Not Far Is Not Enough

Sermon for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity 24^th August 2025

Text: Mark 12:28-34

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

There’s a phrase we use when we’re giving directions to someone who’s lost. They call us, frustrated, and say, “I think I’m close, but I just can’t find it!” And we try to get our bearings from their description and we say, “Okay, it sounds like you’re not far now. You’re really close.”

“Not far.” It’s a hopeful phrase. It means the destination is within reach. The struggle is almost over. But let’s be honest: “not far” is not the same as arriving. If you’re “not far” from the airport but stuck in traffic, you’re still going to miss your flight. If you’re “not far” from the finish line with a broken leg, you still haven’t won the race. “Not far” means you have understanding, but you still lack possession.

This is the crucial, and perhaps surprising, place we arrive at in our Gospel text today. A scribe, an expert in the religious law, comes to Jesus. And unlike the other religious leaders who have been trying to trap Jesus, this man seems sincere. He has been listening to Jesus’s answers and is impressed. So he asks a question that was a common topic of debate among the rabbis: “Which commandment is the most important of all?”

Jesus’s answer is beautiful and foundational. He doesn’t hesitate. He reaches back into the very heart of Jewish identity, to the words known as the Shema, prayed by every faithful Jew twice a day: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

This is the vertical dimension of faith: a love for God that is total, complete, and all-consuming. It engages every facet of our being—our emotions, our will, our intellect, and our physical effort. This love is our response to the God who first loved us.

But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He immediately adds a second commandment, from Leviticus: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” He yokes the vertical love for God inseparably to the horizontal love for our neighbor. You cannot have one without the other. To claim a deep love for God while harboring contempt for His image-bearers is a lie. And to try to love your neighbor with a self-generated, humanistic love, apart from the source of all love who is God, is a recipe for burnout and failure.

The scribe gets it. He understands perfectly. He summarizes Jesus’s teaching back to him and even adds his own profound insight: “To love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

This is brilliant theology! He sees that a relationship of love is what God truly desires, not just empty ritual. He understands that the heart of the law is love, not legalism. Jesus looks at him and says, “You are right.” How many of us would love to hear those words from the Son of God? “You have answered wisely.”

And then comes the stunning, sobering verdict: “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

Not far. This wise, theologically astute, sincere, and honest man was not far. He understood the map better than anyone. He could explain the route to eternal life with stunning clarity. He knew that love was more important than sacrifice. But he was still on the wrong side of the line. He was not far, but he was not in.

Why? Because the kingdom of God is not entered by passing a theology exam. It is not accessed by having the right answers or even by having a sincere heart. The kingdom of God is entered through the King.

This scribe knew about God, but he did not yet know God standing in front of him. He knew the commandment to love, but he had not yet encountered the embodiment of that love, who would soon hang on a cross to prove it. He knew that love was better than sacrifice, but he had not yet looked upon the one, final, perfect sacrifice for the sin of the world that would make all other sacrifices obsolete.

He understood the law of love perfectly, but the law, even perfectly understood, cannot save us. It can only show us how far we fall short. Can any of us say we have loved God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength? Can we say we have loved our neighbors—the difficult ones, the ungrateful ones, the ones who have hurt us—as much as we love ourselves? The law, even this beautiful law of love, shows us our sin. It shows us our need. It leaves us, like the scribe, “not far” but still outside.

The Gospel for this scribe, and for us today, is that the King has come close to him. The Kingdom of God was standing right in front of him in the person of Jesus Christ. And the King doesn’t just give the command to love; He fulfills it for us.

• He loved the Father with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength, perfectly obeying His will all the way to the cross.
• He loved you, His neighbor, as Himself, laying down His life for you to forgive your failure to love.

The doorway into the kingdom is not our perfect love, but our trust in His. We are not saved by our love for God, but by God’s love for us in Christ Jesus. We love, because he first loved us.

So, where are you today? Are you “not far”? Do you have the right answers? Do you understand what a good Christian life should look like? Do you know the doctrines and the commandments? That is a good place to be… but it is not the place of salvation.

The call today is to move from “not far” to “in.” And the way in is not trying harder to love, but falling in faith at the feet of the One who is Love itself. It is to stop looking at the commandment and to start looking at the Christ who fulfilled it for you. It is to receive the kingdom not as a reward for your understanding, but as a gift of grace from your King.

You are not far. The Kingdom is at hand. In Jesus, it is right here, for you. Come in.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Children's Sermon: The Two Best Rules

Good morning, everyone! Come on up and gather around!

