What a difficult day – how broken this world is. It’s not easy to concentrate and do our necessary tasks in light of the great tragedy this day brought to an unsuspecting town in Connecticut.

Dear God,

we sing songs about a savior coming,

about peace on earth and goodwill toward men,

while in the background we hear the rattle of gunfire

and the sounds of children screaming.

Oh, we slump down to moan.

May your kingdom come,

your will be done on earth,

like it’s done in heaven.

God of all comfort, be with us yet.

This Sunday we’ll be reading 1 Peter 2:4-10.

I’ve talked a lot about how the church is not a building – and yet, the church IS something God is building, as Peter so aptly describes it in this passage. All of the things that Peter uses to describe us are taken from the Old Testament descriptions of temple worship under the Mosaic law. What do you think he’s telling us about the nature of the church in the gospel age?

A cornerstone was used in ancient times as the spot the rest of a building would be sited and measured from. If Jesus is that to the church, what does that mean concerning our mission, practice and values?

Note that Peter says that we are a PEOPLE who once were not a people. He doesn’t say person, singular. Does that stir any thoughts about the church – it’s nature and it’s importance? What thoughts have been stirred?

We’ll see you Sunday. Hug your children if you have them. Pray for this broken world — overcome evil with good—-love with all your might.