JR. Forasteros - April 28, 2013
Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual gifts can be a confusing, intimidating subject, but the basic truth is straightforward: if you are a follower of Jesus, then you have been given certain talents, passions and abilities that our Church needs to accomplish what God is calling us to. The Church needs you to be who God has created you to be. You're an indispensable part of what God is doing here in Beavercreek! And the best way to figure out your gifts is to jump in and serve.
From Series: "Already/Not Yet"
Jesus' resurrection wasn't the end of the story; it was the beginning of God's new creation. The Resurrection is God's first step toward reclaiming creation, and we get to be a part of it. By choosing to follow Jesus, we leave the old reality dominated by sin and death and step into God's kingdom, where we find life. This new life has already begun. And yet we're also still waiting, because God's kingdom has not yet come in full. How do we live in the tension between the Already and the Not Yet? This series explores who God calls the Church to be, and how the Holy Spirit enables us to join in God's mission in the space between the Resurrection and the Second Coming. We're not just waiting around for God to show up. God is already here and working, so we're joining in!
More Messages From JR. Forasteros...
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When I was 17, I stole my own car.
I drove this hilariously awesome 81 Chevy Carpis Classic. Two tone brown. Bench seats in the front and back. It was a beast. Only had about 300 miles on it when I got it because my Mom bought it from a little old lady who had bought it new and only drove it to the grocery store.
I was a junior in high school, and I had gotten grounded for some reason. I don’t remember why now, but I’m 100% sure it was legitimate. The grounding was that I was not allowed to drive my car. Which meant I had to ride the bus to school.
17-year-old me did not find this acceptable. So I waited for my mom to leave for work, and I took my car out anyway. My mom didn’t find out until she got home from work that night and my car was gone.
She was understandably mad.
I say understandably because it’s pretty obvious that I was in the wrong here. My Mom bought me the car. I still lived in her house. And I broke her rules (to do whatever I had done to get grounded).
But you probably won’t be surprised to learn that I didn’t see it that way.
I was enraged. All that grew from a sense of entitlement – it didn’t matter where the car had come from; it was MINE. I deserved it. Why? Irrelevant. I DESERVED it, and I raged when my mom took it away from me as a punishment.
We’re going to talk about entitlement and privilege. We’re going to talk about how often we take God’s good gifts for granted and why that’s the path toward spiritual death.
