On this past Sunday, Bronx Bethany took a giant step forward in validating its mission and vision statements. We had a combined service with our Latino ministry, and our own Pastor Martha preached in Spanish (with simultaneous translation into English).
Though it's been almost eight months since Pastor Publio died, I still cannot mention Martha without mentioning him. They served together as a team, and Publio's spirit was very much present- in the joy of the music selected for praise and worship, and in the urgency of the sermon preached by Pastor Martha.
At the beginning of Pastor Martha's sermon, she said, "Sometimes love is affliction"... how true that is. Because I love Pastors Publio and Martha deeply, and because I became so accustomed to always seeing him and Pastor Martha together, it is a bit challenging for me to write: it's a forced recognition that yes, he is gone, and yes, she has chosen to remain in the United States to carry on the work to the glory of God.
But we are all one step closer to meeting Jesus face-to-face, one step closer to giving an account for the life we've lived on this earth. This week we'll consider the duality evident in Pastor Martha's sermon: the love of God expressed in the merciful sacrifice of the Christ, and the justice of God which requires judgement.
And we also must have a conversation about jealousy.
I hope you'll read this week's blogs in a spirit of prayer and willingness to examine yourself.
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