Please read Matthew 6:24-34

Rev. Bill Garr from Seventh Street Christian Church will preach Sunday, as we invite our friends to come worship with us.

We have been doing this for going on 17 years now and I must tell you I not only enjoy worshiping with the people of this church, but I consider it necessary.

While I always want you to be in church on Sunday, I especially want you to be there this Sunday when we welcome our guests.

This time together reminds us that we are one in Christ, if we need reminding.

This time together provides good fellowship, strengthens the bond between our churches and blesses both churches beyond measure.

The text for Sunday, which I will not use because I am not preaching, tells us a few things.

“No one can serve two masters.”  Here Jesus tells us that you can’t “serve” wealth and serve God at the same time.

One or the other will rise to the top of our priorities.  If wealth (consumption, accumulation, hoarding) becomes the priority and God is relegated to a distant second place (or worse), then life would be not unlike owning an expensive yacht which has no rudder.

“You cannot serve God and wealth.” (Mt. 6:24b)

Matthew goes on to say, “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life…” “And can anyone by worrying add a single hour to the span of your life?”

Surely, any thinking person worries. I suspect Jesus means, “Don’t let worry take over your life.” If I were to have a face to face conversation with Jesus, he would say this to me, “Jeff, trust me and get to work.” In other words, worry, but then do something about what worries you. Active engagement around the trouble we see has a therapeutic effect on us. Approaching trouble with a deep faith, assuages our futile anxiety.

“Strive first for the kingdom of God…” Then, well, he promises life will get better. He always tells the truth. I trust him.

Moving to the deeper places,
Jeff