I’m afraid I haven’t had time to record a sermon this weekend. I’ve been in Boston all day taking part in the Ordination service of Julia Whitworth as the XVII Bishop of Massachusetts. It has been a wonderful day filled with song, a fantastic sermon and the presence of the Holy Spirit.
The main point in the sermon that I’m planning preaching in the morning at St. Stephan’s Church in Providence is how the misdirected ambition of the disciples to rank above their brothers in the Kingdom of God is a common one in the history of the Church. It’s been a particularly dangerous one for us as Episcopalians and Anglicans as we have sought to be the “official” franchise of faith in our various countries and ages.
Rather than being greater than someone, it is enough to be great. Trying to be excellent for the sake of others and for yourself is different than trying to try to rank above. It’s a subtle thing, but as with such things, when it goes wrong, the consequences aren’t subtle at all.
God bless you all this weekend.
(Next weekend is our Diocesan Convention here in Rhode Island, so it’s likely that I won’t be able to post something next weekend either.)
@wnknisely if we remember we are creatures like other creatures all created by God and depending on God we would not have great need to think any of us are greater than others. We can recognize that anything of God's design for us is really good, and there is godliness for us to grow to further in.