Worship - 1 June 2025

Summary of this week's theme

If you’ve ever tried to do something good and received only criticism, you’re not alone. The Apostle Paul was beaten and jailed after freeing a girl from a spirit of divination - an act of compassion that disrupted her exploiters’ profit.

Interestingly, the girl was speaking truth: “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.” But in Philippi, “Most High God” likely meant Zeus, and “salvation” implied prosperity or health - not the transformed, eternal life Paul preached.  Just as Jesus silenced possessed people who correctly identified him, Paul understood that misunderstood truth can mislead.

And this semantic confusion is still with us. What does it mean to “prosper” if we follow Christ? Some preach a prosperity gospel - give more to the church and receive wealth in return. One televangelist even claimed God wanted him to have a private jet.

But Jesus never promised riches. In fact, following him often meant suffering: beatings, prison, crucifixion. True prosperity in Christ is flourishing in God’s will - seeking justice, sharing peace, and building community, not personal gain.

Jesus didn’t teach success at others’ expense. He called for communion - a deep, lasting connection with him and with others. This isn’t always easy. Communion means caring for people we may not like, challenging our own biases, and embracing diversity.

In the Eastern Church, salvation is seen as this very state of communion - ongoing, transformative connection to Christ and one another. That’s the prosperity we’re called to seek.  We are meant to thrive together.

So the Apostle Paul, even when unjustly jailed, didn’t seek vengeance.  He sought understanding.  Jesus, too, didn’t pray for dominance or uniformity - he prayed, “May they all be one.”

So don’t give up on the gospel. Any discomfort we face pales in comparison to what others have endured.  In the end, our goal needs to be to prosper in a faithful, loving, sustainable community of believers.