Equipped To Live

“Who do you say that I am?”  Jesus

Imagine today being asked this question by Jesus himself. What would your reply be?

“You are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”  Jesus

Could this same statement be said to you? How does that sit with you?

“If you want to become my follower, deny yourself and take up the cross.” Jesus

Have you been denying yourself? How so?

“What will it profit you to gain the whole world and forfeit your life?” Jesus

How much are you forfeiting in order to gain what is deemed important in our earthly culture?

These questions and our response to them are life defining questions. They are not easily answered. They are not to be taken lightly. As a matter of fact, any quick knee jerk response is insufficient for the gift that they offer to us. 

Jesus articulates that he is our everything – he is our Messiah – he is the Son that will undergo great suffering – he is the one to be killed – he is the one who will RISE – and it will be all for US! This is divine! Our human constructs could never even begin to attempt this kind of redemption for the world – only Jesus would – only Jesus.

And so knowing the gift that is poured out for the sake of the world, we are not to get in the way – but rather only on the way of the Jesus life. That is why these questions are presented to us. Jesus desires for us to grow into this life of discipleship. He knows, like Peter, we can’t just instantly get it – believe it – live it. We are however divinely invited to immerse ourselves into it. The ‘it’ is the faith life of a disciple of the living Christ. The ‘it’ is the struggle, the wrestling, the questioning, that comes when we follow to where it is that Jesus is leading us. 

That is exactly why we as Our Savior’s create and offer the opportunities for faith formation. Every week through a myriad of opportunities, we gather as faith community, to listen, to read, to reflect, to ask, to speak, to experience – all for the purpose of more fully living into the gift of real life that Jesus invites us into. Every kid and every adult, through the work of faithful parents, peers, mentors, and rabbis’, hear God’s story for them. 

God’s story shapes and grounds us. God’s story invites us into the questions. God’s story equips us to live – truly live! May we all fully immerse ourselves into God’s life shaping ministry.