true Freedom

Dr. Phil Thorne, Senior Pastor at West Shore Evangelical Free Church delivers his New Year’s Day sermon, “This is Eternal Life!” on John 17:3. The sermon is the first of a four week series.

From John 17

 ¹ After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
   “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. ² For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³ Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. ⁴ I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began. 

²⁴ “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

   ²⁵ “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. ²⁶ I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”  

As part of the service, my family took communion. It was powerful to watch my grandma get pushed up in a wheelchair by my grandpa, knowing that she’s listening to a sermon on eternal life while slowly succumbing to her ALS. I woke up to her clearing her throat this morning. She was walking on her own a month ago. Nobody’s really sure or able to process exactly what’s happening, only to react to it. We’re looking into second opinions, adaptive living solutions… 

It isn’t easier photographing your own family than it is someone else’s. It may be more difficult even, because it causes you to become painfully aware of your own story and your own flaws. I find myself “plotting my escape,” by thinking about how and what I will do differently when my time comes to face down the demons of everyday life. We all have them.

We saw War Horse together, after church, but my dad had to prepare for his class. The movie was pretty good, a little overdone at times, but I found it redemptive. “Some days are big ones and some are small ones…” You never know what’s big and what’s small. That’s why I carry my camera just about everywhere now, even the movie theater where I was told I’d have the police called on me if I turned it on.