When Jesus lived on earth, when he walked with his disciples and taught them, there came a day when he told them of his forthcoming death and resurrection. It is written of that conversation that his disciples "did not understand what he said and were afraid to ask him what he meant."

Then, half a century after he was crucified and risen, his Apostle, Paul, went into the city of Athens telling about him. The philosophers at the Mars Hill Academy called Paul into their council and said to him: "Tell us, what is this new teaching, and what do these things mean?"

Now here we are together (in this place) nearly 2,000 years later. The teaching is not new anymore, but the meaning is - for the meaning of Christ is always new for each human person who finds it.

Worshipers are seekers, searchers. In worship here today, may we, like those Athenian philosophers, be seekers of the meaning. And, unlike those fearful disciples, may we be unafraid of the meaning we seek.