JR. Forasteros - November 6, 2011

What's Behind Us

This is Not the End

We live in a world shaped by choices other people have made. We live in an inheritance that seems pretty broken most of the time. It's easy to feel trapped by what's been chosen for us. But God gave Ezekiel a message for the Israelite Exiles that we need to hear too. God says that we are responsible to choose God here and now, in our time. That we will be held accountable not for what others have done to us but what we choose. What's behind us doesn't define us.

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Like many of use, I’ve used my pandemic time to experiment in the kitchen. There’s always been one thing I’ve wanted to make that I stayed away from because it was so intimidating – fresh pasta.

But hey, if you can’t take a risk during a pandemic, when are you gonna do it? It turns out it’s not as hard as I thought… though it takes some attention. And it does help if you’ve got a mixer (thanks to my homie Sue – this one belongs to her). Fresh pasta is just four ingredients – flour, eggs, oil and salt. You put it in and let it run for about 10 minutes (or knead it by hand).

We’re going to talk about good and evil today, and I thought pasta would be a helpful metaphor. After all, if I were to tell you in this moment I’ve made some good pasta for you – you’d rightly go… uh… where?

But, in my defense, you couldn’t call it bad pasta either. Because right now, it’s just a bunch of ingredients in a bowl, getting mixed. It’s neither good nor bad yet. It’s just… potential. (Hopefully potential deliciousness.)

I want to suggest that we consider good and evil in much the same way – God has created a world, inviting us to become out of chaos. And what’s before us is the question: Will we join God in moving the world toward peace (which of course includes delicious pasta) or will we choose to invite chaos into the world, little by little?

Will you be part of God’s good work? And will this turn out to be delicious pasta?

Join us Sunday as we explore the nature of good character and good pasta.

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