At the fork in the road

 Even as our Democracy is being threatened, and our people are dying in a pandemic, and the well-being of people across the world is diminished because of injustice, violence, poverty, disease, autocratic leaders and the corruption that brings us to these realities, we find ourselves at the fork in the road.  Which way will we go?

Will we, in the end, do what is just, wise, responsible, upright, moral and sustainable, or will we continue to sink into oblivion because of our prideful and ignorant greed, lust for power and desire for status?

Will we be the sheep who follow the Good Shepherd, or will we be the goats in the end (see Matthew 25:31-46)?

Will we be faithful to God or empire?

Will we be here in 100 years, or extinct?

This fork in our road is real.  We are there.  Here we are.  So, what will it be?

For believers, will we be among the Sheep or Goats?

Generous with all or Greedy for only ourselves?

Equal or Unequal?

Humility or Hubris?

Equally Just or Unjust?

Gracious and Merciful or Punitive and Viciously unforgiving?

Accepting or Judging?

Including or Excluding?

Peace-makers or War mongers?

Meek or Arrogant?

Kind or Mean-spirited?

Compassionate or Apathetic?

Empathic or Complacent?

People of Integrity or Unscrupulous?

Moral or Unconscionable and Immoral?

Promoters of Equitable Opportunities or of Inequities?

Builders of Shalom for All or Destroyers of Shalom for All?

Social Democracy or Fascist Oligarchy?

Good Stewards of the Creation or Destroyers of the Planet?

Blissed and a Blessing or a Curse?

Light or Darkness?

Truth or Lies?

Neighbors, Sisters, Brothers or Hate mongers?

Wise or Foolish?

Wheat or Weeds?

Good Fish or Refuse?

Faithful to God and Neighbor or Unfaithful?

Sheep or Goats?

The thing about the fork in the road is that it takes a clear, strong decision.  We have A CHOICE.  "We put down our money, take our choice and then we live with it." (Pastor Bruce Schein)

The thing about the fork in the road is that after we choose, we will go where it takes us to the end.  Particularly with regard to our environment, there is no turning back at this point.

The thing about the fork in the road is that the choice of each affects the life of ALL. 

We get ONE CHOICE at the fork in the road, and we are there.

So, what will it be?

We have been given the Good News of Jesus as our guide on how to live in this part of God's Kingdom, here and now.  We have been given teachings, commands and examples of how to be faithful to God and Neighbor.  We have been given an abundance of instruction on the living of Agape Love and Grace in the world as faithfulness to God.  We have been guided to work toward the Shalom of all in the world.  We have been told that Jesus is with us to the end of the age and that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead, based on how we live Agape Love and Grace in the world.  Jesus' fulfillment of the Law and Prophets has been made known to us.

So, for all who claim Jesus and the Good News of Jesus, what will it be?  The Narrow Gate or the Path to Destruction?

Choose wisely.  It ALL hangs on your/our direction right now, in the end.

Which path will you/we take?

Pastor Jamie