A Night Blessing: The Bread of Life and the Voice of Dawn

Beloved,

As the night descends like gentle dew, rest in the assurance of the One who is your Manna, your true Bread from Heaven. "I AM the Bread of Life," He whispers—soft as the Song of Solomon’s bridegroom—"whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst." (John 6:35)

You, His chosen, are called like Moses—to speak His words with boldness (Exodus 7:1-2), to proclaim in season and out (2 Timothy 4:2), yet also to lean upon His breast as John did, to be fed by His eternal sweetness. For He has ended your starvation—not with bread that perishes, but with His very flesh, the Word made flesh, the honeycomb of Heaven dripping with mercy.

So let your soul "eat, friends; drink, yes, drink deeply" (Song of Solomon 5:1) of His love tonight. Sleep, knowing He satisfies the weary and anoints the lips of the watchmen. Arise at dawn with His name like honey on your tongue, ready to declare—

"The Lord is my Portion, my Morning Bread, my Evening Song."

Amen.

Uma Bênção Noturna: O Pão da Vida e a Voz da Aurora

Amado(a),

Enquanto a noite desce como orvalho suave, descanse na certeza d’Aquele que é o seu Maná, o verdadeiro Pão do Céu. "Eu sou o Pão da Vida", Ele sussurra—doce como o noivo no Cântico dos Cânticos—"aquele que vem a Mim nunca terá fome, e aquele que crê em Mim nunca terá sede." (João 6:35)

Você, Seu eleito(a), é chamado(a) como Moisés—para falar Suas palavras com ousadia (Êxodo 7:1-2), para proclamar a tempo e fora de tempo (2 Timóteo 4:2), mas também para reclinar-se em Seu peito como João, alimentado(a) por Sua doçura eterna. Pois Ele acabou com sua fome—não com pão que perece, mas com Sua própria carne, o Verbo que Se fez carne, o favo de mel do Céu destilando misericórdia.

Então, deixe sua alma "coma, amigos; bebam, sim, bebam abundantemente" (Cântico dos Cânticos 5:1) do Seu amor nesta noite. Durma, sabendo que Ele sacia o cansado e unge os lábios dos vigias. Levante-se ao alvorecer com Seu nome como mel em sua língua, pronto(a) para declarar—

"O Senhor é a minha Porção, meu Pão Matinal, meu Canto ao Anoitecer."

Amém.

 A Night Blessing in the Style of Ecclesiastes

Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
All is vanity under the sun.
Yet this night, remember:

For Sheol does not thank You,
Death does not praise You;
Those who go down to the pit do not hope in Your faithfulness. (Isaiah 38:18)

Behold, the living—even we who breathe this fleeting breath—
We bless the Lord, both now and forevermore.

If any of you lacks wisdom,
Let him ask of God, who gives generously,
Without reproach, and it will be given. (James 1:5)

So tonight, seek not the bread that perishes,
Nor labor for what fills the belly but leaves the soul famished.
For He has declared: "I AM the Bread of Life." (John 6:35)

Come, then, weary and hungry,
Lay down your striving, your endless toil.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.

The night is dark, yet He gives sleep to His beloved.
The dawn is uncertain, yet His mercies are new with the morning.

Fear God, and keep His commandments,
For this is the whole duty of man.

Rest now, O soul, in Him who satisfies.
Amen.

Uma Bênção Noturna no Estilo de Eclesiastes

Vaidade das vaidades, diz o Pregador,
Tudo é vaidade debaixo do sol.
Mas nesta noite, lembrai-vos:

Pois a sepultura não Te louva,
A morte não Te glorifica;
Os que descem à cova não esperam na Tua fidelidade. (Isaías 38:18)

Eis que os vivos—nós, que respiramos este sopro passageiro—
Nós bendizemos o Senhor, agora e para sempre.

