Follow On

You have been asked the question, “Are you a fan, or are you a follower?” Hopefully you have taken the time to consider your answer carefully. Denying yourself and picking up your cross daily is not for the faint of heart. And yet, if I am to do this, I must die and therefore my heart would stop. Maybe Paul said it better when he wrote, “I am crucified with Christ. It is not I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”

But in our humanness, we fight and struggle to stay alive. We have this innate ability to sense when something dangerous enough to end our life is near and either resist it or run away. So, looking at the cross with our eyes open to the inevitable ending of death, we size the situation up and ask, “Can I survive this?” The short answer is, NO. You are not supposed to survive it. You are to die to self and live in Christ. As you were lowered into the watery grave of baptism, your old self died. Coming up out of that grave, you are a new person; a new creation. Created for good works that the Father has already planned for you to do. That’s the beginning of the journey. That’s the daily path we follow.

I look forward to celebrating the Lord’s resurrection with you on March 31. We’ll start a new sermon series that day called “Raised to Walk”.

Not A Fan

Are you a follower of Jesus? Don't answer too quickly. In fact, you may want to wait until the end of the new 6 week spiritual growth series Not a Fan before you answer at all. Consider it a 'Define the Relationship' conversation to determine exactly where you stand. You may indeed be a passionate, fully devoted follower of Jesus. Or, you may be just a fan who admires Jesus but isn't ready to let him cramp your style. In any case, don't take the question “Are you a follower of Jesus?” lightly. Some aren’t clear as to what they said yes to. But Jesus is ready to clearly define the relationship he wants with his followers. Not a Fan calls you to consider the demands and rewards of being a true disciple. Together we will explore how to live the way Jesus lived, love the way he loved, pray the way he prayed, and never give up living for the One who gave his all for you. We will do this in large group settings (Sunday AM church), small group settings (sign up soon for a small group), and individual readings Not a Fan starts February 10.

Doubt Your Faith

Doubt is good... I think. When we doubt our faith we have an opportunity to scrutinize what we believe. Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Faith is not this ambiguous fog that we exist in as believers. Doubting our faith, when handled correctly, leads us to scripture because it has everything we need for life and godliness. Conflicts in our belief stem not from failure to know but reluctance to process. Thinking through what you believe is not as risky as being blissfully ignorant of what the Bible says you should do in any given situation or how transformation of your minds by the Holy Spirit will effect you in everyday life. Doubt is good as long as it is addressed rather than embraced like a pet rat in the attic. No matter how much you love and care for that rat, it’s still a rodent that will destroy everything you own. It is not a sin to doubt but doubt should always drive us to find answers in God’s Word.

We are Family

We are family. It may be trite and misunderstood, but we have an obvious bond that cannot be broken with trial or error. Christ binds us in his love and care. The Holy Spirit lives in each of us and blends us together so that there is no distinction between one Christian and the next. We are one in Christ. In the words of Juan Carlos Ortiz, we are like “mashed potatoes” because of the Spirit of Christ.

Because we are family we are accountable to each other. This accountability is often misused and sometimes abused. As I understand it, we are to advocate for one another on all occasions. Towing the line in the Christian walk is a difficult task. When we support one another through trials we show the love of Christ. When we seek to restore someone who is in error we show the compassion of a family.

This kind of advocacy makes us accountable for one another rather than to one another. This grace-based advocacy provides trusted allies in struggles rather than dreadful accusers. Remember that each one of us is a sinner-saint and therefore have received immeasurable amounts of grace from The Judge.

As you gather this week with your family to give thanks, take time to be thankful for your family in Christ.

This Generation

Is church relevant for this generation? The picture of the early church, as presented in Acts 2:42-47, is one of perfection. Everything worked well; according to plan. But that was 2 millennia ago. What was working then, may not work now. What was true for them in Scripture DOES remain true for now.

Teenagers, young adults, and young families desire to be a part of something significant. They want to make a difference in the world. It is sometimes difficult to convince them that they are called to be a part of the church because sometimes the church doesn’t seem to matter. If they can catch the vision and have a role in the church they can be empowered to bring about change in the world around them that honors God!

So, why does church really matter? The church is God's vehicle for spreading the message of Jesus to the world. The church matters because it's what everyone needs, in every generation. 

Here are some questions to ask yourself and the students, young adults, and young families in your life:

·         Why do you go to church? Do you think your friends understand your motivation for going to church?

·         What do you think are some of the reasons other people go to church? Do you think those are compelling reasons?

·         What are some of the most effective, meaningful ways the church can spread the message of Jesus to this generation?

·         How you can I pray for you?

Pray for this generation to BE the Church wherever they go.