Looking Ahead to January 15, 2023

The Scripture Readings for this week are:

• John 1:29-42
• 1 Corinthians 1:1-9

The Sermon title is Sharing, Welcoming

Early Thoughts: Over the next few weeks we will be reading through the opening chapters of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians.

This week we have the opening salutation and words of thanksgiving for the community who is receiving the letter. These are common features of letters in the ancient world, but what might we find in here that goes beyond etiquette and form?

Pairing these opening words with the story in John of the gathering of the first disciples got me thinking about what it means to be called to be part of the community. Along with that is the idea of testimony, of sharing. It is testimony that leads to the gathering of the first disciples. Paul names that testimony of Christ is part of the strengthening of the Corinthian community. It is well established that testimony, the sharing of one's experience of what God is doing is the way the community grows. That testimony may be in words or in actions or, more appropriately, both. We share our experience as a way of inviting others in.

In later verses Paul will start giving the Corinthian church some pretty hard words. The community is hardly a perfect community of faith. But he starts with these words. He starts with lifting them up. He starts with reminding them who they are called to be and in whose name they are called together.

What does it mean to be a welcoming, testifying (sharing) community? In John, testimony leads to exploration and being welcomed. In Corinth testimony is building up the community as they experience the gifts of the Spirit. Does that help them welcome each other (spoiler alert, it is not at all sure they do a great job of welcoming each other)?

As a gathered community of faith, a community of those called together to witness to what God is doing in our midst, what might it mean to hear these opening words addressed to us? That is what I will be pondering for the rest of this week.

--Gord