Published: 13 January 2026

In the Footsteps of Paul: Seeking Community in Corinth; 1 Corinthians 11:17-26, 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Have you ever had one of those moments where you’re in a crowd of people—at a party, a reception or even a big family gathering—and you still feel alone? It’s happened to me. Surrounded by people, yet still feeling disconnected, or one step removed.

Loneliness affects at least 1 in 4 adults today, and is now especially prevalent for young adults, ages 19-29. Alarmingly for those 18-25 "Loneliness" surveys reveal it’s as high as 60%. There are many things that divide us in our culture right now–use of technology, generational differences in how we see the world, views on politics, social issues, and so on. But underneath all of these divides and differences, we each need a sense of belonging and human community.

We all need relationships of trust and meaning where we are bonded together with something deeper than ideas, agendas or sometimes even family ties. Our need for connection and community in the face of our diversity is stronger now more than ever.

The Apostle Paul recognized this need for belonging, and for deep community when he arrived in the Corinth. Corinth was a very diverse place; Coirnth was different from Athens and everywhere else he had been.

Paul didn’t have far to travel to get to Corinth from Athens–he just had to cross a narrow slip of land to get to this teeming metropolis which was one of the most important cities in Greece at the time. There was so much that was unique about Corinth:

• It's size - it was the largest city in Greece in Paul’s time' it was 10-20x larger than Athens;
• It's population was 100-200,000 citizens + slaves added another 30,000.
• It's geography was unique–Corinth was in the middle of the province of Achaia. Half of Achaia is the Peloponnesian peninsula which is connected by a little strip of land, and then the other half is on the mainland of Greece. Corinth sits near the Ismthus–the strip of land that connects them.
• Corinth had 2 ports- a port on the west with ships that went to Rome, and it had a port on the East at Cenchrea, that went east toward Ephesus and Asia Minor (now Turkey) or toward Egypt or Syria, (which provided great naval routes in both directions).

Here are the ruins at the port in Cenchrea (pictured)–there would have been buildings here. All goods and trade from the east would have come in through here. This is the very port where Paul left at the end of his missionary journey in Acts 18–he goes first to Ephesus and then on to Jerusalem. This is the port also in Romans 16 from which the Deacon Phoebe leaves with Paul’s letter to the Romans. This was another one of those moments where Dan and I just couldn’t believe we were there. We were alone there, pondering the significance of standing in the footsteps of Paul–of him empowering a woman, Phoebe, not as courier, but as preacher really, to read and interpret Paul’s theological treatise to the Romans.

We didn’t make it to the western port, but there was a road through ancient Corinth that would take you there. The picture below the port gives you a view of the mountain above ancient Corinth called AcroCorinth where there has been a fortress for protection since the 7th century BCE.

With 2 ports offering trade in 2 directions, people from all over the world came to Corinth. There was so much diversity- Latin speakers from Rome, Egyptian speakers, Ethiopians, in addition to Greek Speakers. The whole world came to Corinth! All of this made Corinth a very wealthy, cosmopolitan city that was ethnically, religiously, culturally, and linguistically diverse.

The archeology of Corinth reveals some of the diversity Paul encountered. Here is the Temple of Apollo (pictured) was built in 550 BC (a lot of the ancient pillars had to be stood up, but these pillars never fell over–they have been standing here for nearly 2600 years!). A single block of stone is 24 feet high and there used to be about 30 of them. Paul saw this temple, and also a Temple to Aphrodite, Goddess of love, with a prostitution cult that went with it. A statue of the god Zeus was found in the excavation of Corinth - another sign of the importance of pagan religion in Corinth. The Sphinx found here was also very important part of Greek mythology.

We saw a Corinthian style helmet from when they fought in ancient Greece. It was an important military city–for its strategic location. Julius Caesar had a statue in Corinth. He ordered the rebuilding of Corinth in 44 BCE as a Roman colony (it had been destroyed 100 years earlier by the Romans, but Julius recognized its strategic location, so ordered it rebuilt).

Julius’s successor was Augustus Caesar (pictured)-who ruled 27 BCE – 14 CE (remember the battle near ancient Philippi where Octavian and Mark Antony beat Cassius and Brutus?–Octavian became Caesar Augustus and was Julius’s adopted son).

Emporer Nero reigned 54-56 CE. (Tiberius was the Emperor during Jesus’ death and resurrection, then there was Caligula & Claudia before Nero). There are symbols of emperor worship in Corinth. 

