Scripture: Luke 7:26-28
What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.” I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
Thought for the Day: The playground can be a tough place for a child’s ego. Among the difficult situations is the choosing of teams which can often leave one or two children feeling unwanted or not included at all. It can be a painful experience, and it is so hard to communicate to a rejected child the good news that the least important seem to have special treatment in God’s kingdom. The last become first, not in some prideful way against those who were once first, but in a joyful leading of everyone. The church needs to be very intentional in its work to reflect the Kingdom of God – for children, youth and adults. We are called to embody the news of God’s love, and as Jesus reflected on the ministry of John the Baptist in the above passage, he spoke in ways that remind us of how things often appear upside down or backwards in the Kingdom. Yet maybe we are the ones who are turned on our heads and need to be reoriented.
Prayer: As you reached out to me, O Lord, in moments of rejection, help me to see the least of this world who are in need of your accepting grace. Amen.
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Today’s Sermon
