Mindful Leader

This is a sermon from Matthew 21: 23-32 -- this passage has two parts -- the Temple Authorities asking Jesus who the Hell is thinks he is and his answer is "Think about it." I pray we offer some thoughts to think about ...

Last week was "Why Jesus" ... this week is "Why the Church" which I answer pretty early but then focus on how the church IS the body of Jesus in the world.  

I wish I could say that tension and friction and self absorption was unique to our time, but Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 is dealing with a "me" thinking group in Corinth.  

Focus was to clarify for us at Hilltop who IS Jesus for us.  Used the UMC website on who the UMC says Jesus is ... this is less of an exegesis of a particular passage and more of a theological/didactic reflection on Jesus -- and maybe who he is not.  

This year, I decided to focus on the text of Genesis 3 rather than the question -- "where are you?"  This is the third time I have preached on this at Hilltop in my less than two full years there.  It is a rich text.

I do have one "apology" in that when I am looking back at Genesis 2 and i suggest that Eve is adding "you will die" out of whole cloth, I was mistaken.  It was her feeling that not to "touch" the Tree ... that was what she added, not death.  Whoops.  Sorry about that.  

We start with a joyous triumphant entry into Jerusalem but things go horribly askew.  

The focus here is more on the idea of Barabbas ... Son of (a) Father ... as opposed to Jesus, Son of (the) Father.  

John 4: 4-15 is the scripture but the reflection is as much about John and water as it is the woman at the well.  

Carillon Belles are at the end of the sermon.  

Enjoy.  

Frankly, this Sunday was as much about the Spirituals -- Sometimes I feel like a Motherless Child is hinted at here with Camille Cole -- and the Chancel Choir (not presented this week) with Plenty Good Room and the Praise Band with Wade in the Water.  

The Big Idea was that Spirituals sustained the slaves in their place of abandonment before the Civil War.  The tunes returned to help them in a "freer" but still troubled time.  

Community (with a hint of this being Boy Scout Sunday), trusting in God, and the idea that God has plenty of space in which we can grow are the key take aways.  

The title is a little misleading in that in week 4, we are more focused on what we get right.  

The Youth Bells are at the end of this Podcast at about minute 28 or so.  

Week three of our look at When Christians Get It Wrong.  

Here the idea is what kind of lens we understand the scripture.  The invitation is to use love, maybe even sacrificial love, to be our lens.