Se algum de vós tem falta de sabedoria,
Peça-a a Deus, que a todos dá liberalmente,
Sem repreensão, e ser-lhe-á concedida. (Tiago 1:5)

Por isso, nesta noite, não busqueis o pão que perece,
Nem trabalheis por aquilo que sacia o estômago, mas deixa a alma faminta.
Pois Ele declarou: "Eu sou o Pão da Vida." (João 6:35)

Vinde, pois, cansados e famintos,
Deponde vossos esforços, vosso labor sem fim.
Provai e vede que o Senhor é bom.

A noite é escura, mas Ele concede sono aos Seus amados.
O amanhecer é incerto, mas Suas misericórdias renovam-se a cada manhã.

Teme a Deus e guarda os Seus mandamentos,
Porque este é o dever de todo homem.

Descansa agora, ó alma, n’Aquele que satisfaz.
Amém. 

 The Bread of Life: Law, Gospel, and the End of Our Hunger

(John 6:30–35)

The crowd in John 6 had full stomachs from the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, yet their souls remained empty. Even after witnessing Jesus multiply loaves and fishes, they demanded another sign—something like Moses’ manna—to prove His authority. But Jesus redirects their gaze, and ours, from earthly bread to Himself, the true Bread from Heaven. Today, we see three truths unfold:

First, the Law exposes our misplaced hunger. The people asked, “What sign do you do, that we may see and believe?”—as if the feeding of the multitude were not enough. Like Israel in the wilderness, they fixated on physical sustenance while missing the Giver. The Law’s accusation falls on us as well: we chase after perishable things—wealth, success, even religious performance—thinking they will satisfy. Like Adam reaching for forbidden fruit, we grasp at illusions of fulfillment, only to remain hungry, thirsty, and enslaved to our cravings (Romans 7:24). The Law reveals our starvation but cannot feed us.

Then comes the Gospel: Christ, the true Bread from Heaven. Jesus corrects their error: “It was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father.” And now, God gives something greater—Himself. The true Bread is not a what but a Who—Jesus, who descended from heaven, gives His life for the world, and satisfies eternally. This is the Gospel’s declaration: you need not earn this Bread; it is a gift. You need not labor; you need only come and believe. In Him, our deepest hunger—for forgiveness, righteousness, and communion with God—is met.

Finally, the Imperative calls us to feed on Him in faith. The crowd wanted bread from Jesus; He offered them Himself. Our response is threefold: Come—turning from self-trust to Christ; Believe—receiving Him through Word and Sacrament as surely as we eat physical bread; and Abide—living in daily dependence, nourished by repentance and faith. For the redeemed, the Law now guides: having tasted Christ, we hunger for righteousness (Matthew 5:6) and share this Bread with others (Matthew 28:19–20).

At this altar, in baptism, and through His Word, Christ gives Himself for you. He is the end of your hunger.

Closing Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Bread of Life, we confess our cravings for things that perish. Feed us with Yourself, that we may live forever in You. Amen.

 

"Living Stones: God’s Chosen People" 

A Sermon on 1 Peter 2:2–10

Introduction:

The Apostle Peter’s first letter was written to encourage Christians facing persecution and hardship. In 1 Peter 2:2–10, he paints a beautiful picture of who we are in Christ—newborn infants craving spiritual milk, living stones in God’s temple, and a chosen people called to proclaim His praises. This passage reminds us of our identity, purpose, and mission as followers of Jesus.

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1. Craving Spiritual Growth (v. 2–3)

"Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good."

• Spiritual Hunger: Just as a baby craves milk for growth, believers should hunger for God’s Word. Growth is not optional—it’s essential.

• Tasting God’s Goodness: When we experience God’s grace (as Peter’s readers had), we desire more of Him. Have you lost that hunger? Return to the Word.

Application: Are you feeding on Scripture daily? Growth comes from consistent, humble dependence on God’s truth.

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2. Built into God’s Spiritual House (v. 4–8)

"As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house."

• Christ, the Cornerstone: Jesus was rejected by the world but is the foundation of God’s kingdom (Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16).

• Living Stones: We are not just observers—we are part of God’s temple, joined together in Christ. The Church is God’s dwelling place.

• Two Responses to Christ:

  • To believers, He is precious (v. 7).

  • To unbelievers, He is a "stumbling stone" (v. 8).

