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Midweek Blast of Epiphany Light

August 24, 2016

Ryan Lochte, Spankings, and God
If you are reading this, I am going to assume you have a pulse and have heard about the Ryan Lochte robbery scandal from Rio.  And if the shame and ridicule isn't enough for poor Ryan, he has now lost all of his major sponsors, a loss estimated at nearly $1,000,000.  In our world this makes sense.  He screwed up, he lied, and even though he admitted his mistakes and apologized, there are consequences.  

We live in a world filled with consequences.  You speed, you get a ticket.  You skip school, you fail your classes.  You don't pay your taxes, you go to prison.  The list could go on and on.  But, does God punish us when we mess up?  Is God coming down on Ryan too?  Is God involved in this $1,000,000 loss or is something else happening here?
 
Many believe that God has and very much continues to punish those who go astray. It's hard to argue with the many Bible stories that back up this theory.  From the very beginning Adam and Eve disobey God's one rule and they are banished from paradise.  The people are so wicked God sends a flood and saves only Noah and his family.  The disciples even ask Jesus, "Who sinned that this man was born blind, him or his parents?"  The Bible is full of these stories, and there are those who perpetuate these beliefs today.  God sent Katrina to take out New Orleans because of their foul and loose living.  God sent an earthquake to destroy Haiti because years ago they made a pact with the devil.  But what about all those places that haven't been destroyed?  What about all those good people who get diseases or die in car accidents?  Did God single them out?  Did they do something so severe that the offense warranted death?  Does God celebrate our use of the death penalty?  Is God laughing as Ryan Lochte's life crumbles around him?  Does God punish us when we mess up?
 
Returning to the story of Adam and Eve, if you flip back a few pages before the fall, God tells them about the one rule.  It says that if they eat from that tree they will die!  So how does the story play out?  Certainly their life changes and things are more difficult after the fall, but God doesn't kill them.  Ironically, God made garments for them and clothed them.  No doubt there were consequences for their actions, but there wasn't certain and immediate death.  

In our being, we have the God-given gift of free will.  You are not a robot or a puppet on a string; you are a free and autonomous creature with the right to live your life and make your own decisions.  There are those decisions that are in line with what God hopes for our lives and leads us down a certain path, and we can make choices that don't align with our faith and lead down a much darker path.  It's not as if God is waiting in the shadows to smite us; rather, God weeps and hurts for us when our decisions lead us toward a darker place.  There are consequences, but they are the result of our own design, not from a God who is waiting for us to slip up.  
 
Even though one could quote story after story and verse after verse to contradict this theory (and they are usually talking about someone other than themselves), I am going to hold on to the one who says, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing."  I am going to believe in the father who runs out to greet the son who abandoned and insulted his family.  When I have made mistakes, I will lie in that bed and I know there will be consequences, but I also know that I have a God who welcomes me home when I get back on the right path.
 
Grace, Peace, and Love,
 
Pastor Chris  
 

Wednesdays at the Well tonight
Wednesdays at the Well icon
Wednesdays at the Well is our midweek service. 
Community meal at 6 p.m. serves penne pasta with meat sauce.  Imagine children's choir at 6:25, and worship begins at 7.

Suggested freewill offering for dinner is $6/adult, and $3/children. Cash, checks, and credit cards accepted.

Pastor Chris continues a study of the prophet Daniel.

Come, be refreshed at the Well!

Haiti Sunday
This Summer's Haiti Youth Trip speaks during formation hour
Be a part of Epiphany's Sunday School, 9:45-10:45 this Sunday, as our youth who traveled to Haiti and helped lead summer camps share their experiences with our Sunday School classes, grades 4-5 through adult, downstairs in the gathering space. Don't miss this special hour!
 
3rd Annual HTF Golf Classic: Register NOW!
Thursday, September 29
The annual HTF golf classic is the major fundraiser for summer camps in Haiti. It's also a terrific event! Join the team to help make this year's tournament a great success! It's now time to register yourself as a player, your foursome, sponsor a hole as an individual or as a corporation. Visit our website and register TODAY!
http://htfgolfclassic.weebly.com/
https://www.regonline.com/2016HTFGolfClassic 
 
Epiphany's Fall Festival
October 30th!
Mark your calendars and start planning your costumes for our annual Fall Festival! Once again, we will have a cooking contest, costume contest, and Trunk or Treating for the kids! Stay tuned for more information.
 
Epiphany Lutheran Church
1350 Peachtree Industrial Blvd.
Suwanee, GA  30024
770-831-1966