5th. Sunday in Lent : Who Are You Connected To?

This week's sermon and theme focus on our reading from Philippians 3:4-14.
 Here Paul explains to the Jews that, although he is fully 'qualified' to belong to their cultural and religious family, he considers his identity first to be in Christ. Paul insists that he may be recognised as 'belonging' in other ways, but his priority is to 'press on towards' fully joining Jesus in His life.
 
 Where do you feel like you belong, and why? Is it at your local club, where you have an embroidered t-shirt in the correct colours, and a badge with your name on it? Is it in your own home, where only a few trusted and loved people have a key to enter? How do you feel about your place in your family- do you have a sense of belonging there? 
 
 God knows that in all of those places, we at times still feel unacknowledged, unseen, and unloved. But the Holy Spirit calls us into God's heart- where we have been granted permanent belonging through baptism. Like Paul, we are called to strive towards the goal of drawing ever closer to God's heart. May we be like Paul this week- secure in the knowledge we belong with God, and encouraging others to join us in His love.

The sermon was presented by Vicar David Seligmann at Good Shepherd Toowoomba Qld.