Application: Are you aligned with Christ, the cornerstone? Are you actively connected to His body, the Church?

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3. A Chosen People with a Purpose (v. 9–10)

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

Peter echoes Exodus 19:5–6, showing that the Church now fulfills Israel’s calling:

• Chosen Race: Not by bloodline, but by grace.

• Royal Priesthood: We offer spiritual sacrifices (praise, service, love).

• Holy Nation: Set apart for God’s mission.

• God’s Possession: Bought by Christ’s blood.

Our Purpose: Proclaim His excellencies. We are saved to shine!

Application: Are you living as light in darkness? Your identity shapes your mission.

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Conclusion:
Peter’s message is clear:

1. Grow in Christ.

2. Belong to His Church.

3. Proclaim His glory.

You are not an accident—you are a living stone in God’s temple, called to declare His praises. In a world that rejects Christ, will you stand firm and shine?

Closing Prayer:
"Lord, thank You for making us Your people. Help us to grow in Your Word, find our place in Your Church, and boldly proclaim Your light. Amen."

 

"The Harvest is Plentiful, the Laborers Few"

Sermon for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity

Text: Matthew 9:35-10:10 (Primary); Genesis 12:1-4a, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, Psalm 73 (Supporting)

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Introduction

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

Today’s Gospel presents us with a scene both urgent and tender: Jesus looks upon the crowds with compassion, seeing them as “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). He then tells His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (v. 37). This text reveals to us our helplessness under the Law, Christ’s mercy in the Gospel, and our calling as His laborers.

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I. The Law: Helpless Sheep Without a Shepherd

Jesus sees the crowds and recognizes their true condition—lost, weary, and oppressed. They are like sheep without a shepherd, vulnerable to the wolves of sin, death, and the devil.

This is not just a description of first-century Israel—it is a mirror of our own condition apart from Christ. The Law exposes our helplessness:

• We cannot free ourselves from sin.
• We cannot escape death.
• We cannot find true peace on our own.

Even in our modern world—with all its technology, wealth, and self-help programs—the human heart remains restless, harassed by guilt, fear, and emptiness. The Law leaves us with no illusions: we need a Savior.

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II. The Gospel: The Compassion of Christ and His Sending of Laborers

But Jesus does not leave us in our helplessness. He has compassion (v. 36)—not just a feeling, but action. He does three things:

1. He preaches the Gospel of the Kingdom (v. 35)—the good news that God has come to save.
2. He heals every disease and affliction (v. 35)—showing His power over sin’s curse.
3. He sends out laborers (10:1-10)—first the Twelve, and now His Church—to proclaim the same message.

This is pure Gospel: Christ does not wait for us to come to Him—He comes to us. He sends His Word, His ministers, His Sacraments to gather His scattered sheep.

And how does He send His laborers? Not with worldly power, but with His Word and authority (10:1, 7-8). The disciples are to go empty-handed (10:9-10), showing that the kingdom comes not by human might, but by God’s grace alone.

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III. The Imperative: Pray, Go, and Trust

What, then, does this mean for us? Jesus gives us both a promise and a task.

1. Pray for Laborers (v. 38)
• The harvest is still plentiful—souls are perishing without Christ.
• We must pray first, because only God can raise up workers for His harvest.
2. Go as Laborers (10:1-10)
• Every Christian is sent—not just pastors.
• We go not with our own wisdom (1 Cor. 1:18-25) but with Christ’s Word.
• Like Abraham (Gen. 12:1-4), we go in faith, trusting God’s promises.
3. Trust Christ’s Provision (10:9-10)
• The world says, “Take security with you.”
• Jesus says, “Freely you have received; freely give.” (10:8)
• Like the Psalmist (Ps. 73:23-26), we learn that God alone is our strength.

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Conclusion: The "Foolishness" of God’s Mission

The world will always mock the way of the Gospel. It seems foolish to:

• Trust a crucified Savior (1 Cor. 1:18).
• Preach repentance and forgiveness to a self-sufficient world.
• Give generously when the world hoards with no expecting return or recognition.

But this is the way of Christ—the way of compassion, sending, and faith.

