I Pledge Allegiance...

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

with Galatians 3:1,13-14

• In the musical Les Miserables,
the main character Jean Valjean has a quandary.
He has a history that includes running from the law
(breaking probation), and he has since turned his life around, becoming a successful manufacturer.
But one day the law catches up with him… and is about to pin his history on an innocent man who looks like him.
“Who am I?” he sings. Can he sacrifice this man for his life?

Perhaps the old Jean Valjean could’ve. But not the new JV.
And the new JV identifies himself,
turning himself over to the custody of the law.

Jean Valjean did not “use his freedom to be an opportunity to indulge himself” (Gal 5:13)
but loved his neighbor as himself…(Gal 5:14)

• Lot of questions of identity the last few weeks as nation has dealt with issues of race and sexuality. Everybody has an opinion, and frequently, folks want to make their opinion known. Am I a liberal or a conservative, do I think the Confederate flag is a symbol of heritage or of hatred, do I think marriage equality is a sign of justice or a sign of a nation that’s turned its back on God? Does God’s favor rest on the US of A in particular or does God care for all nations (&creeds!) the same?

And when we share these opinions,
would we rather hear, or be heard?
Understand, or be understood?

• One way of evaluating or prioritizing our communications
is through our mission statement.

• I have a mission statement. INCH. To Illuminate, Nurture, and Celebrate Hope among the hopeless and the hopeful. This should inform everything I do, should influence every interaction I have with people.
Ask myself if what I’m doing or planning does anything to INCH.

• First Church has mission statement which should inform everything we do:
“To share the love of God with people in a hurting world.”

We need to always ask ourselves if what we’re doing or planning (worship, mission, fellowship, outreach) has anything to do with sharing love of God with people in a hurting world.

• The United Methodist Church has mission statement which should inform everything it does (everything we do):

“to make disciples of Jesus Christ 

for the transformation of the world.”

How are the things that we do as a church 

connected to this mission?

• Finally, Jesus had mission statements.
Well, reading the gospels you can pull a few statements out
that refer to why Jesus did what Jesus did:

-          Jesus came to call sinners to repentance (Mark 2:17)

-          Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10)

-          Jesus came to bear witness to the truth (John 18:37)

-          Jesus came to minister to people, and give his life as a ransom (Matt 20:28)

-          Jesus came that we might have life abundant (John 10:10)

-          Jesus came that through him the world might be saved
(John 3:17)

• Jesus knew who he was, and why he was here.
It wasn’t to serve himself, but to serve others.
You and me and the world. And this is the gift of God.

• Into Celebration of Holy Communion

Galatians 5:1, 13-14       (CEB) 

¹ Christ has set us free for freedom. Therefore, stand firm and don’t submit to the bondage of slavery again.

¹³ You were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only don’t let this freedom be an opportunity to indulge your selfish impulses, but serve each other through love. ¹⁴ All the Law has been fulfilled in a single statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. ^{[Lev 19:18]}