Is it a paradox?

So what is a paradox anyway? Well, this is one of the reasons God helped us invent dictionaries. I’m grateful to all those people who then put the dictionaries online.

 (păr′ə-dŏks′)n. 1. A statement that seems to contradict itself but may nonetheless be true: the paradox that standing is more tiring than walking.

2. A person, thing, or situation that exhibits inexplicable or contradictory aspects: “The silence of midnight, to speak truly, though apparently a paradox, rung in my ears” (Mary Shelley).

3. A statement that is self-contradictory or logically untenable, though based on a valid deduction from acceptable premises.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. S.v. “paradox.” Retrieved February 28 2021 from https://www.thefreedictionary.com/paradox

There you have it in a nutshell, although it is a pretty big nut. We run into paradoxes all the time, or so it seems. Our texts this week give at least the appearance of a paradox or two so I thought I’d talk about them.

On its face the statement that we need to “lose our life to save it” is nonsensical, perhaps even paradoxical if you will. But is it really? Give the sermon a listen and let me know if I convinced you it isn’t.

“Is it a paradox?” Knox and St. Mark’s Presbyterian joint service (to download, right click and select “Save Link As . . .”)

Blessings,