(Hold up a single, large, beautiful heart. You can cut it out of red construction paper or use a plush heart.)

How are you all doing today? Great! I have a question for you. Have you ever tried to remember a really long list of rules? Maybe your parents have rules at home, your teachers have rules at school, and there are even rules for games! It can be pretty tricky to remember them all, can't it?

Well, a long, long time ago, a man came to Jesus with a question just like that. He asked, "Jesus, there are so many rules in the Bible. Which one is the most important?"

And you know what? Jesus gave a wonderful answer. He didn't make it complicated. He made it simple and beautiful. He said the most important rule is all about love. He said there are two best rules that make all the other rules make sense.

He held up one finger for the FIRST best rule. (Hold up one finger)

"Love God with all your heart."

Jesus said we should love God with EVERYTHING we have!

• With all your heart: That means with your feelings! We love God by singing to Him, praying to Him, and thanking Him for all the good things in our lives, like our families and our favorite toys.
• With all your soul: That's the special part inside of you that makes you, you! It means loving God on the inside, where no one else can see.
• With all your mind: That means with your thoughts! We love God by learning about Him, by listening to Bible stories, and by thinking about how wonderful He is.
• With all your strength: That means with your body! We love God by using our energy to help others, by sharing, and by being kind.

So, the first rule is to love God with everything! (Hold up the big red heart) Our whole heart belongs to God.

Then, Jesus held up a second finger for the SECOND best rule. (Hold up two fingers)

"Love your neighbor as yourself."

A "neighbor" isn't just the person who lives next door. It's everyone! Your friends at church, the kids in your class, your brothers and sisters—even people who are different from you.

And "as yourself" means to love them the same way you already know how to love you! You make sure you get lunch when you're hungry, right? You want to be safe and happy. This rule says we should want that for other people, too!

So how do we love our neighbor?

• By sharing your cookies.
• By inviting someone who is alone to come and play.
• By sticking up for someone who is being picked on.
• By giving a hug when someone is sad.

That's how we show love to others.

So what did Jesus do? He took that second rule and connected it right to the first one. (Tape or hold a second, slightly smaller heart right next to the first one, making a connected pair)

He showed us that you can't really love God, whom you can't see, if you don't love the people right in front of you that you can see. And the best way to love other people is by knowing how much God loves us first!

It’s like a big, beautiful circle of love: God loves us -> We love God -> We love others.

So instead of trying to remember hundreds of rules, we can just remember these two: 1. Love God. 2. Love People. If you do those two things, you’ll be following all of God’s rules!

Let's pray together:
Dear God, thank you for loving us with your whole huge heart. Please help us to love you back with everything we have—our hearts, our thoughts, and our actions. And help us to see everyone as our neighbor and to love them just like we love ourselves. Amen.

Now, I have a little reminder for you to take back to your seat. (Hand out small heart-shaped stickers or cut-outs) Whenever you see this heart today, remember Jesus's two best rules: Love God, and Love Others

 

 A Night Blessance (Night Blessing)

As the sun sets over the Table Mountain, the Highveld, the sea shore at the Nahoon, or the rolling hills of KwaZulu-Natal, let us quiet our hearts together.

Tonight, we hold two truths from the Father.

From the prophet Isaiah, the Lord says: “You have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities. I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:24-25)

And from the Gospel of John, we hear Jesus declare: “My Father is still working, and I also am working.” (John 5:17)

This is the same mighty work we heard about on Sunday from Philippians: the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord, for which we press on, forgetting what is behind.

So now, as you prepare to rest, may this blessing fall upon you.

As you lay down your head, may you hear the Father’s voice: “My child, I have not kept a record of your wrongs. For the sake of my Son, they are blotted out. Gone. Washed away. Do not carry into the night what I have carried to the cross. Rest now, in my forgiveness.”

As the noises of the day grow quiet, may you know this deep in your spirit: the same God who spoke these words is not finished with you. Like a potter at the wheel, the Father is still working. Like a builder on a site, Jesus is still building. Your story is not over; He is crafting something new in you for tomorrow.

And as you sleep, may the Spirit of God bring you the peace of Philippians. May the things you strive for—the status, the security, the ‘likes’—fade to nothing next to the surpassing value of Christ. May you dream not of past failures or future worries, but of the high calling we have in Him. May you wake with a fresh ‘ja’ in your spirit, ready to press on together with us, the family of faith.

