NOTE FROM PASTOR J R FOR SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2024
Sunday is TRANSFIRGURATOIN SUNDAY, reading this, you may have noticed that the actions and behavior of fundamentalist Christians who love to talk about Christian’s values are very judgmental, most unforgiving and in tolerant toward people who are different than they are.
Having guest lectured at Patricia Todd’s class at University of Alabama – Birmingham (UAB) on last Monday, on what the Bible says about homosexuality, got me to thinking after reading the assigned text for Transfiguration Sunday from Mark 9:2-9. I addressed the traditional “clobber” scriptures folks use against the Q-Plus community but I also noted that Jesus’ attitude toward eunuchs differed greatly from the fundamentalist Pharisees of His day. To them, eunuchs were excluded from the covenant and barred from worship and participating in the community of faith. Sound familiar?
However, Jesus’ graceful approach to eunuchs is beautifully pictured in the promise of the prophecy of Isaiah 56:4-8, “To the eunuchs…I will give them an everlasting name that will not be taken away.” This seems to be God’s approach as well, when in Acts 8 an angel sent Philip, the Deacon, to witness to and baptism an Ethiopian eunuch Queen Candace of Ethiopia. Just think: one of the earliest converts to Christianity was a person excluded for sexual reasons from the Old Testament community… BUT GOD!!!!
It makes me wonder how the fundamentalists back then and today get it so wrong. I found an answer in Mark 9:7 that speaks of Jesus Transfiguration. It’s a failure to follow God’s instructions, “LISTEN TO HIM!” (Listen to Jesus!) Not just Jesus’ words but Jesus’ graceful approach and actions as well.
Join us for worship this Transfiguration Sunday, in-person, by Zoom, Facebook Livestream or YouTube, I’ll be encouraging us in how to experience a transformed life as we “Listen To Him,” based on Mark 9:2-9.
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