I have a strong memory of teaching the gospel of John to a class of adults and coming to that line in John 13 about how the world will know that we are followers of Jesus and being struck by what felt like bolt of lightning. I’d read that line dozens of times before in my long life. But somehow digging in a little deeper and reading in preparation for teaching it flipped a switch in me.. That is one of the most powerful lines in the entire Bible. It is life-changing in every sense of that term. Thank you for accenting it here so beautifully.
I retired officially in 2010, went back for care ministry as a volunteer during the pandemic. Trained in spiritual direction right after retirement and maintain a small practice now. Will be 80 in January - seminary at midlife kinda deal.
I like that you specifically mention that we should love people who are not like us. It shouldn’t need to be said, but so many times, Christian love can feel like a parent reprimand: “I’m punishing you because I love you.” In reality, we ought to love people as they are with no expectation that they will radically change.
Glad you published this sermon in written form because I had to rewind the sermon a few times to fully pick up all the knowledge you were droppin on Sunday. 🫰🫰
Oct 30·edited Oct 30Liked by Zach W. Lambert, Amy Lambert
I'm now at an inner-city multi-ethnic UMC church with a Black pastor and it's been quite liberating to unlearn and shed some of the assumptions and stigmas that exist at the intersection of church and politics in the White Evangelical churches I've been a part of in the past, even if they were more justice-aware. I've always loved being in churches where there is a lot of diversity of thought and highly educated individuals debating ideas, but there's something really wholesome and healing (for my own faith wounds) about being in an unapologetically progressive church that is truly for the good of the city and the most vulnerable people in it and doesn't feel the need to debate it. They just do the work.
I love this. One of my closest friends here in Austin was a Black UMC pastor (he just moved to plant a church in another city) and he was SO helpful in educating me on a lot of this stuff. He used to say: “Politics aren’t bad. Bad politics are bad.”
I loved this sermon. I liked how you took quite a few points from the sermon preached on Sunday and typed them again here, because it is so important that we as followers of Christ grasp this. Great work!
Good stuff, especially now. We can't avoid politics. At the same time I kind of want to hide in a (metaphorical) bomb shelter until the election is over.
I feel you on wanting to hide until it's over. The bomb shelter is a perfect analogy because our political discourse feels like a metaphorical war zone right now. But you're right, we can't avoid it. So how do we speak directly into this through the lens of Jesus without unwittingly contributing to the toxic polarization cycles? That's the question I've been wrestling with a lot lately.
Great piece, thank you! I wish more people knew the real Jesus, the one from the New Testament, rather than the dashboard Jesus so many people use to justify their fear and anger.
I am somewhat sympathetic to "both sidesing" because, ultimately, the two sides are rent-seeking elites that represent machonational neomercantalism and multicultural neoliberalism. Tethering your identity to those "sides", especially as one of those sides being particularly central to the margins or liberation, has really gummed up discourse, civic engagement, the church, etc.
This is a fair point. I think I struggle with the "both sidesing" in the sense of making the two sides out to be the same amount of harmful. I don't think any party is using the way of Jesus as a governing barometer, but I think some are much more Christlike than others.
I kind of like hearing pastors say not to be political if it is mostly a Republican audience. If Christian Democrats had a stronger influence and Republicans less there would be merit to the argument against pastors being political.
This absolutely nails it. If we aren't living out love, if we aren't bring heaven to earth, we're not following Jesus.
Exactly. Well said, Shane!
I have a strong memory of teaching the gospel of John to a class of adults and coming to that line in John 13 about how the world will know that we are followers of Jesus and being struck by what felt like bolt of lightning. I’d read that line dozens of times before in my long life. But somehow digging in a little deeper and reading in preparation for teaching it flipped a switch in me.. That is one of the most powerful lines in the entire Bible. It is life-changing in every sense of that term. Thank you for accenting it here so beautifully.
I completely agree about that line—one of the most important in all of Scripture. Are you still teaching Bible classes?
I retired officially in 2010, went back for care ministry as a volunteer during the pandemic. Trained in spiritual direction right after retirement and maintain a small practice now. Will be 80 in January - seminary at midlife kinda deal.
Spiritual direction is so vitally important. I love that you are doing that work
I like that you specifically mention that we should love people who are not like us. It shouldn’t need to be said, but so many times, Christian love can feel like a parent reprimand: “I’m punishing you because I love you.” In reality, we ought to love people as they are with no expectation that they will radically change.
Glad you published this sermon in written form because I had to rewind the sermon a few times to fully pick up all the knowledge you were droppin on Sunday. 🫰🫰
Thanks, Morgan! I’m always curious: how have politics usually been talked about in churches you’ve been in?
I'm now at an inner-city multi-ethnic UMC church with a Black pastor and it's been quite liberating to unlearn and shed some of the assumptions and stigmas that exist at the intersection of church and politics in the White Evangelical churches I've been a part of in the past, even if they were more justice-aware. I've always loved being in churches where there is a lot of diversity of thought and highly educated individuals debating ideas, but there's something really wholesome and healing (for my own faith wounds) about being in an unapologetically progressive church that is truly for the good of the city and the most vulnerable people in it and doesn't feel the need to debate it. They just do the work.
I love this. One of my closest friends here in Austin was a Black UMC pastor (he just moved to plant a church in another city) and he was SO helpful in educating me on a lot of this stuff. He used to say: “Politics aren’t bad. Bad politics are bad.”
I loved this sermon. I liked how you took quite a few points from the sermon preached on Sunday and typed them again here, because it is so important that we as followers of Christ grasp this. Great work!
🔥🔥🔥
Thanks, Vanessa!
I really enjoyed this sermon and am so glad to be at a church where we can have these kinds of discussions.
Good stuff, especially now. We can't avoid politics. At the same time I kind of want to hide in a (metaphorical) bomb shelter until the election is over.
I feel you on wanting to hide until it's over. The bomb shelter is a perfect analogy because our political discourse feels like a metaphorical war zone right now. But you're right, we can't avoid it. So how do we speak directly into this through the lens of Jesus without unwittingly contributing to the toxic polarization cycles? That's the question I've been wrestling with a lot lately.
Great piece, thank you! I wish more people knew the real Jesus, the one from the New Testament, rather than the dashboard Jesus so many people use to justify their fear and anger.
I totally agree, Bill!
I am somewhat sympathetic to "both sidesing" because, ultimately, the two sides are rent-seeking elites that represent machonational neomercantalism and multicultural neoliberalism. Tethering your identity to those "sides", especially as one of those sides being particularly central to the margins or liberation, has really gummed up discourse, civic engagement, the church, etc.
This is a fair point. I think I struggle with the "both sidesing" in the sense of making the two sides out to be the same amount of harmful. I don't think any party is using the way of Jesus as a governing barometer, but I think some are much more Christlike than others.
I kind of like hearing pastors say not to be political if it is mostly a Republican audience. If Christian Democrats had a stronger influence and Republicans less there would be merit to the argument against pastors being political.
Can you please link the Lifeway survey you referenced? I’m curious to look at it in more detail. Thanks.