Wednesday, August 1, 2018

PALCON 2018 Final Plenary Session 5 with Pastor Therese Elizabeth Leach for Wednesday, 1 August 2018

PALCON 2018 Final Plenary Session 5 with Pastor Therese Elizabeth Leach for Wednesday, 1 August 2018
Opening prayer
Story of growing up in Boubainus, Illinois, United States learning about Jesus at 16 years old and while reading the Gospel of Luke. Came to her first yes to Jesus.
After three months, she heard a call to pastoral ministry saying yes and yes.
1990 youth convert to Jesus.
Let not look at the good old days, but look forward to the new days.
The church under a microscope by to world to see how the church will react to the issues of the world.
Our life in Jesus matters in a broken world.
Story of walking on the streets of the Southern Tier New York seing a home with excitement and love.
Does world see love and grace in our churches or something else?
Reference to Scott McKnight's reference to the church listening to the medis to come grips with our sin to be repented.
The Commands of Jesus from the Sermon of the Mount
Matthew 5:17 “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete. 18 Yes indeed! I tell you that until heaven and earth pass away, not so much as a yud or a stroke will pass from the Torah — not until everything that must happen has happened. 19 So whoever disobeys the least of these mitzvot and teaches others to do so will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever obeys them and so teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness is far greater than that of the Torah-teachers and P’rushim, you will certainly not enter the Kingdom of Heaven! (Complete Jewish Bible).
We are Love God and others fully.
This how Jesus viewed the Torah.
The Torah is completed in the Presence of Jesus.
Jesus pushes us to be more righteous and obedient than the Pharisees and Saduccees which is all about the cross and grace of Jesus.
Matthew 5:43 “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Love your neighbor[Matthew 5:43 Leviticus 19:18] — and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! (Complete Jewish Bible). Is the issue of church in the United States. 
Matthew 26:47 While Yeshua was still speaking, Y’hudah (one of the Twelve!) came, and with him a large crowd carrying swords and clubs, from the head cohanim and elders of the people. 48 The betrayer had arranged to give them a signal: “The man I kiss is the one you want — grab him!” 49 He went straight up to Yeshua, said, “Shalom, Rabbi!” and kissed him. 50 Yeshua said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they moved forward, laid hold of Yeshua and arrested him.
51 At that, one of the men with Yeshua reached for his sword, drew it out and struck at the servant of the cohen hagadol, cutting off his ear. 52 Yeshua said to him, “Put your sword back where it belongs, for everyone who uses the sword will die by the sword. 53 Don’t you know that I can ask my Father, and he will instantly provide more than a dozen armies of angels to help me? 54 But if I did that, how could the passages in the Tanakh be fulfilled that say it has to happen this way?”,
 Luke 22:21 “But look! The person who is betraying me is here at the table with me! (Complete Jewish Bible).
The response to Coptic Christians being killed by an ISIS group.
A mother's response by a mother whise sons were beheaded to welcome ISIS into her home.
The Coptic Christian Bishop says to forgive persecutor and killer.
What are we communicating that we hate tem or love them.
Fear or preservation or reach out in love to those who hate us.
Our role of Pastors is to take on the role love to be nurtured. This hard and costly.
Pastors should never do this alone. We do this together with Jesus and others who come alongside us.
The context is difficult, but we are doing this together with Jesus.
Prayer. Worship in Music. The Eucharist. Prayer and Benediction. Sending forth knowing we are not alone, but with Jesus alongside us.
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