Sermon Notes for September 7 (Rally Day)

 In a seminar, recently, I heard that a sermon should be part of a conversation as opposed to just a presentation of knowledge. I liked that a lot, and I would like to encourage that thinking as we start a new sermon series for September. 

The series is based on the word "justice" in the Bible, understanding the broad concept through four different motifs that we will explore each week. Justice is something that applies to how we understand our relationship to God and our relationships to one another, so there is a lot of ground to cover!

I hope we can keep the conversation going after church, on social media or in the adult Bible Class on Sunday mornings at Bethany 9-9:45 a.m. near the kitchen). 

Week One: Removing Favoritism

I'm thinking we can start our conversation in the familiar setting of a law court. But from there, we can explore how we are meant to see the people who are around us, every day, and what that means for how we act. James gives us a concrete example in his letter and Jesus invites us to go right through the social barriers we put in the way of serving others and sharing the Good News. Knowing how God sees us is the first step to a life guided by His justice. 

Join me at Bethany Lutheran Church and Preschool this Sunday at 10. I hope to see you in person for our special Rally Day service that celebrates the start of our children's ministries. But the service can also be seen online at www.bethany-lcms.org/live-stream. 

Grace and peace!