Christianity, as most of us have heard it preached and consequently experienced it, is presented as a way out. It is a way out when it comes to hell. It is a way out of the negative consequences of our bad choices. A way to avoid unnecessary pain or the evil that exists in the world around us.
Is that all that there is to it?
We make a decision, a profession and then wait for Jesus to return or death to come. What if it is more a way in than a way out? It is clear that Jesus never saw “follower-ship” as a way to esacape anything. It was a way to engage life, head on.
This message from last Sunday at CLC discusses the difference between escapism and engagement …
This guy was in the water today at Deep Cove Beach, when I began my walk. He was still splashing around an hour and a half later when I returned. You have to give this kind of effort some recognition. There is a level of enjoyment here that escapes me but I enjoyed the fact that he was having a good time. Rather than call him crazy, because I would not have done it, it just feels better to encourage.
Yesterday at CLC, we talked about the power of encouragement. If you have time and interest, this is the message, somewhat edited …
We have experimented for some time to try to find the simplest method to post Sunday messages. For a period of time, we are going to try an audio file that can be shared and connected to our social media sites as well.
This message is from January 29, 2023. It is edited to remove interaction that is not recorded through a microphone. Really this interaction is the substance of our gatherings. It is the belief that everyone brings something to the table and if the pastor’s voice is the only one heard on a given Sunday morning, were are missing something vital to our services.