So sleep, my brother. Rest, my sister. You are forgiven. You are being made new. You are called to press on.

In the mighty name of Jesus, our Redeemer and our Reward, we say…

Amen. Sala kahle. (Stay well)
Goeie nag. (Good night)
Ulale kakuhle. (Sleep well)
Lala ngoxolo. (Sleep in peace)

Uma Bênção para a Noite

Enquanto o sol se põe sobre a Table Mountain, o Highveld, na beira do mar em Nahoon ou as colinas de KwaZulu-Natal, aquietemos juntos os nossos corações.

Esta noite, seguramos duas verdades do Pai.

Pelo profeta Isaías, o Senhor diz: “Você me sobrecarregou com os seus pecados e me cansou com as suas maldades. Mas sou eu, eu mesmo, aquele que apaga as suas transgressões por amor de mim, e não me lembrarei mais dos seus pecados.” (Isaías 43:24-25)

E do Evangelho de João, ouvimos Jesus declarar: “Meu Pai continua trabalhando até hoje, e eu também estou trabalhando.” (João 5:17)

Este é o mesmo trabalho poderoso sobre o qual ouvimos no domingo em Filipenses: o valor supremo de conhecer a Cristo Jesus, nosso Senhor, pelo qual prosseguimos, esquecendo-nos do que ficou para trás.

Agora, enquanto você se prepara para descansar, que esta bênção repouse sobre você.

Ao recostar a sua cabeça, que você ouça a voz do Pai: “Meu filho, minha filha, eu não guardei um registro dos seus erros. Por amor do meu Filho, eles foram apagados. Sumiram. Lavados na cruz. Não carregue para a noite o que eu já carreguei para a cruz. Descanse agora, no meu perdão.”

Enquanto os barulhos do dia se calam, que você saiba isso no fundo do seu espírito: o mesmo Deus que falou estas palavras não terminou com você. Como um oleiro em sua roda, o Pai ainda está trabalhando. Como um construtor em sua obra, Jesus ainda está edificando. A sua história não acabou; Ele está moldando algo novo em você para o amanhã.

E enquanto você dorme, que o Espírito de Deus lhe traga a paz de Filipenses. Que as coisas pelas quais você corre—o status, a segurança, os ‘likes’—percam o valor diante do valor supremo que é Cristo. Que você não sonhe com fracassos do passado ou preocupações futuras, mas com o chamado elevado que temos nEle. Que você acorde com um novo ‘sim’ no seu espírito, pronto para prosseguir adiante junto conosco, a família da fé.

Então durma, meu irmão. Descanse, minha irmã. Você é perdoado. Você está sendo renovado. Você é chamado para prosseguir.

Em nome de Jesus, nosso Redentor e nossa Recompensa, nós dizemos…

Amém. Sala kahle. (Fique bem - em Zulu)
Goeie nag. (Boa noite - em Africâner)
Ulale kakuhle. (Durma bem - em Xhosa)
Lala ngoxolo. (Durma em paz - em Xhosa)

A night blessing woven from those threads,

 in the style of the gentle and profound Brazilian poet Mario Quintana.

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The day closes its book of hours.
And the scales of our judgments—oh, how heavy they were—are put away.

Now, only the quiet remains.
A space where the Lord, the great judge, asks not for our verdicts, but for our hands. Empty.

For what is guilt, but a weight we were never meant to carry?
And what is worth, but a treasure we find only when we lose everything else?

So let the old trophies, the polished credentials of the self, fade into the shadows.
They are but dry leaves… let the wind take them.

Tonight, we are not defined by what we have done, but by what He has done.
Not by what we have won, but by the surpassing wonder of having been won by Christ.

Therefore, rest.
Not as those who have finished, but as those who have found the path.
The path is Him.

And in the gentle darkness, may your heart learn its true rhythm:
To love what is lovely.
To test the footsteps of the light.
And to press on… not alone, but together.

For the prize is not a distant star.
It is the warm, certain dawn of a calling held in hands that bear the mark of grace.

Good night. And may peace, that quiet judge, settle upon your house. 

Uma bênção noturna tecida com esses fios, 

no estilo do gentil e profundo poeta brasileiro Mário Quintana.

O dia fecha seu livro de horas.
E as balanças de nossos julgamentos—ah, como eram pesadas—são guardadas.

Agora, só resta o silêncio.
Um espaço onde o Senhor, o grande juiz, pede não os nossos veredictos, mas as nossas mãos. Vazias.

