Grace and Inner Turmoil
PROPER 9 – Year A – 2014 – Trinity 3
“I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate… For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.” (Romans 7:15,19-20)
Paul’s letter to the Romans reflects on an inner turmoil that is familiar to many of us—the tension between knowing what is right and succumbing to our own weaknesses. This passage is part of a larger discussion on grace versus Law, and the importance of allowing God the space to act in our lives.
Kevin discusses the limitations we place on God in our minds and how Jesus, through his life and teachings, challenges those preconceptions. He cites C.S. Lewis’s journey from skepticism to faith, highlighting the divine humility that accepts a convert even on reluctant terms.
The sermon delves into the Apostle Paul’s mission and his teachings on the presence of God, even in his apparent absence. Kevin emphasizes that in Christ, God has experienced humanity, and through Him, we find acceptance despite our weaknesses.
The message concludes with Jesus’s invitation to those weary and burdened to find rest in Him, exchanging their heavy burdens for His yoke, which is light and offers rest for the soul. Kevin encourages embracing the unforced rhythms of grace and allowing God to work in and through our lives.