Made Alive in Jesus (Some after thoughts)

For those of you who are reading this blog for the first time or for that matter the second time, I apologize for it is a work in progress. My hope is to share thoughts on the messages that I deliver at Crossroads, add sermons that I have preached, and also reflections on what it means to be on this journey called "life" not by ourselves but in "life together". My wife hopes to make her contribution to the blog as well.

After Sunday, I found myself wrestling with this awesome truth "to be made alive together in Jesus." Col.2:13. To be made alive together assumes we were dead to begin with. To be made alive together assumes that our Christianity is bigger than just ourselves. It has to be for if it is not we are left with another human religion. Why does Paul use the word that expresses togetherness. I believe it is to express the truth that we first need Christ, but we also need one another, yet in our busy lives we can so often forget this truth. Loving God and loving others, so a life of faith consists of both being in community and in solitude. (This is a paraphrase from Bonhoeffer's book, Life Together).

I would encourage you to ask yourself, What does it mean to be alive together in Jesus? What does it mean he has forgiven us all our trespasses? Do we really believe that Jesus has cancelled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands, that he has obliterated our debt of sins? Its not an easy truth to believe to really get your mind around it. So as I wrestle with these questions I invite you to wrestle with these as well. Will you?

As I prepared this message I found myself in awe of God's incredible power through the Cross of Jesus and found myself crying over how deep Jesus' love goes. I also wondered how many people carry a heavy load of guilt with them. How many people need to be set free from the guilt yet choose to hold on to it?

Again after the message, I thought I should clarify some things I said. I mentioned how are faith has been reduced to an individual relationship and we have forgotten about the corporate identity we have in Jesus. To be identified with the people of God through Jesus. I am not suggesting that our relationship with Jesus is only communal but it is both individual and communal. Unfortunately we have leaned on the side of what can Jesus do for me rather than what can Jesus do for others through me.

Just some thoughts do with them as you will I won't be offended.