Grace Episcopal Mission – Clayton, NC

August 13, 2000 - Morning Prayer

DOES GOD LOVE ALL OF US OR JUST SOME OF US?

GENERAL ELECTION VS SPECIFIC ELECTION

WHAT DOES GOD SAY TO US ABOUT LOVE?

“I LOVE YOU, OBEY ME, I AM…”

WHAT IS TO BE OUR RESPONSE TO GOD’S LOVE?

TO IGNORE IT, NOT BELIEVE IT, ACT AS IF IT IS NOT TRUE?

SCRIPTURE TELLS US IN GENESIS THAT WE ARE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD.

SCRIPTURE TELLS US IN THE GOSPELS THAT GOD HAS BEEN REVEALED TO US IN THE PERSON OF JESUS OF NAZARETH.

THE MOST DANGEROUS THING THAT JESUS SAID AND PROBABLY THE WORDS WHICH ASSURED HIS DEATH WERE, “I AM…”

IN TELLING US WHO HE WAS, JESUS WAS TRYING TO GET US TO UNDERSTAND WHO WE ARE.

I WAS TOLD ONCE BY MY MENTOR, BOB PIERCE, THAT THERE WERE ONLY TWO IMPORTANT QUESTIONS WE MUST ANSWER IN OUR LIFETIME SPIRITUAL JOURNEY.  “WHO IS GOD? & WHO AM I?”

THE ANSWERS FOR ME SO FAR ARE THAT GOD IS MY CREATOR AND I AM A SINNER IN NEED OF GOD’S REDEMPTION. 

THE TRUTH AS SCRIPTURE REVEALS IS THAT WE ARE ALL GOD’S SONS AND DAUGHTERS. 

WE ARE MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE. 

WE ARE GOD’S AGENTS IN PROCLAIMING GOD’S KINGDOM AND GOD’S LOVE FOR THE WHOLE WORLD.

THERE ARE REALLY ONLY TWO CHARACTERS IN THE DIVINE STORY WE CALL SCRIPTURE, GOD AND US.

THE STORY OF SCRIPTURE IS NOT ABOUT ADAM, EVE, ABRAHAM, SARAH, MOSES, DEBORAH, ESTHER, DAVID, PETER, JAMES, JOHN, AND PAUL.

THE STORY OF SCRIPTURE IS A LOVE STORY, A STORY OF GOD’S LOVE FOR US.

SADLY IT IS OFTEN A STORY OF UNREQUITED LOVE, BUT LOVE SO STRONG AND SO MYSTERIOUS THAT TO DEMONSTRATE THAT LOVE, GOD COMES TO US IN THE PERSON OF JESUS AND IS WILLING TO DIE FOR US AND OUR REDEMPTION.

DOES GOD LOVE ALL OR JUST SOME OF US?

WHAT DOES GOD, THE LOVER, SAY TO US, THE BELOVED?

HOW SHALL WE RESPOND?

READ THE SCRIPTURE EACH WEEK, LISTEN TO THE LESSONS SUNDAY AFTER SUNDAY. 

THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS IS ALWAYS THE SAME.

DOES GOD LOVE ALL OR JUST SOME OF US?

            ALL OF US!

WHAT DOES GOD, THE LOVER, SAY TO US, THE BELOVED?

            I LOVE YOU, COME BACK TO ME.

HOW SHALL WE RESPOND?

LOVE ONE ANOTHER.  AND WHEN WE FAIL, UNDERSTAND THAT GOD FORGIVES US AND STILL, NO MATTER WHAT , LOVES US TO THE END.

AND NOW UNTO GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON AND GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT, BE ASCRIBED ALL MIGHT, MAJESTY, POWER, DOMINION, AND GLORY THIS DAY AND FOREVERMORE.  AMEN