Do No Harm

Do No Harm

Galatians 5:13-15 “You were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only don’t let this freedom be an opportunity to indulge your selfish impulses, but serve each other through love. All the Law has been fulfilled in a single statement: Love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour each other, be careful that you don’t get eaten up by each other!”

Words for Life is our 2020 theme for worship. Through the year we’ll consider words and phrases from Scripture and our Christian faith that lead us toward life in Christ. Last week we wrapped up a short series on Making Sense of the Bible. Before Lent begins on Feb. 26, Three Simple Rules will be our guide for worship on Sundays, Feb. 9, 16, and 23.

Three Simple Rules comes to us from John Wesley, known as the founder of Methodism, as he set out ways for the early Methodists to live with one another and in society. The first simple rule is to “do no harm”.

What is it like to think about “doing no harm?” At first it seems simple. We know we shouldn’t kill others or steal from them. What if we think more carefully about this?  What would change in our lives if we made a commitment to seek to do no harm to ourselves? Widening our circle, what would it be like if we sought to keep our anger and fear from harming others? Moving wider, how does God call us to do no harm to those we don’t like or understand?

Worship is at 8:15, 9:45 and 11:15 a.m. on the corner of Magee and LaCanada, and at 10:00 a.m. at our Dove Mountain Site (5650 W. Moore Rd., Marana). You can also livestream the 9:45 a.m. using this link.

I know it’s been cold outside. At St. Mark’s we’re committed to helping one another grow in the love and warmth of Jesus Christ, the one we seek to follow, the one who came to bring us life.

Blessings, Sharon