Jews settled here and built a synagogue, and there was a significant Jewish population here. Jewish menorahs on the column are evidence of a vibrant Jewish community.

So Paul encounters this rich, vibrant, incredibly diverse community and Paul sees that this is where unity and belonging in Christ as one church, one people, one body is really put to the test–-no more disconnection, loneliness or lack of belonging.

Paul was called by God to build a church where there was no Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male and female, (as it says in Galatians 3:28)--for we are all one in Christ Jesus. If there was anywhere to try this and make it work, it was Corinth, because, like the song, New York, New York, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.

Paul, of course, got into trouble with his message. Acts18 reports that leaders in the synagogue got mad and brought him before the Governor with accusations. 
Paul stood on this very stone (where Dan and I are pictured) called the Bema (inside a building) when charges were brought against him. In this case the charges were dismissed. Not only that, Paul also encountered divisions in the church. Our text talks about “Chloe’s People," and Apollo, and who was baptized by whom. They are also bickering about whose spiritual gifts are greater or more important than others. They were creating false levels of status within the community, and even worse, slaves were being left out of the Lord’s Supper.

They did not celebrate Communion in the middle of a worship service with a ritual as we do. They started their gathering with a meal, and ended the meeting sharing the Cup of Salvation, and did so every time they gathered. It was the glue of the community. But the wealthy would get there early–they had the money, time, and wine. They would eat and drink, then the tryptophan would hit, and they would fall asleep on the couch. Then the slaves would arrive from working all day, exhausted and hungry, and there’d be nothing to eat or drink–-talk about feeling lonely, disconnected, and left out! This is NOT the Lord’s Supper or the body of Christ!

Paul exhorts the Corinthians that there is one body, one Lord, one Savior Jesus Christ, and every member is part of him. Every member is valued, equal and necessary, and this must be manifested in their behavior and treatment of each other. He tells the wealthier members to fill their stomachs before they come together, so they can wait for all the slaves and laborers to arrive together. The Lord’s Supper is a shared meal, not a table where the rich imbibe early and frequently and the workers are left with nothing.

Paul says you must listen and learn enough to become like them, so you know what it takes to include a new culture, a new class, a new person into community:

To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews…. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I might by any means save some.

Paul finds a way to build a relationship with everyone, so no one experiences being alone in a crowd within the community of the church. Even through their mistakes, struggles, and hard lessons, the Corinthian church learned and succeeded! In Acts 18 we read of fellow Jews and tentmakers, Prisca and Aquila who joined Paul and hosted him in Corinth (remember that the “tents” are awnings or shades for the shops in the agora, pictured above with the stone walls between stalls).

We walked over to the Roman Odeum–a smaller theater off to the side of the main town where most of the ruins are. The real miracle moment at Corinth was seeing this stone: It has the name, “Erastus” on it– the city Treasurer and civic leader, who paid to have all the stones laid in the square in front of the theater. In Romans 16, the letter that Deacon Phoebe from Cenchrea reads, Paul sends Greetings to the church in Rome saying, 

Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.

This is one of the few instances when archeological evidence confirms the Biblical witness. Erastus, a wealthy Gentile was part of the Church in Corinth. Written about on this sign. Paul gathered the slaves and marginalized, the shop keepers, Jews and Gentiles, and also reached the highest echelons of civic life. Paul spent 1.5 years there –much longer than other places.  This is why we get 2 letters to Corinthians–Paul’s Treatise on Ministry.

The gift of Christian community is that what divides us in society–whether it is wealth, status, or politics–does not separate us in the church– this is the place that breaks down barriers between people, and helps end experiences of isolation, loneliness or division.

Bound together as the body of Jesus Christ, we experience deeper community.
We build relationships of meaning, where we can learn from each other.
This is not just to grow the church, but because we too, share in the blessings of Jesus when we learn and fellowship with diverse members.
Paul says, I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

Paul teaches us in the Corinthian community that Jesus unites us across every human label. and boundary. The Lord’s Table is the great leveler. In Christ, no one is left out. After visiting ancient Corinth, Dan and I shared Holy Communion with our dinner, just like they did at Corinth, using Paul’s words of blessing.

In Corinth we embrace the mission that the church of Jesus Christ is the place
where loneliness is answered with belonging,
where division is healed by grace,
where the Lord’s Table is open for all.
Our belonging is given to us in Christ, we simply live it out as the church.

This church is just outside the ruins of ancient Corinth in the small town that surrounds it.

