A People of Grace: A Sermon

Hi folks,

I just want to inform you'll that I have been invited back to speak at the Devonwood Community Church of the Nazarene in Windsor again. It is both an honour and a little nerve racking (as I have been racking my brain for a subject to speak on for weeks now).

In light of the past eight months: the tragic passing of my father followed by internal strife of my family and divisions in among christians which I have - since - become keely aware of along with an awareness of how often it seems we christians hold "godly" or "christian" expectation over the ungodly non-christians around us. All of this came to a head two weeks ago when it was discovered that my mom had enlarged lymph nodes which may have been cancerous. Fortunately the results turned out to be negative.

Upon reflecting back to the night before the results were in my mom now says: "Derek I had myself dead. I thought 'this was the last summer I would get to enjoy my garden, the grass, all the little things in life'." She tells me that that night she saw the world through renewed eyes, the same as when she first became a Christian and everything was just a little big greener. The little things the people love to turn into BIG things: 'so and so looked at me funny', 'that person said --- i'm not talk to them any more'. 'so and so better changer her ways or I'm writing her out of my life'. Such musings are petty, and the reality of the fact becomes clear and falls into focus when something big actually happens, like say cancer.

The point of all this is that we Christians, while acknowledging that we have been forgiven of our sins, been extended grace by God and have been reconciled to him through Christ.... have we forgot that we ALSO have been given the ministry of forgiveness towards others... that we are called to be a people of grace (that is, to extend grace to others as we have received it), and (not finally) we have been given the ministry of reconcilation!

I hope and pray all goes well, and extend a warm invitation to all who can make it.

Pray for me is my request to you, in all things, but particularly in regard to this sermon.

Derek.