What I prayed this week at noon prayer: I don’t want God to heal this broken heart now, but to give me the perfect heart in his Presence

If only for this life we have hoped, we are most to be pitied;

Where are your treasure is, there your heart is also}}

How are you doing? It is an amazing thing to be thankful for life, to be thankful for a sinus heart rhythm; the story of people standing up clapping at cardiac rehab

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1 Corinthians 15:12–19 NRSV

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.