June 4, 2018 - Sunday was the 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Summer is fast approaching, with the temperatures already in the high 90s. I hope this isn’t a warning that this is going to be an exceptionally hot summer! Just before I left for Sunday School it rained a little bit. It didn’t rain much or for long, but it was nice anyway.
In the Epistle lesson for today from 2 Corinthians 4: 1-12, Paul compares us to common red clay jars that were used to transport wine from the vineyards to the sellers and then the buyers. The clay jars were just ordinary, but what they carried was important. We are ordinary clay jars that carry within us the good news of Jesus. In my sermon I spoke about the need to reexamine those “red letter” words of Jesus to rediscover what was on Jesus’ mind when he spoke to the multitudes and what he thought was important.
We started a new quarter in Sunday School, which means a new author. The title of today’s lesson was “Justice and Sabbath Laws.” Gene read the scripture from Matthew 12: 1-14 which highlighted the disagreement between groups of Pharisees and Jesus and his disciples about working on the Sabbath. Jesus probably didn’t convince any of his opponents that day when he reminded them that people were not created for the Sabbath but the Sabbath was created for people. But as usual, his wisdom reverberates across the centuries.
We are glad to have Gene and Joy back from their European cruise and to hear some of the exciting things they did and saw. They said they had a great time, but—in the seemingly universal human sentiment—they are glad to be back home.
“Whoever you are, in whatever faith you were born, whatever creed you profess; if you come to this house to find God you are welcome here.” Paxton United Methodist Church is an inviting church that takes to heart the idea of “Open Doors, Open Hearts, Open Minds.” Sunday School starts at 9:30 and Worship begins at 10:00. Our email address is paxtonumc@yahoo.com. If you would like the weekly email newsletter about Paxton Methodist you can send me your email address to the Paxton email address and I will add you to the list. Godspeed.
Randy & Sue Smith