Pois o que é a culpa, senão um peso que nunca devíamos carregar?
E o que é o mérito, senão um tesouro que só encontramos quando perdemos todo o resto?

Então deixe que os troféus antigos, as credenciais polidas do eu, desvaneçam nas sombras.
Elas não passam de folhas secas… que o vento as leve.

Esta noite, não somos definidos pelo que fizemos, mas pelo que Ele fez.
Não pelo que conquistamos, mas pela maravilha suprema de termos sido conquistados por Cristo.

Portanto, descanse.
Não como quem terminou, mas como quem encontrou o caminho.
O caminho é Ele.

E na suave escuridão, que o seu coração aprenda o seu verdadeiro ritmo:
Amar o que é amável.
Testar os passos da luz.
E prosseguir… não sozinho, mas juntos.

Pois o prêmio não é uma estrela distante.
É o alvorecer quente e certo de um chamado seguro em mãos que trazem a marca da graça.

Boa noite. E que a paz, essa juíza silenciosa, se estabeleça sobre a sua casa

 A night blessing for spiritual peace.

May the peace of the night, which is the color of deep African sunset sky sprinkled with the salt of a thousand stars, fall upon your house, upon you, my brother, my sister.

For the body, this good and tired vessel that carried your soul through the dust and heat of the day, remember the ancient truth told to our father Adam: “From dust you were taken, and to dust you shall return.” So let these limbs, which today sowed in the field, lifted the child, stirred the pot, or gripped the tool, now rest without shame. They are of the earth, this sacred earth blessed by the Creator’s own hands. Feel the good soil in your bones and do not fight the sleep that comes to reclaim you for a time. It is the right of the laborer.

But oh! The soul, that fiery breath God blew into the dust! Let it not sleep. For as the apostle cries out, the one who sows to please the flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

So tonight, as your body, that beautiful dust, settles into the cot, let your spirit do its accounting. Not of the world, not of your credentials or your failures—throw that ledger into the sea!—but of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. Count it all as loss, all of it, the big fish and the empty nets, the laughter and the tears, for the sake of the one prize: the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Forget what is behind, my friend. The mistakes that sting like a cut from a sea shell, the victories that already fade like a name written in the wet sand at the shore. Strain toward what is ahead. Press on toward the goal to win the prize.

So let us close our eyes together, a community of saints and sinners, fishermen and mothers, street vendors and children, all equal in the darkness. Let the dust of our bodies sleep, let the spirit within us press on, dreaming of the glory that awaits.

And may the blessing of God, who formed us from the earth and called us to the heavens, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be with us now and grant us a peaceful night, and a glorious awakening.

Have a blessed night, sleep tight and dream of angels.

Uma bênção noturna para paz de espirito.

Que a paz da noite, que tem a cor do céu profundo do pôr do sol africano salpicado pelo sal de mil estrelas, desça sobre sua casa, sobre você, meu irmão, minha irmã.

Para o corpo, este bom e cansado vaso que carregou sua alma através da poeira e do calor do dia, lembre-se da antiga verdade dita ao nosso pai Adão: “Do pó você foi tirado e ao pó você voltará”. Então, deixe estes membros, que hoje semearam no campo, levantaram a criança, mexeram a panela ou seguraram a ferramenta, agora descansarem sem vergonha. Eles são da terra, desta terra sagrada abençoada pelas próprias mãos do Criador. Sinta a boa terra em seus ossos e não lute contra o sono que vem para reclamá-lo por um tempo. É o direito do trabalhador.

Mas oh! A alma, esse sopro ardente que Deus soprou no pó! Que ela não durma. Pois, como clama o apóstolo, quem semeia para agradar à carne, da carne colherá destruição; mas quem semeia para agradar ao Espírito, do Espírito colherá a vida eterna.

Então, esta noite, enquanto seu corpo, esse pó belo, acomoda-se no colchão, deixe seu espírito fazer sua contabilidade. Não do mundo, não de suas credenciais ou seus fracassos — jogue esse livro no mar! —, mas do valor supremo de conhecer a Cristo Jesus, nosso Senhor. Considere tudo como perda, tudo, os peixes grandes e as redes vazias, o riso e as lágrimas, por causa do prêmio único: o alto chamado de Deus em Cristo Jesus.

Esqueça o que ficou para trás, meu amigo. Os erros que doem como um corte de uma concha do mar, as vitórias que já desaparecem como um nome escrito na areia molhada da praia. Avance para o que está à frente. Corra em direção ao alvo para ganhar o prêmio.

