Sunnyvale Presbyterian Church
Worship Focus for January 19
Rev. Dale Bracey, preaching
Greetings!

How do you keep your emotional and spiritual balance in this era of political venom, denial, and division? Do you long for the country you thought you used to know? How do we move beyond the mistrust? I’m challenged by Martin Luther King, Jr. admitting in his Letter From a Birmingham Jail:

“My Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizens’Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a ‘more convenient season.’ Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection. I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and that when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress.”

I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and that when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress.”

I look forward to being with you this Sunday at 7:50 a.m., 10 a.m., or 5 p.m., as we worship together and reflect on the words of Martin Luther King Jr.

Peace,
Dale
Theme for Sunday

What troubles me about culture in America is the strengthening of dogmatism...and its consequences: to restrain freedom of speech and thought, and to dismiss as intellectually inferior or immoral those who disagree with the flock. We need to make an effort in the United States to be content with disagreement, and to embrace compromise—something that, until relatively recently, anchored and enriched American culture.
—Charles Blow, New York Times
Questions for Reflection
  • How do you keep your emotional and spiritual balance in this era of political venom and denial?
  • Who do you trust to work for overcoming the polarization?
John 1:29-42

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.” The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!”

The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).