Yet from Augustine’s point of view (and ours, too) time is an accumulation of events that is leading to a cataclysmic summation, which will bring about the Second Coming of Christ. But something not quite as cataclysmic (at least I pray not so) are the events of our own lives. What are the events that we are accumulating in our lives? Are they God-honoring events? Are they events preparing us for Jesus’ Return?
Let us think about the parable again in relation to this question of “Where am I?” The master has entrusted these precious gifts to His beloved servants. These gifts are for the benefit of servants. In pouring out the gifts, the servants will grow up into their calling, but the one servant refuses. He fears a lack in the kingdom and sets about preserving his talent, his life. In so doing, he will lose his life.
Living and moving by hope, our lamps are burning deep in the night, looking toward the faithfulness of God.
This Good News is the good news of repentance, of simple faith in Jesus Christ, of lives that find peace with God through the work of Jesus Christ in the cross.
For Chesterton, this life of joy begins in the simple wonder of being alive, but it ends in loving God and loving neighbor.
There is always a temptation to move beyond the simplicity of the Good News. In ancient Israel, the northern kingdom of Israel left the revelation of God for the illusions of surrounding nations. The Christians in Irenaeus’ day were tempted to leave the Gospel behind for a supposedly deeper spiritual truth. Even today, we are surrounded by ideas and lifestyles that call to us to leave behind the archaic Gospel truth in favor of supposedly deeper spiritual ideas.
The friends of God become people who enter into communion, into friendship with one another. And these friendships have stretched across the ages.
Song Across the Ages Pentecost 16A Rev. Doug Floyd (this is a transcript of audio) In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen. Throughout the season of Pentecost, we have been meditating in various ways upon the role of discipleship. Last week, had brought a convicting word about forgiveness…
You know, to forgive is divine. It is not human. Wherever forgiveness is truly practiced, there is peace. It’s always the work of the Holy Spirit, whether it is recognized, or not. Whether it happens in the church, with a brother or sister, or done in the wider world.
When Paul writes about love in Romans 12, 13, 14, and 15, he is calling the people of God who have been taken up by God’s love to translate that very same into their daily lives, into the life of the church, and into the life of the community.