Então, vamos fechar os olhos juntos, uma comunidade de santos e pecadores, pescadores e mães, vendedores ambulantes e crianças, todos iguais na escuridão. Que o pó dos nossos corpos durma, que o espírito dentro de nós prossiga, sonhando com a glória que espera.

E que a bênção de Deus, que nos formou da terra e nos chamou aos céus, o Pai, o Filho e o Espírito Santo, esteja conosco agora e nos conceda uma noite tranquila e um despertar glorioso.

Tenha uma noite abençoada, durma bem e sonhe com anjos.

 Night blessing crafted in the style of Luiz Fernando Verissimo. 

A blend of his characteristic wry observation, gentle irony, and profound simplicity. A homage
to this special writer.

Capturing Verissimo's spirit is a delightful exercise—it involves taking everyday life, giving it a gentle twist of irony to extract the juice of truth, and then serving it with a side of unpretentious tenderness. A fine balance between the observer in the bar and the philosopher on the park bench.

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So, the day is closing its doors, turning the open sign to closed. The great accounting of hours is almost done, and the soul, that tired accountant, begins to tally the gains and losses.

We spent the day, of course, collecting. We collected worries, which are very light to acquire but become incredibly heavy to carry by afternoon. We collected a few likes, a few resentments stored in the secret drawer, the vague anxiety of an unanswered message. We collected promises we don't know if we can keep and expectations that others certainly won't. We piled it all up in the vault of the ego, that shaky financial institution that can crash with a single piece of bad news.

The preacher last Sunday, talking about that gentleman from Tarsus who had a lot to boast about, reminded us of the great exchange: the profit-and-loss sheet of life. He spoke of considering it all skubalon – a strong word for rubbish – compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. It's about realizing, in a moment of brutal clarity, that you've been polishing stones your whole life, thinking they were jewels, while the real treasure is something else entirely. Something that can't be stolen by moth, rust, or the stock market's bad mood. As the Nazarene pointed out, your heart will always be there, in the uncomfortable company of whatever you've chosen as your treasure. A frightening truth.

So, tonight, let's do a little inventory. A small spiritual garage sale.

Those lowly men you placed your trust in today, and who inevitably disappointed because they are, well, lowly men – just like you!? A breath, a vapor, as the poet king said. Lighter than a sigh on the scale of what truly matters. You can let them go. Return to sender.

The treasures you stored in the insecure cloud of vanity? The need to be right, the polished image, the accumulated reason? Consider them… depreciated assets. Write them off.

May your heart, that stubborn pilgrim who insists on following its treasure, tonight find itself not in the stock exchange of appearances, but in the quiet, unshakeable kingdom of grace. May it rest in the simple, scandalous, and surpassing value of simply being known and loved. That is the only currency that doesn't devalue and the only treasure that, strangely, the more you give it away, the more you have.

And thus, lightened of the weight of what doesn't matter, may you press on. Not because you have strength, but because you have been found by a strength that is not your own.

Good night. And may your rest be a small, daily practice of eternity.

Bênção noturna elaborada no estilo de Luiz Fernando Verissimo.

Uma mescla de sua característica observação sagaz, ironia gentil e simplicidade profunda. Uma homenagem a este escritor especial.

Capturar o espírito do Verissimo é um exercício delicioso – é pegar o cotidiano, dar uma leve torcida de ironia para extrair o suco da verdade, e depois servir com um lado de ternura despretensiosa. Um equilíbrio fino entre o observador no boteco e o filósofo no banco de praça.

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Então, o dia vai fechando as portas, virando a placa de aberto para fechado. O grande balanço de horas está quase fechado, e a alma, aquela contadora cansada, começa a calcular os ganhos e as perdas.

Passamos o dia, claro, colecionando. Colecionamos preocupações, que são muito leves de adquirir mas ficam incrivelmente pesadas de carregar à tarde. Colecionamos alguns likes, alguns ressentimentos guardados na gaveta secreta, a ansiedade vaga de uma mensagem não respondida. Colecionamos promessas que não sabemos se vamos cumprir e expectativas que os outros certamente não vão. Empilhamos tudo no cofre do ego, aquela instituição financeira instável que pode quebrar com uma única notícia ruim.

