Love Across the Divide

Well, as Jeff said at the beginning of the service,

good morning, welcome, especially if you're new.

My name's Tommy, I'm the rector here,

and if we haven't met and you're visiting,

I'll be hanging around after the church service.

I'll be up front for a little while,

and I really hope we get a chance to meet.

Before we have this baptism that we're excited about,

we're gonna spend a little time

looking at God's word together.

A couple of scholars at Vanderbilt

have developed something called the Unity Index,

and it's a way of measuring how divided our society is,

how polarized we are,

and their question was,

is it getting better or is it getting worse?

What would you think they discovered?

Yeah, things are getting worse.

Over the last 40 years,

we've become increasingly divided,

as a society,

and perhaps more so than we've ever been.

And there's a reason why you got that answer correct.

I think that we probably know that.

I think we've probably experienced it.

How many of us have lost friends

over the last few years?

Yeah, how many of us have maybe

lost friends over disagreements

about politics or culture or society?

Maybe you have people that you used to talk to

and then you just don't talk to them anymore.

How many of us have family members

that we avoid?

You don't have to raise your hand for that one.

That we avoid talking to

because we're afraid certain topics might come up.

How many are dreading Thanksgiving this year?

In particular,

it being an election year and all.

Sitting around that table

might be pretty interesting.

And so I don't have to tell you

that we live in a highly pluralistic society.

And the question that confronts us all the time is this.

How can people who have massive differences

when it comes to beliefs and values and lifestyle

live together in society?

When people are distressed

or even offended

by one another's beliefs and values,

are relationships even possible or not?

What we're going to see this morning

is that the gospel

has the power to transform every aspect of life,

including the way we treat

those with whom we disagree.

Time's up.

The way we treat

those with whom we disagree.

And I would actually go a step further

and say I think this is

maybe one of the biggest

or greatest tests

of any belief system,

sacred or religious.

How does your belief system

lead you to treat those

with whom you disagree?

The gospel has the power

to transform this

in the human heart.

And Paul gets into this issue

in 1 Corinthians chapter 8.

1 Corinthians 8 · chapter mention

And actually this is part

of a larger argument

that goes through chapter 11 verse 1.

And then he picks this same issue up

in other places

such as Romans chapter 14.

Romans 14 · chapter mention

So we're going to primarily focus

on the lectionary reading

which is 1 Corinthians 8.

But I'm going to be drawing

from these other places

because it's a larger argument.

And you really need to see

the whole argument

to understand the beauty

of what we're about to discuss.

First we're going to clarify

what Paul is not saying.

And then we're going to look

at what he is saying

and what makes such a thing possible.

Let's pray.

Our Heavenly Father,

we thank you

that your word

is not a dead word

nor is it

merely the product

of human ingenuity

or creativity

that this is a living

and active word

and that as we

gather together

in your name

you speak.

Speak to us

and through the power

of your Holy Spirit

make us receptive

to your word.

We pray this

in Jesus' holy name.

Amen.

So first of all

let me give you

a little context

of what's going on

and why Paul feels

the need to address this.

He gets into this

because there's

major disagreement

in the church

over food

that has been sacrificed

or dedicated

to a pagan deity.

In order to participate

in public life

in Corinth

it was almost impossible

to avoid

food that had been

dedicated

or sacrificed

to some pagan god.

So virtually

all the meat

sold in the meat market

had come out

of the temple sacrifices.

When people

would invite you

over for dinner

you could be

almost assured

that there would be

food that had been

dedicated to

a deity.

If it hadn't been

a part of a temple sacrifice

it could very well be

that your neighbors

if your pagan neighbors

invited you over

for dinner

that they would

offer a blessing

and dedicate

that food

to their pagan deity

before you ate.

At civic meetings

there would usually

be food of some kind

and whoever was

presiding over the meeting

would often bless

or dedicate that food

to a pagan god

or goddess

as a part

of the ceremony.

And so

there are Christians

living in this society

and so they're reacting

different ways.

Some Christians

are saying

hey listen

it's just food

it's just meat.

You know

it went on sale

in the market

I bought it

I don't care

where it came from

and it's just food.

Right?

And other Christians

are very very

scandalized by this.

They refuse

to touch this food

they refuse

to get near it

they're very scrupulous

about making sure

that the food

is spiritually clean

before they eat it

because they're afraid

of being defiled

and there's this sense

that the Christians

who do eat meat

must not be serious

about their faith

and they might even

be tainted by it.

