Advent is the season in which we prepare to welcome Jesus into the world. It’s a season of hope – the light has not come, but it is coming into the world. It’s the time of day just before the sun peeks over the horizon. As we anticipate Jesus’ birth, we come to realize that God’s story didn’t end at Christmas – it was only beginning. And the story is still being told today – a story of love, hope and promise.
What does it mean to say that God is still telling the great story of love through us?
JR. Forasteros - August 11, 2013
Jesus' Dress Code
As followers of Jesus, we struggle to balance the radical hospitality of Jesus' new life with the call to be holy that invitation implies. Everyone is welcome, and everyone must become like Jesus. In Matthew 22, Jesus compares God's kingdom to a great wedding that has an open guest list - everyone is invited! But if you come to the party God's throwing, you must be willing to be transformed, to "wear the right outfit". Jesus' kingdom is both radically welcoming and radically challenging. And that's good, because we need both!
From Series: "Priceless Kingdom"
How easily do we reduce Jesus' new life to 'spirituality'? We think of God's Kingdom as one area of our lives - what we do on Sundays, or with a small group, or when we're engaging in religious activities. But Jesus tells us stories that invite us to imagine a Kingdom so big it encompasses our whole lives. A new life that can't be measured, can't be quantified because it's too big, too excellent. This kingdom is worth everything we have and more. It demands everything from us and when we give it all, we wish we could give more. This new life Jesus offers is priceless!
