Celebrating our 60th Anniversary! 14th Sunday of Pentecost Luke 15: 1-10

As we are now in the season of the Spirit, following Pentecost, we are reminded of the way the Spirit works in us and through us to be the best we can be. Of course, we know, that is a flawed process as we humans trip over our best intentions. So it is by the sustaining and grace filled Spirit of God that we are able to recognize the gifts we have been given to use for Kingdom purposes.

The Meaning of Theophilus, to whom Paul is writing to, is “Lovers of God”. That you and me as well.
His message hits close to home in light of the Statement this congregation made in the Living Faith Circle Report. “… in short, what is God’s purpose for us, now and into the future?” We don’t seem to be comfortable answering that kind of direct Question.

“… Who was I to think that I could stand in God’s Way?” Acts 11: 1 – 8
Peter takes a clear and world changing stance, for his time and context, in the thinking of the early church.
The Jewish converts to become followers of Jesus had carried forward and created new religious laws not from God, but from their culture and religious interpretations, as we all do. Thay had become entrenched, not open to change.
This story shows the clash between cultures and how Peter helped them to break through cultural bias and unscriptural ways.