SERMON SHORT FOR OCTOBER 25th, 2020
A CELEBRATION OF DISCIPLINE – SIMPLICITY
Matthew 6:19-34, Ecclesiastes 4:4-8
This week’s topic is the discipline of simplicity
. “Simplicity is openness, unselfconsciousness, naturalness. It is the opposite of subtlety, cunning, duplicity. Where simplicity abounds, words can be taken at face value: there is no hidden agenda.” (Foster) And yet, simplicity is not synonymous with “simple.” Indeed, simplicity may be very difficult for most of us. But it may also be the most liberating. “Simplicity frees us from the tyranny of the self, the tyranny of things, and the tyranny of people.” (Foster)
I have to be honest; this chapter of Foster’s book was the most challenging to me. It challenged many assumptions of my life and illumined many hypocrisies that have formed my lifestyle. I have read this book many times and this chapter always disturbs me.
Foster is right, and it bothers me.