O pregador no domingo passado, falando daquele senhor de Tarso que tinha muito do que se gabar, nos lembrou da grande troca: o demonstrativo de lucros e perdas da vida. Ele falou em considerar tudo skubalon – uma palavra forte para lixo – em comparação com o valor supremo de conhecer a Cristo. Trata-se de perceber, num momento de clareza brutal, que você passou a vida toda polindo pedras, pensando que eram joias, enquanto o verdadeiro tesouro é outra coisa completamente diferente. Algo que não pode ser roubado pela traça, pela ferrugem ou pelo mau humor da bolsa de valores. Como apontou o Nazareno, o seu coração vai estar sempre lá, na companhia incômoda daquilo que você escolheu como seu tesouro. Uma verdade assustadora.

Então, nesta noite, vamos fazer um pequeno inventário. Uma venda de garagem espiritual.

Aqueles homens de pouca importância em quem você depositou sua confiança hoje, e que inevitavelmente decepcionaram porque são, bem, homens de pouca importância – assim como você!? Um sopro, uma vapor, como disse o poeta rei. Mais leves que um suspiro na balança do que realmente importa. Você pode deixá-los ir. Devolva ao remetente.

Os tesouros que você guardou na nuvem insegura da vaidade? A necessidade de ter razão, a imagem polida, a razão acumulada? Considere-os… ativos depreciados. Dê-os como perdidos.

Que o seu coração, esse teimoso peregrino que insiste em seguir o seu tesouro, esta noite se encontre não na bolsa de valores das aparências, mas no quieto e inabalável reino da graça. Que ele descanse no valor simples, escandaloso e supremo de simplesmente ser conhecido e amado. Essa é a única moeda que não se desvaloriza e o único tesouro que, estranhamente, quanto mais você o doa, mais você tem.

E assim, aliviado do peso do que não importa, que você prossiga avante. Não porque você tenha força, mas porque você foi encontrado por uma força que não é sua.

Boa noite. E que o seu descanso seja uma pequena prática diária da eternidade

 Night Blessing in advocacy for a better world.

My dear friends, as the day closes its eyes and the world grows quiet, let us gather our hearts
not in fear of the dark, but in hope for the dawn.

The prophet Isaiah reminds us that the world as we know it will fade. The heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment. It is a truth that can make us feel small. We look at the troubles of our time—the injustice, the division, the sheer weariness—and it can feel so permanent.

But the prophet tells us something more: But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.

And so we are taught to build our lives not on what is temporary, but on what is eternal.

This is the very truth we heard this week from Paul. He showed us his own impressive CV—his heritage, his credentials, his flawless record. He showed us all the things the world tells us to trust in for our worth and our identity. And then he called it all garbage.

Garbage.

Compared to the all-surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus.

He taught us to press on. To forget what is behind and to strain toward what is ahead. To run, not for a trophy that tarnishes, but for the heavenly prize for which God has called us. This is not a race we run alone, but together. We press on, together.

And how do we do this? How do we run this race without tripping over our own pride or our own despair?

We remember the words from Corinthians: when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.

The partial—our limited understanding, our fragile efforts, our imperfect love—will fade. It is temporary, like the heavens and the earth. But completeness, perfect love, the salvation that lasts forever… this is coming. This is our prize.

So tonight, as you rest, do not put your faith in the temporary. Do not let your heart be weighed down by the problems that seem so solid now, for they, too, will wear out like an old coat.

Instead, press your hope into what is eternal. Press your faith into the surpassing worth of Christ. Press your life into the service of a love that is patient, kind, and never fails.

May your sleep be a act of trust.
May your dreams be filled with visions of that completeness.
And may you wake with a renewed spirit to press on, to run this race of faith, together.

Good night, and peace be upon you.

Bênção noturna por um mundo melhor

Meus queridos amigos, enquanto o dia fecha os olhos e o mundo se aquieta, vamos recolher nossos corações não com medo do escuro, mas com esperança pela aurora.

O profeta Isaías nos lembra que o mundo como o conhecemos vai desaparecer. Os céus se desvanecerão como fumaça, a terra se gastará como uma vestimenta. É uma verdade que pode nos fazer sentir pequenos. Olhamos para os problemas do nosso tempo — a injustiça, a divisão, o puro cansaço — e pode parecer tão permanente.

Mas o profeta nos diz algo mais: Mas a minha salvação durará para sempre, a minha justiça jamais falhará.

E assim somos ensinados a construir nossas vidas não no que é temporário, mas no que é eterno.

