The Magi - Rock Springs UMC

Series: Imperfect Faith Scripture: Matthew 2:1-18 The U.S. culture glorifies perfection. Whether we're talking about bodies, performances, records (sports, legal and social media), or even fruits and vegetables at the supermarket, flawlessness is demanded. Imperfection prompts mockery, ridicule, rejection and cancellation. The church in the U.S. has not escaped the perfectionist trap. It has too often turned Christian faith into a legalistic, fear-based pursuit of flawless performance. Jesus and the Bible invite us into a very different way of thinking and acting. Flaws and imperfection are not a cause for fear and shame, but a reason to celebrate: God said to Paul, "My grace is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9) Many of the most faithful people in the Bible were deeply flawed. In this series we'll look at a few of those men and women. My hope is that they will help us to show more grace to ourselves and others as we live with our own imperfections, and encourage us to act in faith even though we can't do it perfectly. This message was originally preached at Rock Springs United Methodist Church on 1/7/24. It is substantially similar to "The Magi - Chester UMC" and "The Magi - New Beginnings UMC."