What Does Jesus Want?

body-of-christLiving in the Spirit
September 3, 2016

Scripture Reading: Luke 14:25-33

Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, ‘Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, “This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.” –Luke 14:25-30

What is the most important thing in the world to me? The love of God including my relationship with God is high on my list, most of the time. I like to think it is on the top of my list, but I still have a list. Our scripture today does not seem to allow for a list. What is Jesus asking of his followers?

Serving as a member of the Body of Christ is not for the faint-hearted. It demands more than we sometimes think we have. It defines and shapes every aspect of our lives, how we relate to our families, the roles we play in communities, our work choices and practices, how we invest our resources, and on and on. God is not an appointment on our calendars:

Sunday morning at 11:00 am  Check_mark_23x20_02_svg

God is our very source of life and love, too powerful even to describe. God combined with each of us individually, and all of us collectively, who choose to follow in Christ’s footsteps, engages in creating a just, peaceful, and loving world every moment of every day. God through Jesus Christ invites all to be a part of that vision but wants us to recognize from the beginning that it is an invitation to a changed life.

Prayer: Lord, I believe in your vision; help me find my role in making it a reality, teach me new skills where I might need them, give me courage when it is lacking, strengthen my weak knees*, and guard my tongue**.

*See Hebrews 12:12
**See Psalm 141:3

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.