So there was a lot

of argument happening

in the church

over what to do.

And the question is

how can these Christians

who disagree

over a pretty important issue

go to church together?

Right?

How do these Christians

eat together?

What do you bring

to the potluck meal

when you have

these major disagreements

and somebody

might be scandalized?

So here's what

Paul does not say.

Okay.

Paul does not say

well listen

all truth

is relative

and all that matters

is that you live

your truth.

Whatever you feel

is right

you do you

let them do them

and then we can

all get along.

That's not what

Paul says.

In the postmodern world

a lot of people think

that's the way

to overcome

these kinds of divisions.

If we could just

all agree

that there really

isn't any

objective truth

that all truth

is relative

and that even

if there is

an objective truth

it would be

so impossible

to know it

that it would be

better for society

if we all just

live with the idea

that your truth

is your truth

and your truth

is your truth

and my truth

is my truth

and then we can

all get along.

But of course

that does start

to fall apart

a bit.

If you push

the logic

you begin to realize

well that is itself

kind of an absolute

truth right?

You know

the one

absolute truth

that's allowed

to exist

is the truth

that there is

no absolute

truth.

It doesn't really

work.

Paul clearly

believes

that there is

an objective

truth

and Paul

believes that

it is possible

to know

and ascertain

things that are

more true

or less true

according to that

continuum right?

So it's what we

would call a

correspondence theory

of truth.

There is an

objective truth

there is an

objective reality

and what we

believe either

corresponds more

or less

with that

objective reality.

So he believes

there is a truth

and to some

extent it is

knowable.

And in this

particular case

he says

listen in this

particular case

it is totally

okay if you

want to eat

that meat.

If you want

to go to the

market and you

want to buy

that meat

and you want

to eat it

if somebody

invites you

over to their

home it's

okay to eat

the food.

And he lays

out his argument

in verses 4

through 6.

He says listen

we know that

idols don't

actually exist.

We know that

human beings

have created

them that they've

imbued them

with spiritual

significance but

they don't

actually exist.

We know that

there's only

one God.

Now in other

places he says

there's a danger

in idol worship

of corresponding

of relating

to demons.

But that's a

different,

that's a related

but distinct

issue.

He says we

know that

idols themselves

don't actually

exist.

There's only

one true God

and he made

everything including

that food on

the table so

eat it and

you'll be fine.

And he says

in verse 8

you know what

you eat is not

ultimately going

to have an impact

on your

relationship with

God.

Eating certain

foods is not

going to bring

you closer to

God.

You might feel

like it does

if it's really

good food but

it's not going

to ultimately

result in a

better relationship.

And eating other

foods is not going

to push you

further away from

God.

That's not what

this is about.

So Paul's saying

there is a correct

way of thinking

about this issue

but not all

Christians see it.

and there's a

significant number

of Christians

who are very

scandalized by

this.

And he says

you know those

Christians who are

refusing to eat

the meat the

issue is that they

have a weak

conscience.

Now normally

what we think of

as a weak

conscience is the

opposite of what

Paul actually says.

The way Paul

defines weak

conscience is he

says your conscience

is too weak to

protect you from

unnecessary guilt

and superstition.

Isn't that

interesting?

So we would think

of it normally as

the opposite.

A weak conscience

is a person who's

sort of licentious

you know.

But Paul's saying

no no no.

These people have a

weak conscience

because it can't

protect them against

superstitious guilt

and anxiety.

So these are people

who are the weak

Christians are likely

people who are not

as well theologically

informed.

They tend to be

more superstitious

as a result of that.

These are probably

people who like to

have things very

black and white.

They really want

there to be a rule

for everything.

They want somebody

to tell them exactly

what to do and not

to in every situation

which helps them feel

more in control.

Maybe these are people

that tend to overthink

to overanalyze.

Right?

These are the weak

Christians.

And Paul contrasts

those with the strong

Christians.

people who have

a strong conscience.

The reason they're able

to eat the meat

is because the conscience

is strong enough

to resist the unnecessary

guilt and superstition.

Now sometimes guilt

is unnecessary.

But sometimes

I'm sorry

sometimes guilt

is necessary.

It could be a good thing.

But in this case

it's not.

And so Paul says

these are the people

who are probably

more likely to be

theologically informed.

They don't need

all the rules

spelled out.

They have good instincts

about what faithfulness

looks like.

Very important

they probably have

a much higher tolerance

for ambiguity.

Some people have

a really hard time

tolerating ambiguity.

