Sin? Who Me?

Good Wednesday to you!

Rearranging furniture may or may not be your favorite thing to do, but it is something most of us have done at some point in our lives. Jesus made quite a stir when He "rearranged" the temple courtyard, driving the merchants out. That temple courtyard was the only place non-Jewish people could gather to worship the Lord. It did not make for a very welcoming view of God to have the place turned into a marketplace. While the religious leaders of the day were busy offering sacrifices to make amends for sin, Jesus was in the process of re-defining how to take care of the consequences of sin once and for all.

While we celebrate the amazing grace we have that covers our sin, we still need to be aware that sin exists in our lives, and that grace does not give us a "pass" to continue sinning. Our bodies have become the temple where the Holy Spirit dwells. We have a "courtyard" for the non-believers in our lives who watch and wait for us to do anything that would discredit our beliefs. That gives them a reason to reject a life of faith in God.

What is Jesus doing in your "temple courtyard?" What needs cleaning and rearranging in your life? Remember, unabated sin not only hinders others from coming to the Lord, it prevents us from living the abundant life Jesus promises. Let us pay attention to the work the Holy Spirit is doing in our lives, that our witness to the world (and to ourselves) is one that honors our Lord.

Next week we will be looking at Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus in John 3:1-21. I look forward to seeing you all!

Sunday, I also announced a return to "pre-covid" communion, where we will be passing the elements during the service. A small batch of pre-packaged elements will be available for those who remain cautious. Thank you for your patience in all this.

Last, but not least, I want to thank all who supported the development of the youth center across the street. There were certain criteria we needed to meet in order to proceed. We did not meet them. At this point, the project across the street will move forward with the Jewish Chabad alone. Please pray for them as they prepare to go through the process with the city, praying for approval that they might have a permanent home here in Coronado. It has been a long and difficult process, but we will move forward with confidence that God is at work in our neighborhood continues.

You are a blessing to me!

Grace and peace,
Pastor David

If you missed this Sunday’s sermon, click here to listen now!