1 Corinthians 13 is the on the monument in the courtyard in 4 languages!

In a world many experience as divisive and lonely, God calls us to live as one body united in the love of Jesus Christ! Come to the Lord’s Supper today trusting you belong to God and to us. 

And as you go from here this week, reach out to those who need an invitation to the next meal, and to this community of love and belonging.

Published: 03 January 2026

In the Footsteps of Paul: Seeking Resilience in Athens; Acts 17:16-31

Sometimes it’s hard to see the good in people. We all have those days, or weeks when it seems like we are surrounded by idiots.

• This fall someone in South Carolina was upgrading their property for hundreds of dollars, and a tourist was having a good old time in New York–all with my credit card number.
• Last week someone told me about a terrible experience at a business where everything was done wrong, and they were most interested in asking them not to give a bad Google review.
• Or we all have those days when we can’t ever get to a live person on a customer service line.
• Some days, we’re doing the best we can, but someone decides to go off on us anyway.
• And then there's those uninformed social media rants…

At times like these, our resilience has disappeared. It’s hard to get up on the right side of the bed, feel like we live on the sunny side of the street, full of the light of Christ, with prayers, hope, and good will toward all. How can we get our resilience, our bounce-back-ability back?

I imagine the Apostle Paul wondered the same thing. I am not sure what happened to him between setting up churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea before arriving in Athens. I know he can be arrogant, but something made him cranky, and it was hard for him to see the good in people when he arrived in Athens. Paul most likely travelled by boat from northern Macedonia. Maybe he got sea-sick. Maybe he felt lonely, leaving Silas and Timothy behind to support the churches he had already established. Maybe his early successes made him cocky and full of himself and he expected immediate success.

Whatever it was, when he arrived in Athens, he behaved like a jerk—like someone who had lost his resilience and ability to engage with people. What did he encounter? Paul would have seen much of what we see today. Paul would have seen the Acropolis- - except they weren’t ruins, they were active Temples; they were not white marble–they were garishly painted in bright reds, vivid blues, striking golds--even pillars themselves were painted. By the time Paul arrived, Athens' political and economic glory days were 500 years in the past. Athens still had universities, philosophy, and temples, but it was not important politically or economically.

First Paul went to the Agora–the marketplace, and center of commerce (in Roman cities it would be called the Forum). It would have been dusty, noisy, full of stalls, statues, and people debating, buying, teaching, and worshiping. There would have been government offices and entertainment. Paul would have spent his time in the back, in the 3rd Stoa arguing. “Stoa” is where we get the word “stoic” philosophers.

Paul also went to the synagogue, which was his practice in every city –where he would debate, sharing Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. But Paul walked through Athens with all these idols and temples to pagan gods, and he thinks, “they are wrong, wrong, wrong! If they had any brains, they would listen to me and hear that I am right about God in Jesus Christ! Granted, Paul was highly educated and trained as a Pharisee, the strictest sect of Judaism, but in Athens, he comes off accusing people of being stupid and thick-headed. The other philosophers of Paul’s day called him a “pretentious babbler.” In polite company, we might call him a jackass.
Not the way to win friends for Christ, nor influence people. Not very resilient after his work establishing the last three churches. Today there are statues of the important philosophers of west and the east– Socrates and Confuscious.

Paul did make enough of impression to be invited to the Areopogus (that's in the Acts passage we read). 

It’s a pretty big rocky hill. Areopagus Greek word for “Mars Hill”- Mars was the Roman God of War. Aries-Mars, opagus-hill =Mars Hill. This was not just any place–it was a place where court was held and very serious decisions were made. Trials of the most dangerous criminals were held here–murders and enemies of the state.
Paul was on trial with his life, and to speak at the Areopagus was loaded with significance. You can see how close it is to the great temples of Athens on the Acropolis. What does Paul see and understand? You can see the Acropolis from everywhere! Even from the highest point in Athens, Lycabettus Hill, the Acropolis stands out with the Aegean Sea behind it. The Acropolis dominates the landscape, even today--their religion and spiritual life matters to them.

The entrance to the acropolis, which was never completed, is called the Propilia. It was majestic, so people entering would know they were coming to a Holy place.
Some scholars think Paul would not have entered this place. I don’t agree. Paul would have had to go to the places that meant so much to the Athenians to speak authentically with them about Jesus.