Esta é a mesma verdade que ouvimos esta semana de Paulo. Ele nos mostrou seu próprio currículo impressionante — sua herança, suas credenciais, seu histórico irrepreensível. Ele nos mostrou todas as coisas que o mundo nos diz para confiar para nosso valor e nossa identidade. E então ele chamou tudo isso de lixo.

Lixo.

Em comparação com a suprema grandeza de conhecer a Cristo Jesus.

Ele nos ensinou a prosseguir. A esquecer o que ficou para trás e a avançar em direção ao que está à frente. A correr, não por um troféu que mancha, mas pelo prêmio celestial para o qual Deus nos chamou. Esta não é uma corrida que corremos sozinhos, mas juntos. Nós prosseguimos, juntos.

E como fazemos isso? Como corremos esta corrida sem tropeçar em nosso próprio orgulho ou em nosso próprio desespero?

Lembramos das palavras de Coríntios: quando vier o que é perfeito, o que é imperfeito desaparecerá.

O parcial — nossa compreensão limitada, nossos esforços frágeis, nosso amor imperfeito — vai desaparecer. É temporário, como os céus e a terra. Mas a completude, o amor perfeito, a salvação que dura para sempre… isso está por vir. Este é o nosso prêmio.

Então, esta noite, enquanto vocês descansam, não coloquem sua fé no temporário. Não deixem seu coração ser sobrecarregado pelos problemas que parecem tão sólidos agora, pois eles também se gastarão como um casaco velho.

Em vez disso, pressionem sua esperança no que é eterno. Pressionem sua fé na valor supremo de Cristo. Pressionem suas vidas a serviço de um amor que é paciente, bondoso e que nunca falha.

Que o seu sono seja um ato de confiança.
Que seus sonhos sejam preenchidos com visões dessa completude.
E que vocês acordem com um espírito renovado para prosseguir, para correr esta corrida da fé, juntos.

Boa noite, e que a paz esteja sobre vocês.

Night Blessing: "Together, We Press On"

Inspired by Isaiah 12:4, Matthew 28:19–20, and Philippians 3:4–14

Beloved,

As the night draws near, may you rest in the surpassing worth of Christ, remembering His promise: "Surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20). Just as Nelson Mandela pressed on with hope amid trials, so too do we fix our eyes on Jesus, leaving behind what weighs us down and reaching forward in faith.

Isaiah 12:4 calls us to "Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; proclaim His deeds among the peoples." Tonight, give thanks—for His faithfulness today, His presence tonight, and His victory tomorrow.

Philippians 3:14 reminds us: "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." So, as you sleep, trust that God is shaping your story for His glory. You are not alone—He walks with you, and so does His global church.

Prayer:
Lord, as we lay down our burdens, fill us with Your peace. Keep us steadfast, hopeful, and united in purpose. May we wake renewed, pressing onward together, for Christ is our greatest treasure. Amen.

Rest well. Rise strong. Press on.

"It always seems impossible until it's done." —Nelson Mandela (in the spirit of perseverance)

✝️ Blessings & Peace to You. 

Benção Noturna: "Juntos, Avançamos"

Inspirada em Isaías 12:4, Mateus 28:19–20 e Filipenses 3:4–14

Amados,

Enquanto a noite se aproxima, que vocês descansem no valor incomparável de Cristo, lembrando da Sua promessa: "Eis que estou com vocês todos os dias, até o fim dos tempos." (Mateus 28:20). Assim como Nelson Mandela perseverou com esperança em meio às lutas, nós também fixamos os nossos olhos em Jesus, deixando para trás o que nos impede e avançando em fé.

Isaías 12:4 nos chama a "Dar graças ao Senhor, invocar o Seu nome; proclamar entre os povos as Suas obras." Hoje à noite, deem graças—pela fidelidade dEle hoje, pela Sua presença nesta noite e pela Sua vitória amanhã.

Filipenses 3:14 nos lembra: "Prossigo para o alvo, a fim de ganhar o prêmio do chamado celestial de Deus em Cristo Jesus." Assim, enquanto dormem, confiem que Deus está moldando a história de vocês para a Sua glória. Vocês não estão sozinhos—Ele caminha com vocês, e a Sua igreja também.

Oração:
Senhor, enquanto entregamos nossos fardos, enche-nos da Tua paz. Mantém-nos firmes, cheios de esperança e unidos no mesmo propósito. Que acordemos renovados, avançando juntos, pois Cristo é o nosso maior tesouro. Amém.

Durmam em paz. Despertem fortes. Avancem.

