Thursday's Thought for Sunday's Service

“Brothers and sisters, I couldn’t talk to you like spiritual people but like unspiritual people, like babies in Christ. I gave you milk to drink instead of solid food, because you weren’t up to it yet. Now you are still not up to it because you are still unspiritual. When jealousy and fighting exist between you, aren’t you unspiritual and living by human standards? When someone says, “I belong to Paul,” and someone else says, “I belong to Apollos,” aren’t you acting like people without the Spirit? After all, what is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants who helped you to believe. Each one had a role given to them by the Lord: I planted, Apollos watered, but God made it grow. Because of this, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but the only one who is anything is God who makes it grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together, but each one will receive their own reward for their own labor. We are God’s coworkers, and you are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:1–9, CEB)

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This passage might lead one to consider some of the problem’s parents could face guiding a young one to a greater maturity.  Even with applied wisdom, challenges abound.  Although loving and supportive – they may also perceive, or at least hope for, a greater power, aiding their child's growth and development.

In this, effective communication, expressive caring, and essential collaboration suggests that many have a role to play, each sharing particular skills with sensitive timing.

With patience and perseverance, maturity is gained not so much by what was offered or who taught, but more in learning to trust God for growth. Evident in younger ones, certainly… older ones too.

Pastor Rich Wagner

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Sunday, February 16, 2020         Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany
New Testament Reading             1 Corinthians 3:1–9
Gospel Reading:                           Matthew 5:21–37
Sermon:                                         “One Purpose”