Eighth Sunday after Trinity, July 30th, 2023
I am sure that you have heard the expression that someone is "bigger than life." Someone who is "bigger than life" is a person that is known for doing things in a wild way or who is known for doing something dangerous or exciting. Like, for example, a race car driver or a movie star. We meet a person with a "big personality" and we say he/she is "bigger than life." You could say that a person "bigger than life" is someone who points to something beyond his or her self: they do a dangerous job . . . they have a unique hobby . . . . they take care of dangerous animals, for example. In a strange sort of a way, all of us point to something beyond us. Each one of us represent something to someone else. Well, for example, to a store owner, you are not just a person, you are a customer or a potential customer. If you have a spouse, you are a husband or wife. If you have children, you are a parent. If you like a particular sports team, you are a fan. The list goes on and on. To your boss, you are an employee. It is rare that we are just merely our self, in other words. Typically, we represent something beyond our self. In other words, we fill roles that point beyond our self. People don't look at us and just see . . . . Jack . . . . or Mary . . . or Gladys . . . . etc. When people look at us they see rather . . . a scout leader . . . a customer . . . . a potential customer . . . a parent . . a neighbor, etc.
As Christians, we are also called not to point to our self but rather we are called to point to something greater than our self. We are called to point to something beyond our self: God. In a certain sense, this is why Our Lord gave a warning about false shepherds who were only looking out for themselves. "BEWARE of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits." (St. Matthew 7:15 ff) A true man or woman of God points beyond themselves. They point to someone greater than they are. A false prophet will only worry about fulfilling their own needs and not the needs of others. A false prophet will spend their time feeding their own desires and making sure their own needs are met. A false prophet will want all of the attention focused solely on them . . . they want the spotlight focused on them alone. But we as true, committed Christians are called to focus the light on God. We are called to point towards God and not to ourselves. We should learn to imitate St. John the Baptist when he said: "He must increase, I must decrease." (St. John 3:30)
As Christians, we are also called not to point to our self but rather we are called to point to something greater than our self. We are called to point to something beyond our self: God. In a certain sense, this is why Our Lord gave a warning about false shepherds who were only looking out for themselves. "BEWARE of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits." (St. Matthew 7:15 ff) A true man or woman of God points beyond themselves. They point to someone greater than they are. A false prophet will only worry about fulfilling their own needs and not the needs of others. A false prophet will spend their time feeding their own desires and making sure their own needs are met. A false prophet will want all of the attention focused solely on them . . . they want the spotlight focused on them alone. But we as true, committed Christians are called to focus the light on God. We are called to point towards God and not to ourselves. We should learn to imitate St. John the Baptist when he said: "He must increase, I must decrease." (St. John 3:30)
St. Margaret Church worships every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM at the Chapel at Marquette Manor, which is located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.
NOTE: Keep in mind that we must enter in the main entrance of the lobby and sign in before we go to the chapel.
Please Join us as we gather together as God's family to: hear the Word of God; listen as God speaks to each one of us in our hearts; worship God in song and in word; listen to the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer; and, finally, receive Our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion so that we can be nourished for the journey we call life. Take one hour out of your busy schedule to worship God, to honour God, to acknowledge the need for God in your life.
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