So, dear Christians, you are the laborers He sends today. You may feel weak, unprepared, even foolish—but Christ’s Word is your authority, His cross your power, and His promise your certainty.

The harvest is still plentiful. The Lord still has compassion. And He still sends. Let us pray, go, and trust—for His kingdom is at hand.

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

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Lutheran Distinctives Emphasized:

• Law & Gospel: The Law shows our helplessness; the Gospel shows Christ’s mercy.
• Means of Grace: The kingdom comes through Word and Sacrament, not human methods.
• Vocation: All Christians are sent, not just clergy.
• Theology of the Cross: God works through weakness, not worldly strength.

 

 

"The Kingdom Comes Through Christ’s Word, Not Our Strength"

Sermon for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity

Text: Matthew 9:35–10:10 (Primary) | Genesis 12:1–4a, 1 Corinthians 1:18–25, Psalm 73 (Supporting)

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Introduction

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

When Jesus looks at the crowds, He doesn’t see a problem to be managed—He sees sheep without a shepherd, lost in sin and death (Matthew 9:36). His response? Not a program, not a self-help strategy, but the preaching of the Gospel and the sending of laborers with nothing but His Word (10:7–8).

This is how God’s kingdom comes—not by power, not by wisdom, but through the foolishness of the cross (1 Cor. 1:18) and the weakness of preaching. Today, we see:

1. The Law’s diagnosis – We are the helpless sheep.
2. The Gospel’s remedy – Christ has compassion and sends His Word.
3. The Church’s mission – We are sent in the same weakness, trusting His promise.

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I. The Law Exposes Our Helplessness (Matt. 9:36; Ps. 73:2–3, 16–17)

Jesus sees the crowds as “harassed and helpless”—not just physically weary, but spiritually lost, trapped under sin’s tyranny.

• Like sheep without a shepherd, they (and we!) are vulnerable to false saviors—money, pleasure, power, self-righteousness.
• Like the Psalmist (Ps. 73), we are tempted to envy the wicked, thinking, “Does it even pay to follow God?”
• Like Abram (Gen. 12:1), we are called to leave behind false securities—yet we cling to them, proving we do not truly trust God.

The Law’s verdict? We are incapable of saving ourselves. Left to ourselves, we wander into destruction.

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II. The Gospel Reveals Christ’s Compassion (Matt. 9:35–38; 10:1, 7–8)

But Jesus does not leave us in our lostness. He acts.

1. He Preaches the Kingdom (v. 35)
• Not moral advice, but a royal announcement: “God is here to save!”
• This is the same Word that called Abram (Gen. 12:1–4)—a Word that creates what it commands.
2. He Heals the Broken (v. 35)
• His miracles are signs of the coming restoration—forgiveness for the guilty, life for the dead.
3. He Sends Laborers with Nothing but His Word (10:1, 7–8)
• The disciples are told to take no supplies (10:9–10)—why?
• Because the kingdom doesn’t come by their efforts, but by Christ’s authority alone.
• This is the "foolishness of God" (1 Cor. 1:25)—salvation by a crucified Savior, delivered through weak preachers.

The Gospel’s promise? “Freely you have received; freely give” (10:8). Forgiveness, life, and salvation are gifts—not rewards.

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III. The Imperative: Sent in Weakness, Sustained by Christ (Matt. 10:5–10; 1 Cor. 1:18–25)

What does this mean for us?

1. Pray for Faith to Trust the Shepherd (Matt. 9:38)
• We are still prone to wander—pray that Christ would keep us in His Word.
2. Go as Those Who Have Been Given Everything (10:8)
• You are sent not because you are strong, but because Christ is.
• Like Abram, you go with only a promise—but His Word is enough.
3. Preach the Cross—Foolishness to the World, Power to Save (1 Cor. 1:18)
• The world will mock: “How can a crucified Jesus help me?”
• But this is the very power of God—for only in dying with Christ do we live.

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Conclusion: The Shepherd Still Sends

Dear Christians, you are the weak, foolish laborers Christ sends today.

