This past week I watched the documentary Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage. Beyond what that might say about my demographic particulars, the documentary was compelling and disturbing in ways you may well be able to imagine. It recounts the horrible consequences of poor decisions and long ignored underlying issues. Various interviews feature individuals trying to account for their own complicity and participation in terrible things. It is sobering. 

As we move through the book of Romans in our sermons each Sunday, one feature that has come into focus time and again has been Paul’s robust vision of sin. Sin is powerful and pernicious, described as having a will of its own. Sin is an alien power against your wellbeing and mine, against God’s good purposes in our lives.  

The reality of sin is such that our confidence in ourselves is severely undermined. In our own power, we too could find ourselves surprised at how we’ve participated in shameful things. Such is the sobering power of sin.

We Coelhos are reading The Fellowship of the Ring again. In it Gandalf describes the One Ring as a having a will of its own; destructive and malevolent. As it can be with sin, there is a sense of inevitability to the ring’s power. Yet, at key moments another, deeper, and stronger power is at work in the story, bringing about events that the ring did not anticipate and strengthening Frodo and others to choose what is good, true, and beautiful. 

Sin’s presence and power are to be taken seriously. That is part of the witness of Paul’s letter to the Romans. It's part of the lesson of Woodstock 99 and our personal histories. We dare not ignore or gloss over sin's power and presence. Yet the story of Romans and the whole of the Christian faith testifies to a deeper and greater power too. A power afoot in the world, and at work in us. The power of God, present through Jesus Christ, and ours by the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us and undoes the work of sin. Sin is sobering, but the Gospel is the hope of salvation. 

In Christ, 

Peter+

Ps. We’ll continue in worship this week with the same policy regarding masks as last week. COTC’s leadership is continuing to monitor the situation and we’ll continue to send out weekly updates. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me.