I was recently asked a really tough question in a lengthy conversation I was having with another person. As he was challenging me to consider what and how I communicate in my role in the congregation, he asked me this question. "What is at stake here?" I will admit that, for a few moments, I had to think through the question in silence.
We are God's people when we have been washed in the blood of Jesus. Our life now takes on a very deep meaning, as we become the rescued of God, the children of God, and the ones who receive the promises of God. For us, that interaction with God had nothing less than our eternal souls at stake. God would not spare even His own Son because our souls were at stake. And then, to give us what His Son earned and purchased for us, God makes us of simple, everyday things to give that great gift to us.
As God's people, it seems that we sometimes lose sight of this. It becomes easy to get tangled up in the things that don't really matter. We make arguments about styles of worship, about who should teach our studies, about who gets the pastor's attention, and other things like this. Yes, these are all important, and have their time and place for discussion.
Yet, this question is one that really should get asked, even in the midst of these conversations. "What is at stake here?" Is a form of music really the thing that is most at stake? Are God's people going to lose their faith if a different style of music is introduced? If someone other than the pastor leads a bible study, will that make the study "less" because it is led by a layman, and not a trained pastor?
Ultimately, this also comes to impact our whole life together in Christ Jesus. What is at stake here when we come together? Well, we come together to be reminded of God's price to make us His own, and of His continued work to purchase and redeem souls of those who do not yet know Him. We come together to be strengthened by each other, to build each other up, reminding each other that we belong to God through Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead.
That also impacts our daily lives within our communities. What is at stake when you talk to your neighbor? What is at stake when you are buying groceries at the store? Only their eternal soul, one that God valued enough to send His Son to redeem and purchase, and whom God valued enough to send you, His child, into their lives to let them know that.
What is at stake here? Their souls. Maybe that's a reminder that we need in our lives quite often. I know I need it in mine for sure!
We are God's people when we have been washed in the blood of Jesus. Our life now takes on a very deep meaning, as we become the rescued of God, the children of God, and the ones who receive the promises of God. For us, that interaction with God had nothing less than our eternal souls at stake. God would not spare even His own Son because our souls were at stake. And then, to give us what His Son earned and purchased for us, God makes us of simple, everyday things to give that great gift to us.
As God's people, it seems that we sometimes lose sight of this. It becomes easy to get tangled up in the things that don't really matter. We make arguments about styles of worship, about who should teach our studies, about who gets the pastor's attention, and other things like this. Yes, these are all important, and have their time and place for discussion.
Yet, this question is one that really should get asked, even in the midst of these conversations. "What is at stake here?" Is a form of music really the thing that is most at stake? Are God's people going to lose their faith if a different style of music is introduced? If someone other than the pastor leads a bible study, will that make the study "less" because it is led by a layman, and not a trained pastor?
Ultimately, this also comes to impact our whole life together in Christ Jesus. What is at stake here when we come together? Well, we come together to be reminded of God's price to make us His own, and of His continued work to purchase and redeem souls of those who do not yet know Him. We come together to be strengthened by each other, to build each other up, reminding each other that we belong to God through Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead.
That also impacts our daily lives within our communities. What is at stake when you talk to your neighbor? What is at stake when you are buying groceries at the store? Only their eternal soul, one that God valued enough to send His Son to redeem and purchase, and whom God valued enough to send you, His child, into their lives to let them know that.
What is at stake here? Their souls. Maybe that's a reminder that we need in our lives quite often. I know I need it in mine for sure!
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