• You will feel inadequate—good! The kingdom depends on His strength, not yours.
• You will face mockery—rejoice! You bear the cross, which is the power of God.
• You will doubt—but the Lord who called Abram, who sent the Twelve, still speaks: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor. 12:9).

So go—not in your name, but in His. Preach—not your wisdom, but Christ crucified. And trust—not your worthiness, but His promise:

“The harvest is plentiful… The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

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

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Key Lutheran Emphases Strengthened:

✅ Law/Gospel Dialectic – Sharp contrast between helplessness under sin and Christ’s free mercy.
✅ Means of Grace – The kingdom comes only through Christ’s Word, not human methods.
✅ Theology of the Cross – God works through weakness, suffering, and foolish preaching.
✅ Vocation – All Christians are sent, but always as receivers first, then givers.

 

 

 

"Mercy in the Kairos Moment"

Luke 6:36-42

"Grace, mercy, and peace to you

from God our Father,
who judges with perfect justice yet clothes us in mercy;
from Christ our Lord,
who bears the weight of our burdens on the cross;
and from the Holy Spirit,
who empowers us to overcome evil with good."

As we turn now to God’s Word, let us hear Christ’s call in Luke 6:36:
"Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."
May the Spirit open our hearts to receive—
not as those who judge, but as those judged and forgiven;
not as those who demand, but as those who have been given much.

 

Dear Sisters and brothers in Christ!

We find ourselves standing at a crossroads of time - not merely chronological time that ticks away indifferently, but Kairos time, that pregnant moment of divine opportunity when eternity breaks into our temporal existence. You see, our languages are quite weak in words, the Greek has to words to define time; Cronos and Kairos. Cronos is the time marked on our watches, the days, months and years passed by. The Kairos is the time of critical decisions, the momentum of life when we need take position. In this sacred interval, Jesus' words in Luke 6:36-42 come to us not as abstract moral advice, but as an urgent summons to participate in God's economy and life of mercy.

The passage begins with a radical imperative: "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." This command shatters our conventional understanding of reciprocity. In our world, we've grown accustomed to transactional relationships - you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours, you hit me and I will hit you doubled. But Jesus introduces a new paradigm where mercy flows not from calculated self-interest, but from our fundamental identity as children of a merciful God.

Consider the profound theological implications here. Mercy isn't presented as one virtue among many, but as the very reflection of God's character that should mark those who call Him Father. We understand ourselves as image of God, or reflexes of God, and it means others ought to see God through us. This transforms mercy and love from a moral achievement to a family resemblance. As Dallas Willard observed, "Grace is not opposed to effort, but to earning" and this means receive Grace is not something I do, but what God does for us.  Our capacity for mercy doesn't originate in our moral resolve, our doings but in our spiritual DNA as God's redeemed children, as daughters and sons of God.

Yet the speech of Jesus doesn't allow us to remain in comfortable abstraction, as good people meditating listening a sermon that won’t change our lives. Jesus confronts us with visceral metaphors that expose our hypocrisy - the image of someone with a wooden beam protruding from their eye attempting to remove a speck from another's eye is almost comical in its absurdity. But this is precisely the point. Our judgmental tendencies, often so natural to us, appear ridiculous when viewed through Christ's lens.

The contemporary implications are staggering. In our digital age where social media platforms have become arenas for public shaming, debates and virtue signaling, Jesus' words cut through our self-righteous posturing. How many of us have played both roles - the one pointing out specks with gleeful indignation while remaining oblivious to our own glaring faults? Jesus forces us into very uncomfortable self-examination:

What planks do I carry? How big is each of those planks? (in Greek it is more than a plank, it is a crossbar)

How have my judgments harmed others?

What structures of self-deception prevent me from seeing my own failings clearly?

This passage also dismantles our meritocratic illusions. The "measure for measure" principle (v. 38) operates not as a mechanical law of destiny, but as a revelation of God's generous character, God’s mercy, God’s love. When we forgive, we don't manipulate God into forgiving us; rather, we demonstrate that we've truly received and understood His forgiveness. As Brazilians say “sin is human but forgive is divine”. Our mercy toward others becomes evidence of our apprehension of divine mercy, it is the purest of being God’s image, letting God’s mercy reflect from us. Is what, as said in Psalm 8, makes us just a bit smaller than God.

