This morning I preached about encouraging one another as opposed to putting stumbling blocks in front of others in our faith journeys. I used the 1 Corinthians 8 text where Paul says that some felt it was okay to eat meat that had been offered to idols, while for others doing so would give them a weak conscience. While the specifics of this issue covered by Paul do not pertain to our current culture, the general idea certainly does.
Even though something may not be a stumbling block for you, if it is a stumbling block for one of your fellow Christians, then avoid doing it especially in front of them. It could be compared to inviting a recovered alcoholic to your home for dinner and serving alcoholic drinks. Being around others who drink could weaken his/her resolve to stay sober. Why put that temptation or stressor in front of them? It wouldn't be very supportive, would it?
We are the body of Christ and even though we are each individual parts of the body, we work together for the good of the whole. Let us build up one another with love and encouragement and respect. Remember the first of the three simple rules: DO NO HARM.
Have a GREAT week!
Pastor Judy
Welcome to my Blog!
Welcome to my new blog! I am a United Methodist pastor serving the Prairie Mission Parish in central Illinois. My parish consists of three churches: Oakford UMC (United Methodist Church), Bath UMC, and Fairview UMC. The first two churches are located in the towns they are named after. The third one is located in rural Chandlerville (IL). The parish office is located in the largest of the three churches, Oakford UMC. Oakford is located approximately 30 miles NW of Springfield, IL. I have served this parish since July 1, 2008.
What's this blog about?
I plan to use this blog to share devotional thoughts, scripture readings, upcoming events in the parish, prayer concerns, etc. For privacy reasons the prayer concerns will only show the person's first name and last initial, and they will only be posted in a generic way (i.e. pray for Judy V.) without saying what the details of the concern are. If someone in the parish wants more information, they can contact the parish office or me.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
