Truth is not uncommonly brushed aside, or at least there is in our society a skepticism about truth claims. In some sense palate's question to Jesus "What is truth?" May not only be the question our culture asks but a question we ask ourselves but may not articulate, perhaps especially in our church communities. This is unfortunate for it is in church in coming together before Christ that like Pilate we confront truth, and can be puzzled by who we find.
For us as Christians Jesus Christ is the truth. This means that belief, faith, doctrine are always as much about relationship as they are about propositions. What is often misunderstood about Christian faith by Christians and non-Christians alike is that for true Christian faith matters of the heart are always matters of the head and we believe certain propositions because we have a certain relationship with God. Ultimately, we believe because God revealed God's self to us out of love for us. Right belief about God then isn't about being right or righteous but about being in relationship with God. For Christian faith head,heart, body belong always together because if one is out of cynic with the others we cannot have a complete or good relationship to God. We may relate to God, while believing something untrue about God, but a false believe will hinder that relationship. Certainly there is something to feeling close to God, or feeling spiritual, but if there is a reality to that feeling then it means being in relationship to a God, who is someone, who we must encounter and thus believe certain things about, and about whom we can either believe true or false things.
In the end we can not say as Christians that we are "spiritual" but not care about whether or not what we believe about being spiritual is true or false. For the Christian to be "spiritual" is to be in relationship with God who is spirit, to be filled with the person of the Holy Spirit, of whom there are true and false things, and of whom ultimately we must say is the truth. We know the truth not because we know certain propositions, but we know the one who is true and about whom certain things are true.
May Pilate's question lead us not to skepticism but to embrace the one who is the Way the Truth and the Life.
Announcements-
This Sunday we meet for worship a half hour early at 5:30 PM. Normal meeting time resumes Sunday October 2nd.
This Sunday we also welcome Rev. Laura Gottardi-Littell as our preacher. Keep her and the search committee in your prayers as we continue to discern a common call. If you have any questions about the search process, please contact Will Swanson.
Our Bible study continues this coming Tuesday! Come one. Come all. We will be working through acts and reading the Rule of Saint Benedict using a book that has daily readings from the rule with a brief reflection by. Our hope is that in the 14 weeks of the bible Study that we will take these reading up as a daily devotional. The devotional is now here. Pick it up at the back table. All are also invited to join the community of the Holy Trinity in their evening prayer service at 7 PM before the Bible study.
We are holding a "kitchen goods" drive for Sarah's Circle. North Shore Baptist and the Community Church of Wilmette are helping us collect essential kitchen items such as small appliances, pots and pans for Sarah's Circle. For more information, please contact Jeremy John.
In Christ,
Larry Kamphausen
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