The ecological implications shouldn't be overlooked either. If we're called to reflect God's mercy, this extends beyond human relationships to all creation. In an era of climate crisis and mass extinction, what would it mean for Christians to lead in merciful stewardship of the earth? Jesus invites us to consider how our economic systems, often built on exploitation, might be transformed by mercy.

This brings us to the Kairos urgency of the passage. Every moment presents a decision point - will we continue in cycles of judgment and retaliation, or will we step into the liberating way of mercy? For the individual, this might mean forgiving a long-held grievance. For congregations, it could involve creating cultures where people feel safe to be imperfect. It could mean also in being involved in church life in full. For society, it demands reimagining justice systems that prioritize restoration over retribution, that priories the less powerful people, the ones living at the margin of the society, the ones that are being genocide.

The time for mercy is now, now is the Kairos moment. Not because we've achieved moral perfection, but precisely because we haven't. As we stand in the light of God's mercy, we become conduits of that mercy to others, we become the mirror where people see the love and mercy of God. This is the revolutionary power of the gospel - that the forgiven become forgivers, the recipients become givers, and the judged become agents of grace.

In our final consideration, we must ask: What would our communities look like if we took this passage seriously? Perhaps we'd see less moral posturing and more honest brokenness. Less condemnation and more compassion. Less tribal hostility and more bridge-building. This is the vision Jesus holds before us - a people so transformed by divine mercy that we can't help but extend it to others.

As we leave this reflection, the challenge remains: In this Kairos moment, will we choose the costly path of mercy? The world has seen enough of judgment. What it desperately needs to see is people who have been so profoundly affected by God's mercy that they become living embodiments of it in every sphere of life.

Armin Andreas Hollas

reflexão semanal, OASE

Reflexão semanal - OASE

Quarto Domingo da Quaresma

Reflexão semanal - OASE

Culto de 3° de quaresma

O Natal é tempo de arrumar a casa e preparar o coração...

Cristão: Você está chateado com as coisas erradas

Este post foi produzido por Darrell Lackey e traduzido por mim, Armin Hollas. Encontra-se, no original em https://bit.ly/3hcgwKJ

Detalhe de “A Limpeza do Templo” de Raimondi | O Metropolitan Museum of Art | CC0 1.0

O sociólogo Tony Campolo é conhecido, ao falar para o público cristão, por começar dizendo algo assim:

Tenho três coisas que gostaria de dizer hoje. Primeiro, enquanto você dormia na noite passada, 30.000 crianças morreram de fome ou doenças relacionadas à desnutrição. Em segundo lugar, a maioria de vocês não dá a mínima. O pior é que você está mais chateado com o fato de eu ter acabado de dizer “merda” do que você porque 30.000 crianças morreram na noite passada.

Ao citar isso, tive pessoas provando seu ponto de vista respondendo algo do tipo: “Sim, entendi, mas ainda gostaria que ele explicasse seu ponto de outra forma ...” Ummm, esse é o ponto dele. O que ele quer dizer, em minha opinião, não é realmente sobre as crianças (embora seja, obviamente); seu ponto é que nós (cristãos) ficamos chateados com as coisas erradas. Nosso senso moral de indignação costuma ser mal direcionado.

O fato de percebermos a linguagem, de estarmos ofendidos, antes de realmente registrarmos o fato de que crianças estão morrendo, nos diz tudo o que precisamos saber. Qualquer enfoque em um termo grosseiro e não em seu ponto principal de que as crianças estão morrendo de fome ou desnutrição e que podemos ser cúmplices prova exatamente seu ponto. Se houve um pequeno suspiro da multidão com essa palavra ou um silêncio constrangedor, tais reações foram mal direcionadas. Essas pessoas ficaram chateadas com a coisa errada.

