Journey to The Journey

Unfortunately, in our technological age, for many genuine Christian community is not a priority in their lives. Our culture is becoming less personal. Research indicates that today's youth would prefer social media over socializing. This trend is having a widespread impact and the Church is not immune to it.

At the core of this idea of "considering" Jesus or "imitating" him is the notion that we begin by looking to him. My friends and I were students of our favorite athletes. We watched them play and attempted to copy their techniques. If a player had a unique stance in the batter's box, we tried to copy it. With the introduction of the adjustable height basket hoops, every kid could attempt to recreate the most poster-worthy dunks. In the same way, we should begin by reflecting on Jesus. Just as an actor may spend time observing a police officer for a role in a crime drama, we can learn a great deal about Jesus by simply studying him. This means we look to the scriptures.

You will always find me cheerleading for Bible literacy. I can't overemphasize the importance for each and every believer to be not just a reader of scripture, but a genuine student who approaches the scriptures with a desire to learn and understand. When we avoid or ignore the areas of scripture that challenge us, then we leave ourselves susceptible to being "tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine," as Paul warned the Ephesians. Whenever I read and study Hebrews, I can't help but get the feeling that the author shared my passion.

Who among us can't relate to feeling that way? It is in the midst of our own sufferings that we most need to be reminded that we are united through faith to the Suffering Servant. Jesus, "in whom the whole fullness of [God] dwells bodily" (Colossians 2:9), was unlimited in his power. We want to experience that kind of power in our own lives. For most of us, we use whatever little "power" we might have to make ourselves safe and comfortable. And yet, in Philippians 3:10, the Apostle Paul writes of his desire to "know [Jesus] and the power of his resurrection, and [to] share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death..." In other words, Paul sees Christ's power as inseparable from his suffering (and rightly so if we are to believe Jesus' own words in Luke 9:23). If we desire to know the power of Jesus, then we must also "become like him in his death" through suffering. Is that the Jesus you long to know?

If only we could think like God. Imagine if every one of your thoughts was holy, every motive pure, and every idea good. If you could think like that then your thoughts would only result in a perfectly holy life as well. In other words, you wouldn’t sin if you thought like God. If we want to be righteous like Him then we must be willing to change how we think.

Being a Christian can, in many ways, feel as if you live in two drastically different realities. When we read in scripture, we are confronted with all of these powerful exhortations and beautiful truths of who we now are in Christ...loved, redeemed, adopted, guarded, holy, chosen, reconciled, blessed, etc. But then we close our Bibles, leave the comfort of our favorite reading chair, and step out into the "real world" where we are smacked in the face with the reality of living in a fallen broken world. And let's be honest here...we aren't just victims of this second reality. We are, at times, maybe even often, willing participants in, and active contributors to, the mess.