I just had a wonderful afternoon with some friends discussing spiritual matters. I always think of my questions and additional comments afterward as I discuss the topics with my husband. I have found myself delving deeper into the scripture lately and trying to dig out things on topics. We are going through a series in our church sermons right now on the church, so this was timely that I did a mini-study on what I think the church looks like (even if we didn't discuss that). As I talked with my hubby today, I wondered why is it that some churches have to have the same topic on the same day? Christ didn't say the same thing to all people. Some he told to go and sin no more, some he reamed big time about being white-washed tombs, and others he got downright violent with when he was turning tables over in the temple. Does every congregation need to hear the same thing in their service? Can't the congregation that is suffering through the loss of a dear member not hear about the comfort we receive that we may comfort others, while mine hears about what the church began as since we are at that beginning? Or we need encouragement about reaching out to the community, where others do that well, but need help in loving within the church, perhaps needing some correction of course? I was raised having the same scriptures read in all the denominations churches for that particular Sunday of the church calendar. I remember 3rd Sunday of Advent is John the Baptist Sunday (Heeeeeeere's Jesus!). Then the 12th day after Christmas is Epiphany, speaking of when the wise men of the east finally got to where Jesus was. But our sermons were not dictated by our church as to what we were to hear about.
I'm not sure anybody else ever did a sermon on the parallel between Ed McMahon and John, but I remember that one in particular since I had to write sermon reports, and that one it was easy to understand. I think of that on the 3rd Sunday of Advent, even though my current church doesn't bring up the different themes. I still see John, standing out in the desert, saying prepare the way of the Lord, and at the Baptism, "Heeeeeere's Jesus! Behold the Lamb of God!" I think God meets us where our need is. He isn't saying here's the topic for the worldwide church for this week. I can't treat patients that way, either. Ok, today everybody has a cold and gets nothing prescription. Maybe you have pneumonia, and you need antibiotics? I'm glad that God knows what we need and can meet that need, whether it's as a church body or as an individual.
