Pulpit Preparation
Preparing our hearts, minds, and souls to hear and reflect upon the Word of God.
Prayer of focus
Almighty God, you sent your only Son as the Word of life for our eyes to see and our ears to hear. Help us to believe with joy what the Scriptures proclaim, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Readings
Reflection
Last week we pondered the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12 and how they form our hearts, minds, and souls in our living as the body of Jesus Christ known as the Church. In reflecting upon the Beatitudes, I do so in preparation for this week’s Word from Matthew 5:13-20 where we as Jesus’ disciples are called to be Salt and Light in the World. My contemplation has led me to realize that as I am being formed that is, transformed by the blessings of Jesus in the Beatitudes it is so that I can be Salt and Light in the world. To become Salt and Light, to be formed and transformed by the Holy Spirit is an ongoing … perpetual … journey in life. Here I am reminded of John the Baptist in John 3:30 where he states, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
“He must increase, but I must decrease,” (John 3:30).
Another way of seeking God or discerning how we are to be Salt and Light in the world is to revisit last October when I challenged all of us to answer a couple of questions or at least to keep pondering the questions as we journey through the wilderness of Transition seeking to call the next Senior Pastor for FPCH. You might recall the questions asked were:
Who is God calling you to be as an individual follower of Jesus?
Who is God calling FPCH to be as a community of faith, the body of Christ, in the world?
How are you being formed by the Holy Spirit in your following of Jesus?
How is God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit forming you … transforming you to be Salt and Light?