The strong Christians

probably have a much

higher tolerance

for ambiguity

meaning situations

that are very gray

and unclear.

And in Romans chapter 14

Romans 14 · chapter mention

Paul actually

clearly identifies himself

as among the strong.

He basically says

these are the people

this is how I live.

Right?

And presumably

he hopes

that everyone

is going to grow

and get there eventually.

The desire would be

that the weak Christians

eventually

become more

theologically informed

more able to tolerate

ambiguity

less prone to superstition

and that they all

become strong eventually.

So in situations

like this

there is an objective

truth out there.

Paul is not saying

you do you

all truth is relative.

He's saying

there's a way

of thinking about this

that has a greater

correspondence

to what we believe

theologically.

However

not all Christians

are there yet.

They don't all

understand that yet.

Everybody is kind of

at a different place

on their journey

of maturity.

what this means

is that we can't

just in a situation

like this

just pretend like

everybody's truth

is equally valid.

Some people's

beliefs and stances

have a greater

correspondence

to what is true.

But the question is

how do we relate

across those lines

of disagreement

when people are

at different places

in that journey?

How do you relate

to people

when there is

strong disagreement?

think about

the conversations

that you have had

around theology

or social issues

or politics.

Think about people

in your life

who may

send you quotes

or send you articles

or in other ways

sort of convey

that they think

that you're way off base

in what you think

or what you believe

or what you value.

It's very tempting

when somebody's doing that

to just cut them

out of your life.

I mean it's very tempting

just to start

to wall your life off

and only relate

to people

with whom you know

you're going to have

very little conflict

around these issues.

Very understandable

why that would be tempting.

Here's what Paul says.

Here's what Paul says.

Notice that he aims

his correction

not at the weak Christians.

Christians.

The force of this

is aimed

at the strong Christians.

So he says

you know

you guys are correct

but

evidence of a changed heart

is found in two things

according to Paul.

Number one

the way we hold

our convictions.

The way we hold

our convictions.

What do I mean by that?

Chapter 8 verse 1

he says

now concerning food

offered to idols

we know that

all of us

possess knowledge

and then he says

but this knowledge

puffs up.

What's he saying?