The Parthenon, of course had no scaffolding in Paul's day, and it was painted. It’s a temple to virgin Athena who is the patron Goddess of Athens. It stood for 900 years, and then next 900 years it was a cathedral to the Virgin Mary, then the Ottomans, made it a mosque for 200 years. The columns are missing on the west side. After it became a mosque with the Ottomans, they used it to store gunpowder. Then in a war with Venetians in the 1600’s, they lobbed a canon ball up there and the gun powder blew up. Parthenon has been a ruin since 1681. Let that be a lesson– if you value your Temple, building or sanctuary–don’t store gunpowder there!

The Erechtheion was a dual Temple to both Athena and Poseidon, God of the Sea. This is where they Planted a sacred Olive Tree–the sign of fertility and of Life. They also had salt water spring in honor of God Poseidon inside the temple. One can also see Athena Nike, the Goddess of victory. In Greek iconography, it would be woman with wings because Victory is fleeting, and it would go where the gods would have it go. But in this Temple, Nike had no wings because Athenians declared eternal victory in 400’s BC. 500 years later, Athens was a 2nd rate provincial city, so, beware what you claim to be eternal, (other than Jesus Christ our Lord!).

With all of these Temples looming above him and the weight of being on the Aeropagus Paul, with the power of Jesus Christ working through him, gave up his need to be right, arrogant, and cocky, and he met people right where they were, with what they believed. The Holy Spirit revived him because building the movement of Jesus' love and salvation was going to take resilience, and Paul was out of it. So, filled with the Spirit, Paul stopped looking at everything that was wrong with worshipping idols, and he found something positive in it. Paul starts out so differently, instead of berating them, he affirms them:

“Athenians, I can see how spiritual you are in every way! (not stupid idiots).
As I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, 'to an unknown God.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.
The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is the Lord of heaven and earth…he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. ..for indeed this God is not far from each one of us.
For in him ‘we live and move and have our being’ as even some of your own poets have said. For we too, are his offspring."

Just like at other sites of Paul’s ministry–his jail cell in Philippi, and the site of Baptism at Lydia’s river, I sat on the Aeropagus and wept at the enormity of Paul’s ministry. Was he flawed and arrogant? Yes, of course. Did he act like a big jerk, wanted to be right, argued people down, and was he sick of the idiots around him? Yes, sometimes– like all of us. 

But then the life of Jesus would just shine through him–sometimes because of him, sometimes in spite of him. Paul continued to have the resilience to keep going, even when he was fed up with the human race, and cranky because he encountered fools. The point is, Paul didn’t have to muster resilience himself –he asked the Lord for help––to help him see the good, to give him the words, to enable him to look for the positive, to show him the light, to help him give up being right.

The real impact of Paul was seen back down on the ground, near the Stoa and the Agora where Paul was called a pretentious babbler. We could see this Temple off to the side of the Agora when we were on top of the Acropolis. This is the Temple of Hephaestus – He was the god of fire, metalworking, and craftsmanship. The Roman equivalent  of Hephaestus was called Vulcan, the god of fire and volcanos. The word “volcano” actually comes from his name, Vulcan. This temple was built in the 400’s BCE and one reason it’s in so much better shape than other ruins, is that its location meant it was not a target in war. The other reason is it was used for Christian worship beginning in the 600’s and continued into the 1800’s. It’s one of the places of Christian worship that was never turned into a mosque during Ottoman rule. After Greek independence in 1830, it was preserved as an ancient monument.

The very place where Paul seemed to fail the worst, became the very location where Christian worship was central for 1200 years.!And there’s still a strong, beautiful Orthodox Greek church alive and well in Athens. It’s very fitting that the Temple of Haphaestis should be the place of an effective Christian witness after Paul’s initial cranky, arrogant failure there. Haphaestis was the divine blacksmith who created weapons, armor, and beautiful works for the gods. Despite his skill, myths describe him as physically disabled. Paul himself had a thorn in the flesh that he prayed God would take away, but God said that his grace was sufficient. And that’s true for all of us, whatever our limitations, our arrogance, our cranky, bad days or weeks– God can use us, Jesus can shine through us, the Holy Spirit can revive our resilience and give us a fresh way to see, a better way to think, talk, and act.

Our resilience for this new week comes not from trying harder, but like Paul, it comes from asking Jesus to work in us and through us– both because of us, and in spite of us, as we limp along beside Paul. So ask the Lord for the resilience and bounce-back-ability you need at this time, this week. There are people you haven’t talked with, met yet, or encountered in your daily activities that are going to need your particular shine, your light, your kindness, and maybe even, an invitation to an awesome church community!

