Close, not Distant

Jesus was so focused on his mission that he wasn’t ever stopped by human opinion or offense. Jesus wasn’t easily offendable because he knew who he was and what he came to do. He knew he was the Son of God, and he came to give us eternal life. If you stand firm in your identity and keep your eyes focused on your mission, you will not be moved. In order to get to this place, we must know the truth so deeply that lies are completely ludicrous when we hear them. If we know that we are chosen, we will scoff at anyone who tries to tell us otherwise. If we know that we are loved, we will pay no mind to someone who tries to convince us we are not. If we stay focused on the mission, we will ignore anything that tries to derail us. Followers of Jesus are marked by their focus on Jesus. If we focus on the light, everything outside of Jesus will grow dark. The enemy will try to derail us from the mission of loving people one at a time and making disciples by distracting us with human opinions and filling us with doubt about who Jesus says we are. If we can distrust our identity, we will drop the mission. If we drop the mission, we will cease to bear fruit.  But God gave us everything we need in order to accomplish his mission on earth. He gave us Jesus who made us new. He gave us a new identity. He calls us his sons and daughters. Jesus calls us his friends. God then gives us everything we need to accomplish his mission of growing his Kingdom. If we can remind ourselves of who God says we are, what he has given us to do, and how his power can equip us, we will be unshakeable. Reflection/Discussion Questions: If you find yourself easily offended, what are you struggling to believe God says about you? If not, what has God done in your life to give you freedom from what people think or say?

All throughout the Bible we see a rhythm of unity language repeated to emphasize the oneness we have as believers. We are described as the Body of Christ. Christ is the head, but we all represent different parts of the body. While each part of a body has a different function, each part is important to the health of the entire body. If one part of the body suffers, the entire body suffers as a result. The body is healthiest when each part is doing its job. If Christ is the head of the body, we know that the head of the body is the control-center. Our heads house our brains, which control every part of the body. The body cannot function without a brain and we cannot function as a united body without Christ as our head. Believers are also described as the Bride of Christ in Scripture. This gives us a picture of the kind of committed and intimate relationship we all get to enjoy with Christ. As his bride, he is committing himself to love us. He is calling us his. Rather than seeing ourselves as servants to a master—as we often do with Jesus—we get to see ourselves as his treasure. We get to enjoy a relationship of love and commitment. Jesus knows us fully and loves us completely. United together, we are his beloved bride. As believers we are also described as a family. This is a different picture than the two before it, but it may feel more relatable. A family is chaotic and committed to one another. While a family is often blood-related, the members are different from one another. Each member of a family has a role, but the family is no less united. Healthy families are always growing and inviting others to the table. Unlike friends that can come and go, a family will have each others’ backs forever. As believers, we aren’t just distant strangers, but a forever family. Reflection/Discussion Questions: Which image of unity do you relate to the most? Why?

I started helping an organization by volunteering to help with there quarterly camp out as this is my second quarter to assist. It is a group that focuses on veterans and suicide prevention and I believe I have grown to enjoy laboring with my co volunteers we are a small group but are striving to leave a large impact