The sin of pride

is always there

and it is always lurking

just under the surface

and what Paul is saying

is this

you can have

the right theology

you can be

theologically solid

and you can be

technically correct

in what you believe

but just under the surface

that pride

is simmering away

and in your correct theology

you can start to feel

pretty good about yourself

and you can start to feel

pretty smug

and you see this

all the time

especially online

you know

think about your theological beliefs

or your political beliefs

or your beliefs

about various issues

people with solid views

I see this all the time

people you know

who I rely on

who I look to

I say this person

has really solid thinking

on these issues

and yet

you see them online

like on Twitter

or X

whatever it's called now

treating their opponents

with contempt

right

with smug

condescending

belittling comments

going back and forth

and you ask

how could

this person

be so solid

and yet

there's such

smug

contempt

in the way

they talk to people

do you ever see this

in yourself

right

you ever read

or hear somebody

say something

and your first response

is to roll your eyes

you know

rolling your eyes

is a sign of contempt

you can't believe

anybody would be

so stupid

or so misguided

you know

as somebody

who I find myself

in lots of conversations

about theology

and culture

I constantly

feel this

in myself

that is knowledge

puffing us up

that is that pride

simmering up

bubbling up

to the surface

filling us

with hot

hot air

and so the question is

what do we do about it

and Paul goes on to say

in verse 2

if anyone imagines

that he knows something

in other words

if you think of yourself

as a person

with a good read on things

and you think of yourself

as a person

who knows a lot

right

about the situation

if anyone

you know

if there's an expert

on this issue

I'm probably it

and I probably have

a better understanding

than anybody else

on this issue

and why can't everybody

agree with me

he says

if you're that kind of person

listen

he says

if anyone imagines

that he knows something

he does not yet know

as he ought to know

in other words

if you think you know

everything about a given topic

chances are

that's evidence

that you know very little

right

if you think

that your perspective

is the only one

that's reasonable

that's evidence

that you don't actually

know what you're talking about

in other words

this is a call

to be intellectually humble

evidence of a changed heart

is that you are

intellectually humble

people who have had

their hearts changed

by the gospel

this quality emerges

you know

a person who talks

about this difference

in how we hold knowledge

is the great philosopher

Charles Taylor

he says

there are two ways

that people tend

to hold their views

the first group

assumes their view

is the only plausible view

right

they assume

that what they think

is the only reasonable way

to think

and they cannot imagine

any reasonable person

holding any other view

than their view

and this group

the first group

he says

you can

here's what is interesting

he says

you can find this

on the right

and the left

you can find it

on both sides

of any issue

so

a fundamentalist

from the Bible Belt

might say

there is a God

and anybody

who doesn't think so

is a moron

but then you go

into the secular academy

and you find

a secular academic

there is no God

and anybody

who thinks there is

is a moron

and Taylor would say

you know

they're on different

sides of the issue

but down deep

they're exactly the same

they're both

holding their views

in the same way

mine is the only

reasonable way

to think

and anybody

who disagrees

is clearly an idiot

that's the first group

here's the second group

Taylor says

the second group

is intellectually humble

so they hold on

to their view

and they

they

they

they

they

they believe

what they believe

but they also understand

that their view

is one view

it's a point of view

and they are open

to the possibility

that other points

of view

are understandable

that they

they might also

be plausible

there are people

who understand

you know

I've arrived

at my set of convictions

but I understand

how a person

coming from a different

perspective

might

might arrive

at a different place

that doesn't mean

they agree

it doesn't mean

they're saying

it's true

but it means

they can understand

how somebody

would get there

so you can hold

strong convictions

but you remain

open to the possibility

that there are things

maybe that you

don't know

or that there might

be certain aspects

of this

that you are wrong on

now a person

who has had their heart

changed by the gospel

holds their views

with intellectual

humility

it doesn't mean

they lack conviction

and this is a big

misunderstanding here

because we say

well does that mean

that they're weak sauce

right

that they don't

they don't really

have any convictions

absolutely not

right

a person

with a

who's intellectually

humble

can hold very

strongly to their

convictions

they might be

willing to die

for their convictions

under the right

circumstances

but they also

understand

the danger

of pride

they understand

what it's like

to wrestle

with sin

and they understand

the limits

of their ability

to understand

every angle

of the issue

because they are

human beings

and they understand

that no human

is capable

of knowing

everything

and these days

honestly much

of what we do know

especially in the realm

of culture

and politics

is skewed

by the algorithms

that literally

decide the content

that we consume

and so there's a certain

amount of humility

to understanding

I live within

a bit of an echo chamber

within a point of view

that is reinforced

but that's not

everybody's experience

so evidence

of a changed heart

is down number one

in the way we hold

our convictions

I believe this

and I would die for it

and I believe that it

corresponds to truth

but I understand

how and why

you might disagree

number two

the way we receive

those who disagree

not just the way

I hold my convictions

but the way we receive

those who disagree

this is truly breathtaking

verses 7 to 13

even though the strong

Christians are

theologically correct

