Sunday, July 3, 2011

It's Not About Me

Third Sunday after Pentecost
My first Sunday at Campbelltown UMC

Scriptures: Matthew 28:16-20 and Philippians 1:1-11

• A little girl was critically ill and was going to die unless she received a blood transfusion, but she had a rare blood type and the hospital had none. Her brother had the same blood type. The doctors asked him if he would be willing to give blood so that his sister might live. After a moment’s hesitation the young boy agreed.
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing life and health coming into her body. Then the boy’s face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, “Will I start to die soon?”
For the young boy had thought he was going to have to give his sister all his blood.
(Told in Chicken Soup for the Soul, and all over the internets…)

I appreciate this story for the boy’s Christ-like willingness to serve his sister, motivated by love, even though he didn’t know what he was getting himself into…

• I don’t know you but I love you. It is my calling and my desire to love and serve God while loving and serving you, the people of the Methodist church of Campbelltown, while together we love and serve the people of Ctown and the surrounding area. I am not here to be a Christian for you but to proclaim the word and equip you to witness to your faith, to offer guidance and perspective and sacramental presence.

• I am Kerry. Lover and a hoper. Lover of God and family (and biking running reading), perpetual hope of reconciliation in the world. Like Jesus I am fully human. Unlike Jesus I am not perfect in thought, word, or deed. I have victories over some temptations, and sometimes I don’t put up much of a fight. I strive to be Christlike in my living but I also struggle in maintaining spiritual and physical disciplines. I make mistakes. Do I sound familiar?
And oh, how I love Jesus.

• A few things I love about Jesus:
- his love for people (particularly marginalized... least and lost)
- his love for God (prayer, unity)
- his love for me (a sinner. "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me")
- his desire & ability to set free... from all sorts of slaveries

• And though I’ve been talking about me, it’s not about me. (ministry. The church. The mission)

It’s about the glory of God, the grace and mercy shown us in Jesus Christ...

It's about forgiveness and reconciliation

It's about personal mission (mine and yours) to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them...

• To show love to the world and proclaim the peace and hope of God, even if we don’t know what we’re getting ourselves into...

(pray thanks for Holy Spirit, Philippians 1:9-11)
This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight. I pray this so that you will be able to decide what really matters and so you will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ. I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God.

• Hymn 296 We’ve A Story to Tell to the Nations


July 4th weekend
uncomfortably warm
132 in attendance

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