The Church and Its Work - Part 3

REFLECTION QUOTES

“Man is homo religious, by ‘nature’ religious: As much as he needs food to eat and air to breathe, he needs a faith for living…. But…so long as he pursues this quest in self-sufficiency, relying on his own virtue, wisdom, or piety, it will not be God that he finds, but an idol—the self, or some aspect of the self, writ large, projected, objectified, and worshiped.”

~Will Herberg (1901-1977) social philosopher and Jewish theologian

“…freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them over and over in myriad petty, unsexy ways every day. That is real freedom.”

~David Foster Wallace (1962-2008), American writer and professor

“Will not the very moment of great disillusionment with my brother or sister be incomparably wholesome for me because it so thoroughly teaches me that both of us can never live by our own words and deeds, but only by that one Word and deed that really binds us together, the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ? The bright day of Christian community dawns wherever the early morning mists of dreamy visions are lifting.”

~Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), from Life Together

“It is important to think about the Church not as ‘over there’ but as a community of struggling, weak people of whom we are part and in whom we meet our Lord and Redeemer.”

~Henri J.M. Nouwen (1933-1996), professor and writer

“Connection is why we are here…. Shame is the fear of disconnection. Is there something about me, that if other people see it, I won’t be worthy of connection?”

~Dr. Brené Brown, research professor, author and speaker

“Here lies the dust of a poor hell-deserving sinner who ventured into eternity trusting wholly on the merits of Christ for salvation. In the full belief of the great doctrines he preached while on earth, he invites his children, and all who read this, to trust their eternal interest in the same foundation.”

~Lemuel Haynes (1753-1833), on his gravestone epitaph; first black man to be ordained a minister in the United States

SERMON PASSAGE

Titus 1 and 2 (NASB)

Titus 1

1 Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness, 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, 3 but at the proper time manifested, even His word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior,

4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Titus 2

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.