even though Christians

according to Paul

have a right to eat

wherever they want

to eat whatever they want

they are completely

and totally free

Paul's primary concern

is the well-being

of the weak

brother and sister

if one of these

weak Christians

sees other Christians

eating food

sacrificed to idols

if they're walking

through the market

and they look up

and they see

in a temple courtyard

they see Christians

eating in that temple

courtyard

with non-Christians

and they know

that that food

was just sacrificed

and they see that

happening

they're going to be

deeply scandalized

by it

and they might

stumble in their

own faith

they might

they might then

go to the temple

the next day

and eat the same food

but they think

that they're actually

worshipping that idol

and that could lead

to spiritually

disastrous consequences

and so Paul says

the strong Christians

need to be guided

by this overarching

question

what is the impact

of my behavior

on my brothers

and sisters

what I choose

to do

with my body

what I choose

to do

with my time

what I choose

to do

with my money

what is the impact

of that

on the people

around me

including the people

I disagree with

right

and Paul says

if you ever

find yourself

in a situation

where your choice

to eat that meat

may in any way

scandalize

we brothers

and sisters

don't do it

verse 13

he says

therefore

if food makes

my brother stumble

I will never

eat meat

lest I make

my brother stumble

I mean

that is amazing

when you consider

how countercultural

that view is

so people

in our culture

right

we're all about

demanding our rights

right

we are taught

and we are encouraged

to insist

on our rights

our constitutional rights

our civil rights

human rights

our rights

as Christians

our rights

as Christians

right

those of us here

who are Christians

I would say

Christians

are as loud

and as insistent

about this

as anyone

out there

but what's

the motivation

behind all

of the clamoring

for our rights

what is the motivation

behind the marches

what is the motivation

behind the political

alliances

is it insecurity

at no longer

being the majority

is it a fear

of irrelevance

is it wounded pride

is it a fear

of losing

maybe some of the freedoms

that we have enjoyed

as long as we can remember

you know

the New Testament

scholar

N.T. Wright

says this

and by the way

he would fully affirm

the value

the importance

of rights

he would say

that these are things

that we need to be

grateful for

but here's also

what he says

insisting on one's rights

even insisting

on one's rights

as a Christian

is a sign

that something else

other than the true God

is being worshipped

saying

when that is your

sole focus

what is really

motivating you

a heart

that has truly

been transformed

by the gospel

is motivated

not by fear

not by insecurity

not by pride

but by sacrificial love

so when it comes

to our rights

we should be

thankful for them

we should praise

God for them

we should hope

to exercise them

freely

as often

as we can

but

we should always

ask

what the impact

of our free

exercise of rights

has

on the people

around us

and Paul says

if there's a chance

that we may do harm

we should be ready

to relinquish

our rights

immediately

out of love

for others

there was a recent

there's lots of examples

we could give of this

there was one recent

example of this

that came in the early

days of the

COVID pandemic

we were learning

more and more

about the virus

staying up late

at night

reading as much

as we possibly

could

there was a fear

that large public

gatherings could

accelerate the spread

of COVID

the word that people

used was the

super spreader

events

and because of that

they said that

big public gatherings

would put the more

vulnerable members

of society

the immunocompromised

the elderly

at greater risk

and therefore

local authorities

said churches

should temporarily

stop gathering

in person

until the transmission

rates go down

right

and Christians

were up in arms

about this

because we have a

right to gather

for worship

and the government

has no right

to tell us

that we can't do that

it's a fundamental

right in our society

and because of passages

like this

we chose as a church

to stop meeting

in person

as hard

as it was

not out of fear

of COVID

not out of fealty

to local governments

but because we looked

at passages

like this

and we decided

to temporarily

relinquish our right

to meet in person

in order to demonstrate

our love

and concern

for the broader

community

and it doesn't mean

that we don't

think that that right

is important

and it doesn't mean

that under certain

circumstances

we wouldn't fight

for that right

but in this case

we allow this ethic

from places like

1 Corinthians 8

to govern

our conduct

and I would say

if you're hearing this

and you disagree

I can point you

to a sermon

about how to interact

with people

you disagree with

and you can listen

to it

but it was a very

hard issue

it was a very

gray issue

I mean I understood

both sides

but at the time

we decided

this is the kind

of thing

that Paul

would call us

to do

and if you follow

Paul's argument

through the end

of chapter 10

where it picks up

and then Romans

Romans 14 · chapter mention

chapter 14

we actually see

that we're called

to go even further

than this

not only should

I have a willingness

at times

to relinquish

my rights

for the well-being

of my brothers

and sisters

with whom I disagree

but Paul calls us

to go much

much much further

in Romans chapter 14

Romans 14 · chapter mention

because see

these days

it is very common

for people to say

this

when it comes

to disagreement

people will say

this

agree with me

and then I might

accept you

but unless we disagree

I don't think

that we can be

in relationship

and so

I don't know

if you've noticed

this but a lot

of times

I find myself

in conversations

where the first

few comments

or questions

people are kind

of feeling

each other out

they're kind

of making

little references

and they're seeing

how you respond

and what they're

trying to do

is to sort you

and I do the same

thing

we're trying

to sort

each other

to figure out

is there a chance

that we agree

