LOVE PART ONE: ROOTS
Message from last week
It’s at the top of the list. What’s at the root?
LOVE PART TWO: FRUITS
(and weeds)
This Sunday’s message:
“By their fruit you will recognize them,” said Jesus (Matthew 7:16). He was talking about spiritual fruit, of course. What does the spiritual fruit of LOVE look like? Last week we talked about the ROOTS, but this week we will focus on the FRUIT of love. We need to address those things that get in the way, too: WEEDS, and other competitive plants, that need uprooting.
Why now? We are in a pandemic. Life has been turned upside down. Our culture is wrestling with systemic racism and other urgent issues. Perhaps “love” seems like a topic for quaint and quiet times, when we can afford to be “happy”. Shouldn’t conversation today be about resilience and survival?
Here is where I am coming from: if you don’t take love seriously, you might as well give up. Addressing any of these problems – without robust, sustainable, dynamic, mature love – will inevitably make all of them WORSE. Jesus did not call disciples and launch a movement during a time of political peace and economic equality. Jesus served, suffered, and saved, so inspiringly, so powerfully, because of the deepest and widest force in the cosmos: the LOVE OF GOD. LOVE is a fruit that can be born IN THE MIDST OF CONFLICT. It is the expression and shape of divine power, available to you and me, even now. It is what we need to be resilient. Tune in!
YOUNG CHURCH
- Godly Play: Letter to the Romans
- Big Kids: ZOOM meeting at 11:20 am on Sunday
- No Bigger Kids
HAPPY HOUR
Wednesday, July 1st, 7:30pm. Use the same ZOOM link as Sunday.
BEYOND SUNDAY
- Council Communiqué – please read the email sent May 9th
- Small Groups meet via ZOOM on a regular basis; email office@emmausroad.net for info.
- New Horizons Dinner – served every first Wednesday; email office@emmausroad.net for info.
- Road Crew Happy Hour -Wednesdays 7:30-9:00 pm – ZOOM
- Aurora Commons – Wonder what their wishlist is? See it here; view the most recent update here.