St Luke's - Truth and Humility

The church finds itself existing in a postmodern context that is suspicious of institutions, organisations, experts, and people that claim to have all the answers or have discovered the truth. We’re surrounded by people suspicious of the way organisations use and interpret texts to suit their own ends. So of course, it’s not surprising to discover that average Joe is suspicious of the church and how the biblical text has been ‘used and misused’ by the ‘experts’ up the front to advance their own agendas. Heck Pastor Joe (me) is suspicious of that.

And yet as Christ followers we affirm the Bible authoritative and inspired by God. We believe it contains ultimate truth, a grand-narrative, a big story which gives meaning to all of human existence and out of which we can make sense of our own stories. We’re people of the Spirit. We’re people of the text – the Bible.

In a postmodern context you could say it is a little stacked against us!

An yet I believe in the possibility, potential, and the ability of the church to shine brighter than it ever has, to make more of a difference in the world than she already has, to offer the world faith, hope and love in the midst of confusion, hopelessness and heartache.

Mindful of our context we seek each time we gather to speak the truth out of love, with grace and in humility, understanding that we may not have it all exactly right – though we are more than confident of being on the right track.

We’re called to shine boldly as a light and also flavour subversively in the world around us, pointing people towards Jesus and working towards the Kingdom of God being established on earth as in heaven.

At St Luke’s we’re more about out working this in humble conversation. Sermons are talks to start talks not talks to end talks, the opening word rather than the final word. We won’t yell at you, but at the same time we won’t shy away. Humility isn’t weak it’s just inviting.

To be continued...