"Sempre parece impossível até que seja feito." —Nelson Mandela (no espírito da perseverança)

✝️ Bênçãos e Paz para Vocês

 

"Together, We Press On: The Surpassing Worth of Christ"

Text: Philippians 3:4–14
Theme: As a community, we renounce empty boasts and strain forward together toward Christ, our
shared treasure.

Sermon Introduction:
On this Ninth Sunday after Trinity—as the green paraments remind us of our growth in grace—we're confronted with a startling truth: the most religious man in the room stood empty-handed before God. Paul's credentials were impeccable: born a pure-blooded Israelite, educated by the finest rabbis, zealous for God's law. Yet he calls it all "rubbish" compared to knowing Christ.

What does this mean for us, the ordinary faithful gathering on an ordinary Sunday? It means the ground is level at the foot of the cross. Whether you've been in this pew fifty years or fifty minutes, whether you can recite the catechism or are just learning to pray—what matters today is that we together fix our eyes on Jesus.

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Introduction: A Countercultural Community

Imagine a group of people who’ve all discovered the same hidden treasure—a treasure so valuable that it reshapes everything about their lives. They no longer compete for status, because they’ve found something far better. That’s the church at its best.

In Philippians 3, Paul writes to a diverse congregation—Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free, rich and poor—and says, "This is how we live now: we count everything as loss because knowing Jesus is better." This isn’t just a personal devotion; it’s a community manifesto.

Today, we’ll see how this passage calls all of us, as Christ’s body, to:

1. Let Go of Empty Boasts Together (vv. 4–6)
2. Hold Fast to Christ Together (vv. 7–11)
3. Press On Toward the Prize Together (vv. 12–14)

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1. Let Go of Empty Boasts Together (vv. 4–6)

Paul starts by listing his religious résumé—his "credentials" that once earned him respect. But then he says, "These were my trophies, but now I’m throwing them in the trash for Christ" (vv. 7–8, paraphrase).

Why Does This Matter for Us?

• In the church, we’re tempted to compare:
• "I’ve served longer."
• "My family founded this church."
• "I’ve never messed up like that."
• But the gospel levels us: No one earns God’s love.

Illustration: It’s like a team where one player brags about their stats—until they realize the only stat that matters is whether you’re on the winning team. In Christ, we all win together.

Application:

• Where are we, as a church, still clinging to pride in human achievements?
• How can we remind each other that our worth comes from Christ alone?

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2. Hold Fast to Christ Together (vv. 7–11)

Paul’s radical shift—from trusting in his pedigree to treasuring Christ—isn’t just his story. It’s our story.

Three Marks of a Gospel-Centered Community:

1. We Celebrate Grace, Not Performance (v. 9)
• We don’t measure each other by how "good" we are, but by how loved we are.
2. We Share in Suffering and Joy (v. 10)
• When one suffers, we all weep. When one rejoices in Christ, we all celebrate.
3. We Keep Jesus at the Center (v. 8)
• Like the treasure in Matthew 13:44, He’s the one thing we all agree is worth everything.

Illustration: A potluck where everyone brings their best dish, but the real feast is the host Himself.

Application:

• Are we a community where people feel loved before they’re "good enough"?
• How can we point each other to Christ this week?

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3. Press On Toward the Prize Together (vv. 12–14)

Paul doesn’t say, "I’ve arrived." He says, "We’re not there yet—so let’s keep running together."

What Does This Look Like for Us?

• We Forget the Past Together (v. 13)
• No grudges. No glory days. We move forward as a family.
• We Strain Forward Together (v. 13)
• Like runners in a relay, we pass the baton of faith to the next generation.
• We Fix Our Eyes Together (v. 14)
• Our shared hope is Jesus—not politics, programs, or personalities.

Illustration: A rowing team where everyone pulls in sync—because the prize is worth it.

Application:

• Who in our church needs encouragement to keep running?
• How can we, as a community, "strain forward" this year?

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Conclusion: A Church That Runs Together

Paul’s words weren’t just for solo saints. They were for a people—a community learning to lose the world to gain Christ.

So here’s our challenge:

• Let’s lay down our trophies. No more comparing.
• Let’s lift up Christ. He’s our only boast.
• Let’s run this race together. The finish line is closer than we think.

Final Charge:
"Brothers and sisters, join me in this: Forget what’s behind. Strain toward what’s ahead. Press on together toward the prize—our King Jesus." (Phil 3:13–14, adapted)