Heaven's Just a Word Away
Hey Friends! I hope you enjoy the reflection below, but please note the two postscripts at the end for the important information about the weekend.
It’s tough to exaggerate the importance of the text we’ll be exploring this Sunday. After two weeks of introductory matters (e.g. Paul’s call to ministry, his desire to visit Rome, etc.), we’re now turning to a central theme in the book of Romans: the salvation of God and the centrality of faith. I am excited to hear Peter unpack the significance of these verses.
However, for the purpose of this email, I want to consider just one idea from this passage. In the Gospel, Paul tells us, the righteousness of God is revealed.
The verb “is being revealed” is used in two different ways in the Bible. Often when something is “revealed” it simply means information is being divulged such that people are now informed. In my household growing up, for instance we watched an episode of Jeopardy every night (RIP Trebek). My siblings and I would place imaginary bets on the “Final Jeopardy” question and wait with baited breath for the answer to be revealed. This same verb, however, can have broader connotations: something being revealed can mean it is being brought into existence. This latter meaning certainly includes the disclosure of information, but it is more than that. If something “is being revealed” in this sense it means it is happening both in the present moment and in your personal experience.
Most commentators argue that Paul’s use of the verb in Romans 1 carries this wider meaning. And the implications are staggering: When we gather together on Sunday mornings to hear the Gospel proclaimed in word and sacrament, we are not only learning information about God (the first sense of “is being revealed”), the righteousness of God - that divine activity by which all of the world's wrongs are put to right - is happening to us in the present moment. We are not experiencing God’s power in its fullness, but something from heaven is being revealed.
If Dolly Parton is to be believed, heaven's just a prayer away. In her debut album, Caroline Kingsbury speaks less metaphysically: heaven's just a flight (note: I am contractually obligated to make indie rock recommendations whenever I write the e-news). St. Paul says something different: Less a place we go when we die, heaven - the realm of God’s power, salvation, and the rectification of all things - is just a word away. I hope you can make it on Sunday to hear that word anew.
p.s. We’re getting new floors at the Phillip Events Center! Unfortunately, because of the construction cannot be inside this Sunday and are therefore having two outdoor services (you can register here). Instead of our normal livestream, we’re creating a video of the sermon and liturgy for those who typically worship with us online. Look for a link to the online service in our Sunday morning email.
p.p.s. Be encouraged to bring your pledge card to worship on Sunday! We’ll collect them during the offertory. If you’d rather fill out a digital version, you can do so here.