What Does Scripture Say?

Last week during Youth Sunday school, we ended up on the topic of compassion in the midst of justice. I don’t know that we got to the scripture, but we were engaging in a conversation that could easily be supported through Jesus’s teaching of “turn the other cheek.”

At some point the youth brought up, ‘because scripture says so’ as the point of conviction. I reminded them of the quote by Benjamin Franklin Parker, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Uncle Ben tends to be a bit more accessible for youth than Shakespeare, who said, “even the Devil can quote scripture.”

In the conversation during Sunday school, I then reminded them of the scripture that tells us to take “an eye for an eye, a life for a life.”

Now, we can dive into an elaborate lesson in the Quadrilateral, a key aspect to Methodism, but I think that may be easier to hash out in a face-to-face setting. Instead I want to invite you to engage your scripture with consideration that most positions in an argument can be supported by scripture; it contradicts itself all the time. Additionally, what was the context for the scripture you’re reading? Who wrote it? To whom? With what purpose? And, when you do all of these steps, remember the over-arching aspects of your faith. Often, I return to the lessons of Jesus at this point.

I reflect on last week’s Sunday school lesson for two reasons. First, as we explore the sermon series, Care of Creation, I want to invite you to assess your faith from a larger perspective than the scripture of the morning. I want you to consider your values and how your words and actions illustrate the values you hold. Second, I want to remind you that scripture is fairly malleable. As you engage this sermon series, you will hear my interpretation (that’s the nature of our working relationship), but I want to remind you that scripture can be used to make most sides of any argument. Seek out more than our Sunday morning engagements. How can this sermon series be an invitation to let your faith drive your self-education and permeate more aspects of your day-to-day life?

I hope this sermon series is both educational and inspirational. And, at the end of the day, remember: with great power comes great responsibility.

Peace,
Rev Elizabeth