If you had to describe your walk in Jesus and you had to use one of two words, believer or disciple, which one would you choose? We often refer to ourselves as believers, those who accept and acknowledge certain truths to be evident. We believe that Jesus was both the Son of God and God in the flesh. We believe that he was born of a virgin and laid in the manger. We believe that according to the Law he lived a perfect life and then offered that perfect life as the price for my soul. He died on the cross for us and on the third day rose again from the dead. He then appeared to the disciples and ultimately ascended back into heaven. Someday he will return just as he left.
Is that it? Does that describe my life, my walk in Christ? Real faith isn’t just a mental condition. I could say that I really believe a terrible hurricane is about to slam into my house. But if I say all this while calmly watching my favorite movie on DVD while munching some popcorn in the living room of this house that I believe is about to be slammed into, you might question the depth of my belief (and you should). Real faith has real consequences in our lives. When folks came to John the Baptist and wanted this baptism for repentance John warned them to bring fruits in keeping with their claim. In other words prove it by how you live. James challenges us to not just tell people we believe but show it to them by how we live.
A disciple is someone who takes the next step and lives what it is they say they believe. A disciple didn’t just listen to a teacher and say, “Well that sounds mighty fine.” A disciple got up and followed that teacher, to learn more and to live like him. That will be the point of the new sermon series for 2020, “Why Jesus’ Teaching Matters”. We need to not just hear what Jesus had to say, but we need to be willing to be changed by it, to believe enough that we follow.
So join us in the New Year for the challenge and encouragement to follow Christ into the New Year.
Don
Is that it? Does that describe my life, my walk in Christ? Real faith isn’t just a mental condition. I could say that I really believe a terrible hurricane is about to slam into my house. But if I say all this while calmly watching my favorite movie on DVD while munching some popcorn in the living room of this house that I believe is about to be slammed into, you might question the depth of my belief (and you should). Real faith has real consequences in our lives. When folks came to John the Baptist and wanted this baptism for repentance John warned them to bring fruits in keeping with their claim. In other words prove it by how you live. James challenges us to not just tell people we believe but show it to them by how we live.
A disciple is someone who takes the next step and lives what it is they say they believe. A disciple didn’t just listen to a teacher and say, “Well that sounds mighty fine.” A disciple got up and followed that teacher, to learn more and to live like him. That will be the point of the new sermon series for 2020, “Why Jesus’ Teaching Matters”. We need to not just hear what Jesus had to say, but we need to be willing to be changed by it, to believe enough that we follow.
So join us in the New Year for the challenge and encouragement to follow Christ into the New Year.
Don
RSS Feed