Published: 18 October 2025

• Hope

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Published: 10 October 2025

During my 3-month Sabbatical this year, my husband Dan and I went to Greece to walk in the Footsteps of Paul. My first 4 Sermons upon my return, attempted to integrate personal challenges of today with this experience, rooted in Paul's mission to grow the early church. I showed a series of slides with each of the 4 sermons, and will share several with each posting.

 

In the Footsteps of Paul: Seeking Purpose in Philippi; Acts 16:6-12; Philippians 1:3-11

Today we are following in Paul's footsteps in Ancient Philippi as we seek purpose in our own lives. The question of purpose came up for me while visiting this first stop of the Pauline-related ruins that we saw.

Our Acts passage says Paul landed in “Samothrace” which is an island. Then he came to the mainland– the first place Paul landed in Europe–(then called "Macedonia" now northern Greece). Paul landed in Neopolis, now the city of Kavala. St. Nicholas Church is very close to the bay where he landed and there is a mural outside of both of Paul’s dream of the “man of Macedonia” in our reading for today, and also of Paul’s landing.

We had a personal, paid tour guide through the ruins at Philippi which made a huge difference for understanding what we were looking at. After viewing the theater, archway and other parts of the city, we came to the site that could have been where Paul and Silas were imprisoned. If not this exact place, it was something similar nearby. There was a sign on a gate that said, “Prison of St. Paul,” with a carved cave behind it. There would have been a structure would have been built up around it.

 

I stood here a good while wondering: If Paul didn’t do what he did, I wouldn’t be who I am. If Paul hadn’t become who Jesus chose him to be, where would I be? Who would I be? What would my purpose be?

My whole identity, sense of self, my purpose is shaped by the reality that Paul became who he was, and fulfilled his purpose, even in the face of suffering.

And for me, I don’t just mean being a pastor–I mean being a person of faith, having a relationship with Jesus, experiencing the love of God. All of this is completely central to my life, my being—whether I am serving in a pastoral role, or on sabbatical, or no matter what I’m doing.

 

We all need and want this spiritual purpose, this deeper meaning to our life, regardless of the activities, jobs or roles we give our time to, in whatever our stage in life. In our 20’s and 30’s, that might mean seeking a good career or relationship. In middle age, it might be wondering if what we have done is significant enough. In retirement, it might be asking, “What do I still have to give?” The details change, but the longing for spiritual meaning and larger purpose remain the same.

As we moved through ancient Philippi, we could see the significance of Paul’s purpose, and indeed, of our purpose, in sharing the love of Jesus Christ.

Paul was on the move.

He walked on the Via Egnatia–

The Roman Road that took him across the empire and took him to Philippi, Thessalonica and beyond.

We were literally in the footsteps of Paul–he actually walked on this road–these very stones!

The stones have not been replaced by newer ones like in most other places.

 

• Imagine stepping into the heart of ancient Philippi — the Roman Forum.
• Sunlight glints off marble. 
• To one side, a library once held shelves of scrolls
• merchants sold goods under shaded colonnades.
• You hear the sound of halls where business deals were struck and court cases argued
• You pass the stone platform — the bema — where officials addressed the crowds
• Statues of gods and emperors once stood proudly here, there's a partial figure of Fortuna, watching over the bustle.

In the stalls were shops the shops, where Paul spoke to shop keepers
Paul was tent-maker –it was not something for camping, but awnings to cover over shopping stalls. The Forum was the center of power, commerce, conversation, and religious debate. Here Paul fulfilled his purpose by building meaningful relationships so he could share Jesus’ love.

 

In the 4th-5th century, two basilicas were built on either side of the Forum: Basilica A–on the side of the Forum where Paul was imprisoned; Basilica B- on the side of the Forum where he was arrested for casting out the demon from the girl who was being used for divination.

 

Philippi not excavated until the 1860’s - a French archeologist decided to figure out what these pillars were that stuck out of the ground! Everything else was found 8’ underground.  A massive earthquake in the early 600s shattered much of Philippi. Along with invasions and changes in trading patterns, it became too hard to rebuild.

 

For history buffs, a couple of miles to the northwest lies the battlefield where Mark Antony & Octavian defeated Brutus & Cassius in 42 BCE. Mark Antony & Octavian traveled the Via Egnatia to get to them. Octavian became Ceasar Augustus.

