In order to have a heart that is not hard, it means we have to stay open, vulnerable, and hurt-able.

Today, we’re going to take a different approach to this idea of breaking free from shame.

Many of us grew up being taught that holiness meant getting everything right and steering clear of anything wrong. Of course we wanted to be holy because God is holy, but it was such hard work.

How many times have we each witnessed the scene (or been a part of it!) where a parent does something that embarrasses their kid? Maybe it’s the uncool shirt we wear or how we greet them after school or something we say over dinner… and our kids just can’t stand it.

Our passage for the message yesterday was about how Jesus was “made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God” (Hebrews 2:17).

Some of us may be familiar, others not, with the story from the Hebrew Scriptures of the boy Samuel who would grow up to be the nation of Israel’s final “judge” and usher in the time of the kings.

In 1 Corinthians 1:24 we read these words: “...Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” The word for “Wisdom” in Greek is σοφία (Sophia) - a common woman’s name then and now.

Today we’re rewinding the clock and thinking about the Christ before Jesus was born, back all the way to the very beginning of time.

“Jesus Christ” isn’t a full name, as in someone having a first and last name. “Christ” is a title. It means messiah. So as we do some thinking about Jesus, it’s actually important to understand that Jesus was the Christ - but not always.

For many of us, our religious communities or families - knowingly or unknowingly - taught us that God is angry, emotionally distant, and judgmental.

The story of Hannah, which opens the book of 1 Samuel, often resonates deeply with people struggling with the pain of infertility. Hannah wants a child with all her heart, but month after month, year after year - no baby.

Christianity was never meant to be attempted alone. It’s always been a call to community. Even though that community often causes pain and always needs help to grow and mature, it’s still essential.

So, so often in the New Testament, the word ‘you’ is in PLURAL form. So often we’ve read it as the individual ‘you’ and made our faith a very private matter.

Have you ever noticed that when someone is vulnerable with you about their failings that you feel more comfortable being yourself, sharing your doubts or losses or mistakes?

Jesus knew that Peter would rotate out of the close orbit he was in around Jesus, and indeed Peter did.

Listen to the poet and the prophet today. Hear the whispers of “Blessed are the poor in spirit…” and “Blessed are those who mourn…” and Blessed are the meek…” What might the Spirit be saying to you?

Today we’re looking at a passage that has stirred all sorts of ideas (and controversies) over the centuries.

There are lots of things that are good for others but not necessarily good for you. So we don’t need to criticize those good things if they don’t fit us. But we also don’t need to put them on ourselves.

Six times in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says, “You have heard it said… but I say to you…” It’s important to note that he’s not saying that the former things were bad.