Vacation Bible School week has used this teaching scripture verse in the Knights of North Castle theme: “… be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” - Ephesians 6:10 I was VBS age in the 60’s. I honestly can’t remember the themes or scriptures used to teach me and my elementary-aged friends. What I do remember is the teachers. I can name several by name and I regularly do state their names in prayers of thanksgiving. Being strong in the Lord was something I learned from each of them. When I observed their way of being in the world, the way they carried themselves, the words I heard come out of their mouths, that is what taught me to be strong in the Lord. Discipleship in the way of Jesus is often described in how or what we do in the community of faith. We meet one another and describe our functionality in the Body of Christ as an identifier as to who we are and why we are here. That helps a new pastor hear about the flock of a new congregation. And these days as a new pastor here at Manchaca UMC, the functional descriptors help me remember faces and names. But what I long for is knowing people by who they are in their time with Christ simply being who they are created to be. Sunday is coming! And this week we will examine the text from Luke’s gospel (10:38-42) which describes an encounter with Jesus and two sisters. Mary and Martha. Unlike the parallel scripture in John’s gospel where Jesus meets Mary and Martha in Bethany at the raising of their brother Lazarus, this text from Luke has five verses to describe the encounter. Somewhere Along the Way in the travel narrative of Luke, Jesus has time to make a Home Visit. What is described often leads us to speak of comparisons between Christian service (our functional roles like Martha’s obsessive need to demonstrate hospitality) and Christian faith. In different words, we contrast doing and being. Martha was distracted in her doing while Mary was engaged in holy listening at the feet of her rabbi and Lord. There seems to be strength in the Lord in both of these positions, in both of these sisters. Could it be that one way of being or doing is better than the other? Come along with us Sunday July 17 and let us talk about Jesus and being strong. Our lives are made better in the learning. See you Sunday! Along the Way
Pastor Paul