on the issues

that we see

the world

in the same way

or not

and many times

when people

start to get a sense

that I don't think

that we're coming

from the same place

there's kind

of a polite

distancing

where I'm not

going to talk

to that person

anymore

and it happens

all the time

because we have

the sense

that unless

we have a kind

of agreement

around the basics

I'm not sure

we can be

in relationship

Romans 14

says the opposite

it says

that when we

encounter someone

with whom we

strongly disagree

before we try

to correct them

before we try

to argue with them

Paul says

the first thing

that you should do

is to welcome them

and the word

in Greek

means much

much more

than just

you're welcome

to sit at my table

or you're welcome

to interact with me

John Stott writes

this means more

than to accept

people in the sense

of acquiescing

in their existence

or even in their

right to belong

it means more

even than to receive

or accept

in one's society

or into one's home

or circle of acquaintances

here's what

he goes further

than all of that

this isn't just

yeah you can come

you can be a part

of the group

you can be among

my kind of acquaintances

he says no no

it means to welcome

into one's fellowship

and into one's heart

it implies the warmth

and the kindness

of genuine love

I welcome you in

with warmth

and kindness

and genuine love

and then maybe

down the road

we start to sort out

where we agree

and disagree

it's a completely

different posture

and just take a moment

and imagine

how different

would our society be

if Christians

just Christians

regularly responded

this way

to people

who disagree

with us

not only within

Christian circles

but in the broader

society

it doesn't mean

we have soupy

convictions

but it means

the posture

is one of

open warm embrace

first

there are plenty

of places

where Paul

highlights

the importance

of correct theology

and working through

and making sure

to correct people

who are led astray

right

absolutely

right

but the ethic

says

the first thing

that you do

the posture

is

foregrounds

love

welcome

embrace

and in that context

differences can be

explored

imagine how different

it would go

at your Thanksgiving

table

if this were the

ethic

this Paul says

is evidence

of a heart

that has been

transformed by the

gospel

and we read this

and quite frankly

I think it raises

a question

how is such a thing

even possible

how could anyone

be expected

to be willing

to relinquish

their rights

or to welcome

and embrace

their enemies

with such

extravagant love

and the key

to the whole argument

is found in Romans

Romans 15:7

chapter 15

verse 7

where he says

welcome others

as Christ

has welcomed

you

why should we

be willing

to relinquish

our rights

to love people

who disagree

with us

because once

we stood

condemned

as enemies

of God

in our sin

and yet Jesus

the eternal

son of God

who had all

of the rights

who had all

of the glory

and all

of the power

relinquished

all of that

gave up

all of his

rights

to come

and to die

the death

of a common

criminal

out of love

for us

why should

I relinquish

my rights

because he

relinquished

his rights

for me

right

why should

we enter

into the world

and embrace

people who

disagree with us

because this

is what it

means to

welcome

this is what

John

this is what

it means

to welcome

others

right

you encounter

somebody

you disagree

with

what does

it mean

to love

and embrace

them

well

you enter

intellectually

into their

world

you work

to try to

understand

and sympathize

with their

viewpoint

their point

of view

right

a fundamental

rule of

debate is

you should

be able

to articulate

you should

be able

to articulate

the point

of view

of your

opponent

better than

they can

and you

should be

able to do

that before

you respond

so what I

hear you

saying is

and you

should do

when you

get done

they should

look at you

and be like

wow

that yes

that's exactly

what I

I couldn't

have said it

better myself

right

that's what

it means

to welcome

and to embrace

you enter

fully

and you

understand

their

perspective

you love

them as a

friend

even though

you disagree

Paul says

why should

we be willing

to do that

for the sake

of somebody

else

because that's

exactly what

Jesus Christ

did

the eternal

son of God

takes on

flesh

he enters

into our

world

he becomes

in every

way

exactly

like us

he takes

on our

weakness

he experiences

the human

condition

from the

inside

right

in every

way

he is

tempted

as we

are

and yet

without

sin

why does

he become

in every

way

like us

so that

one day

we might

become

in every

way

like him

and when

that truth

when the

truth of

the gospel

is driven

into your

heart

when you

recognize

that you

are the

one who

deserved

to be

cut off

and yet

Jesus Christ

was willing

to relinquish

his rights

and enter

into your

world

and welcome

you

and embrace

you

that fundamentally

transforms

the way you

see those

with whom

you disagree

and you

cannot help

but love

them as

Jesus has

loved you

let's pray

Lord we thank

you for your

word and we

thank you for

the gospel

and we thank

you that you're

a God who

doesn't sit

sternly and

distantly

away waiting

for us to get

our act

together

you're not

a God

who confronts

us with

all of the

ways that we

have fallen

short and

then leaves

us there

to wallow

hopelessly

but you're a

God who

cares about

holiness

above all

else

you care about

our holiness

above all

else

and yet you

are willing

to set

aside your

rights and

your power

and your

glory and

enter into

our space

to embrace

us while we

were still

sinners

Lord to

renew us

from the

inside out

Lord we

pray that

this would

govern

that this

would transform

the way we

see ourselves

that it

would transform

the way we

see people

across those

lines of

difference

that it

would give

us a new

set of

priorities

that it

would reorient

our hearts

to a posture

of sacrificial

love

we pray this

that we might

be as a

community

Lord a

beacon of

hope and

peace building

and reconciliation

in this city

that we might

bring you

glory

we pray this

in your son's

holy name

amen