O mundo legalista, simplista e superficial do fundamentalismo (e até mesmo muitos aspectos do evangelicalismo) gera alguns gatilhos bastante estranhos para o que supostamente devemos nos aborrecer. Aqui estão apenas alguns:

Se você se tornar chateado ao ouvir que o casamento gay é legal ou que uma pessoa transexual pode usar o mesmo banheiro público como você, mas você é menos chateado sobre o ódio, a violência ea discriminação dirigida a essas pessoas, muitas vezes levando ao suicídio: Você está chateado com as coisas erradas.

Se você fica chateado quando as pessoas usam a saudação "Boas Festas" em vez de "Feliz Natal", mas você fica menos chateado com o desperdício de recursos durante esta temporada e o consumismo raso e desenfreado enquanto muitos vivem na pobreza: Você está chateado com o coisas erradas.

Se você fica chateado quando o governo usa seu poder para fazer com que as empresas protejam seus trabalhadores e o meio ambiente, mas fica menos chateado quando esses trabalhadores são explorados, feridos ou o meio ambiente é gravemente prejudicado: Você está chateado com as coisas erradas.

Se você fica chateado no supermercado quando vê alguém pagar por sua comida com vouchers ou vale-refeição, mas fica menos chateado com as estruturas institucionais e culturais que muitas vezes criam a própria necessidade dessa ajuda: Você está chateado com as coisas erradas .

Se você fica chateado quando vê pessoas fumando cigarros ou bebendo álcool, mas fica menos chateado quando vê pessoas comendo demais, sabendo dos efeitos disso na saúde, ou desperdiçando comida, sabendo que as pessoas vão para a cama com fome todas as noites: Você está chateado com as coisas erradas.

Se você fica chateado quando Hollywood lança filmes que contêm linguagem grosseira ou nudez, mas fica menos chateado com as exibições excessivas, sádicas e pornográficas de violência, assassinatos, sangue e sangue em filmes de guerra, filmes de ação ou mesmo filmes como “A Paixão de Cristo”: Você está chateado com as coisas erradas.

Se você fica chateado quando o governo tenta aprovar leis de restrição de armas razoáveis, mas você fica menos chateado com a quantidade de mortes por armas de fogo entre crianças e o nível geral de violência armada na América: Você está chateado com as coisas erradas.

Se você fica chateado quando sente que o governo está restringindo suas liberdades religiosas, mas você fica menos chateado ou até aplaude a restrição das liberdades religiosas de outros: Você está chateado com as coisas erradas .

Se você fica chateado quando alguém comete adultério ou com os lapsos sexuais de outras pessoas, mas fica menos chateado quando as pessoas se reúnem para apedrejá-los, ou para lançar insultos, fofocar, ou evitá-los, ou envergonhá-los, ou aprovar leis para destacá-los: Você está chateado com as coisas erradas .

Se a resposta à pergunta acima ainda for: “ Entendi , MAS ...” você não entendeu e deixou claro, tudo ao mesmo tempo. Sim, você pode ficar chateado com esses outros aspectos (certo ou errado). A questão, entretanto, é que esses aspectos empalidecem em insignificância quando colocados ao lado da falha moral mais profunda e muito mais importante observada - a falha que deveria realmente nos perturbar. Seria como se alguém dissesse a Jesus, pouco antes de ele virar as mesas do doleiro e pegar um chicote, como eles ficaram chateados com o preço das pombas naquele ano. Não é uma falsa dicotomia. É um problema de escala.

Lembro-me de uma cena do filme “A Vida é Bela” onde vemos Guido (Roberto Benigni) tão feliz em pensar que seu velho amigo, o médico nazista, o ajudará depois que o médico o reconhecer e facilitar sua vida dentro do campo de extermínio. O médico se lembra de como seu amigo era inteligente e de como ele conseguia solucionar enigmas difíceis. Começamos a pensar que o médico percebe o erro moral do campo de extermínio. Talvez ele tente salvar Guido e sua família. Mas não, finalmente percebemos, assim como Guido, que o médico queria apenas ajuda para resolver um enigma. Ele não vê Guido ou o sofrimento. Isso não o aborrece. O que o perturba é não encontrar a resposta para algo tão insignificante como um enigma. Ele até diz que não consegue dormir à noite por causa disso.

