Blessings and grace to you all as we reach the middle of February, more or less. It has been a weird week in Suffolk and many places in the US – we have had the return of faux-Spring with 70 plus degree weather alongside chilly drizzle. But we won’t let the weird weather impact the life we live in community. In just under 10 days we will close out the Epiphany season and begin our Lenten journey. I pray you have had an enlightening Epiphany time and are prepared for the coming season of Lent.

In worship we began with the reminder that our human weakness prevents us from doing good of our own volition, rather the good we do is fueled by God’s grace. And we find God’s grace by observing God’s commandments, the principles given years ago. Our reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians addresses the in-fighting within the church over “who was more important” Paul or Apollos – and offers the reminder that our most important mission is sharing God’s story. Our Psalmist offered the aleph stanzas from Psalm 119 as the beginning of the reminder that the principles of life are found in God’s teaching.

Today’s sermon was a reflection on the Hebrew scripture reading from Deuteronomy where Moses demands the Israelites choose either to live or die. His question to them captures the important idea, that choosing life brings prosperity (in God’s economy). It is through Moses’ lens that we hear Jesus expand on the Beatitudes in today’s gospel. He reminded his society that God’s principles are clear and that the work we do must bring about trust, compassion, and respect. When we live lives which focus on these three things, we WILL live and survive. Our mission is to remember and share these truths with others.

I invite your comments,
Les+

Readings: Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 119:1-8; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; Matthew 5:21-37

Listen at: https://audiomack.com/fatherles-1/song/sermon-on-the-6th-sunday-after-epiphany

Video of worship: https://youtu.be/9849ICLI2gM

Video of sermon: https://youtu.be/SoDIEfX46sY