 

 

One encounter in Philippi that changed the story of the gospel in Europe forever — happened when Paul met a woman named Lydia.
In our Acts reading, Paul receives a vision from a “man of Macedonia”, which leads him, not to a man, but to a woman!

There was no synagogue in Philippi, so on the Sabbath, Paul walked to the riverbank along the Zygas River, just northwest of the city wall, knowing there he would find Jewish worshippers.

Lydia wasn’t from Philippi — she was a businesswoman from Thyatira, known for trading in luxurious purple cloth. She was successful, respected, and spiritually curious.

When Paul spoke about Jesus, something in her heart came alive. Scripture says, “The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly.”

Lydia became the first person baptized in Europe! She shared the good news of Jesus with her whole household, and they all became Baptized!

Lydia’s faith and hospitality became the doorway for the gospel to take root in Europe.

Here is the worship for baptism in the river now, including, seating, and an icon of Lydia in the white structure.

Looking at icon, I was wondering the importance for Lydia to be chosen for such a significant purpose–to be the first convert on European soil.

Soon, I realized I began to see my own reflection superimposed over Lydia’s. You can see the white of my rain jacket on the right side of the icon.

As this realization came over me. I heard the words,

• “You are chosen.”
• And then, “Everyone is chosen.”
• And then, “Everyone is chosen right where they are for a divine purpose.”

I walked further up the river because I wanted to see more of what it looked like when Lydia and Paul were here.

I asked God what I needed to know to help grow St. Luke’s today. And I heard,

“Remember you are chosen, tell them each one is chosen.”
I asked, what to focus on. The answer was, “Love.” Not sentimentality, or "anything goes" love, but Agape Love.
Love that offers true grace, deep forgiveness with accountability,
Real community.
Love that hangs in for hard conversations, and works for trust worthy of the kingdom of God.
Union with Christ-love, who is in all and loves all.
Focus on LOVE.

I recalled later that love is very much a part of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, starting with the first chapter, which we just read:

And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that on the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Lydia immediately moved to share the good news of Jesus with her whole household–family, servants, workers in her business, slaves–everyone–a harvest of righteousness born of LOVE! Being chosen, and being people who share Jesus’ LOVE means it’s not something we keep to ourselves.

Philippi became a beloved, growing and joyful community because their founding member –Lydia–understood from the beginning that being chosen meant sharing Jesus’ love right where she was, right where God had already placed her.

Through Paul's ministry, Lydia's purpose expanded into an inclusive, joy-filled community rooted in Jesus' saving love!

There is a Baptistry or church of St. Lydia built by the river.

Paul says in his letter to the Philippians:

I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now.

Every inch inside the Baptistry is covered in painted scenes of Paul and Lydia all over the ceilings and walls.

So, let’s bring this closer to home. You’ve been placed by God in your family or chosen family, your friends, your neighborhood, your workplace or daily activities, and this church on purpose.

Who will miss the encouragement they need, or experience the kindness they’re desperate for, or learn about the hope of Jesus… if you do not live out your purpose right where you are today?

You are not an accident of geography or circumstance — you are chosen to be here, now, for reasons God already knows, and has a purpose behind.

• What love does Jesus call you to share?
• What hope, what encouragement, does God ask you to speak?
• What friendship, what prayer does Jesus need you to offer to someone right where you are?

Make no mistake, the God who created you and the Jesus who loves you enough to die on the cross, has a purpose for you where you are right now, just like Paul in Philippi, just like Lydia on the riverbank, in her household, and as a leader in the Philippian church–just like me standing at St. Luke's telling you what message I received that day.

There is a role only you can fill — right here, right now. Lydia’s story tells us:

God chooses people at just the right time and place for just the right reason.

Imagine what happens when our entire church family sees themselves this way. What if each of us woke up tomorrow knowing that we are chosen —
chosen to serve, chosen to speak life, chosen to carry Jesus’ love and presence into the ordinary places we go? That’s how purpose gets lived out. That’s how love spreads. That’s how communities are transformed.

Philippi had its Forum, — Lydia had her household—we have our own circles of influence.

Just like Paul and Lydia, God calls us to be faithful right where we are, trusting God to multiply what’s been planted in us for spreading more LOVE and JOY n this world, which is desperate for good news.

You do have a purpose, no matter your age or stage or what your day entails.

Share the grace and light of Jesus Christ who has claimed you as his own and loves you completely.

You are chosen, you are placed, and you are here on purpose —So go and live it, right here, right now, right where God has planted you.