Um exemplo extremo? Talvez. Ainda assim, acho que esse é o tipo de pessoa que parecemos, e talvez corramos o risco de nos tornar, quando ficamos chateados com as coisas erradas, quando nos concentramos no incidental e deixamos de ver a questão moral mais profunda. Cristão: Não seja essa pessoa. 

Sete orações sinceras de pastores por suas igrejas para 2021

 

Thom S. Rainer -  

14 de dezembro de 2020

(Ooriginal em Inglês em 

https://cutt.ly/UhGqW11

Eu poderia começar este artigo com outro clichê sobre 2020, mas não vou.

Os pastores estão prontos para seguir em frente. Os membros da igreja estão prontos para seguir em frente. Na verdade, é hora de seguir em frente.

Diante disso, fiz aos pastores uma pergunta simples nas redes sociais: “Quais são suas orações por sua igreja para 2021?” Recebi centenas de respostas, mas as respostas foram incrivelmente consistentes. Aqui estão as sete principais orações em ordem de frequência:

1. Unidade na igreja. Muitos pastores notaram que 2020 não foi apenas um tempo de estresse, foi um tempo de estresse, resultando em desunião e brigas. Máscaras ou sem máscaras? Reunir ou não reunir? Distância social ou não? Muitos dos membros levaram suas reclamações às redes sociais. Gostaria que pudéssemos criar uma regra que exigisse que os membros gastassem o dobro do tempo na Bíblia do que no Facebook. Podemos ter reavivamento.
2. Abraçando a comunidade. É realmente emocionante ver tantos pastores com a convicção renovada de ser uma presença do evangelho em sua vizinhança. Esses pastores agora estão orando para que sua igreja como um todo alcance e ministre à comunidade. O endereço da sua igreja não foi acidental. Sua igreja foi colocada em sua comunidade para ser uma presença evangélica. 
3. Mais evangelismo. Um pastor colocou desta forma: “Não estou orando para que nossa igreja faça mais evangelismo; Estou orando para que nossa igreja faça qualquer evangelismo. ” Outro pastor ficou maravilhado com o quão longe tantas igrejas se desviaram da prioridade de compartilhar o evangelho. “Ficamos tão ocupados fazendo coisas boas”, observou um pastor, “que negligenciamos as melhores coisas.
4. Abraçando a mudança. Vários pastores oraram para que os membros de sua igreja aceitassem a mudança mais prontamente em 2021. Eles percebem a urgência do momento. Os negócios normais resultarão em declínio ou mesmo na morte da igreja. Muitos desses pastores passaram por guerras de adoração e outros conflitos. Eles sabem que uma grande mudança deve ocorrer, por isso estão orando para que ocorra sem grandes conflitos.
5. Erradicação de COVID. Muito poucos de nós realmente esperavam que a pandemia durasse tanto tempo neste nível de intensidade. A COVID tem causado danos à nossa saúde, às nossas emoções, ao nosso casamento e família, aos nossos negócios e às nossas igrejas. Como todos nós, os pastores estão prontos para que a pandemia fique sob controle.
6. Retorno dos membros da igreja. “Quero que todos nós estejamos juntos novamente”, comentou um pastor de Michigan. “Eu realmente sinto falta de muitos membros da minha igreja”. Embora esses pastores sejam realistas e saibam que nem todos retornarão, eles estão prontos para que tantos quanto possível se reúnam novamente nos cultos, grupos e ministérios.
7. Eliminação das atividades desnecessárias. “Uma das consequências positivas da pandemia”, compartilhou um pastor da Flórida na mídia social, “é que pudemos ver que realmente não precisávamos ter todos os programas, atividades e reuniões que tínhamos. É minha oração que continuemos a refinar nossos ministérios e eliminar todas as ocupações que realmente não fizeram a diferença. ”

 Obrigado, pastores. Você está na linha de frente do ministério. Você merece nossa gratidão e não nossas críticas. Oramos com você por essas sete orações e muitas outras que você expressou.

 Tenha um ótimo Natal e que 2021 seja realmente um maravilhoso ano novo.