[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Epiphany 2 - NT reading

[Joe Parrish]

Forwarded:
Hi friends,
 was away on a week's vacation last week.  Back again now.  Here are a few 
houghts from Down Under on the New Testament Reading for Epiphany 2.  Use 
nd develop as you like.
Howard
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* There's quite a lot of stuff in our first reading about what great gifts 
od gives to people. But because we only have a short time together I want 
o just think about one of them,
 one that was mentioned at the beginning and at the end of
he passage we read from the letter to the Christians in the
ity of Corinth, in Greece.
 Paul tells them that God has chosen them to be his very own
eople, and also to be partners with Jesus.
 The important thing for us is that the same is true today for all
eople who are followers of Jesus, as it was for those people in
hat Church in Greece in the 1st century.
 So if you are trying to be a follower of Jesus, it doesn't matter
hether you're very good at it, or if you're pretty weak at it,
 if you're trying, then you can be sure that as far as God is
oncerned you are one of his very own people, you are a
artner with Jesus, and with all the rest of Jesus' followers.
* Just think about that a little: if you are one of God's very own people, 
hen you can be real sure that God is looking after you, that God will not 
et you fall away into hell, that God is not out to punish you, or to get 
ou into trouble.
 Instead, as Paul tells us today, God intends to give you all the
lessings that are available in Jesus;
 and amongst them Paul specially mentions 'peace'.
 Being one of God's people doesn't necessarily mean that you
ill protected against the kind of disaster like we hear about in
he media:
bushfires, earthquakes, droughts, floods, wars or other
iolence.
 But it does mean that God will always be near you,
 and you can be conscious of the fact the God is with you;
 and that you will always have the rest of God's people to
upport you too, they'll help you to find and eat the food;
 it means that even if you die, you won't be allowed to enter
ell.
 Some of us may feel that life here on earth is pretty hellish,
 but if you are trying to be a follower of Jesus, you will never
e allowed to descend into a real hell.
+ If you can hang on to such ideas, especially when times are
ough, then you will be able to get through anything, and still
ind peace - God's peace.
 That's one of the things we always say at the end of our
ervice of worship, so try to remember when you leave here to
go in peace".
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
he Rev'd Dr H.C. Smith
Retired Anglican Priest
Orange NSW
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