the big picture: a simple presentation of the christian message

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The Picture BIG A simple presentation of the Christian message

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This book is an approach to Christianity. It is a perspective that attempts to present the whole of our faith in a simple way. For some, this book will serve as an orientation; for others it will be a refresher. My proposition is simple. In order to grow deeper in the Christian faith we must first see the big picture. We will only see those things we think are important so long as we focus merely on particulars. Once we see the whole, we will begin to see what God thinks is important, and a new world of understanding will open up for us.

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Page 1: The Big Picture: A Simple Presentation of the Christian Message

The

PictureBIG

A simple presentation of the Christian message

Page 2: The Big Picture: A Simple Presentation of the Christian Message

THE BIG PICTURE

This book is an approach to Christianity. It is a perspective that attempts to present the whole of our faith in a simple way. For some, this book will serve as an orientation; for others it will be a refresher. My proposition is simple. In order to grow deeper in the Christian faith we must first see the big picture. We will only see those things we think are important so long as we focus merely on particulars. Once we see the whole, we will begin to see what God thinks is important, and a new world of understanding will open up for us.

Some time ago a young man started attending the church were I was preaching. He was new to Chris-tianity and sat with an intense, curious attention. After a few weeks he met with me in my office and complained, “I can only understand about half of what you say. The other half doesn’t make any sense to me at all.” I suggested we meet regularly for a little while so that I could offer an overview of the Christian faith and answer any questions he might have. After four weeks, he met me in the lobby with a sparkle in his eye, “Now I can understand everything you are saying!” All I did was give a simple over-view of our faith but this provided him a filing system by which he could retain what he was hearing. Once that filing system was in place every truth he absorbed had a place to reside.

This book provides a view of the big picture of the Christian faith in the following way:

The Love of GodThe Human Dilemma

Jesus ChristFree Will

The Holy SpiritThe Church

The Return of Christ

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The Loveof

God

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How did that feel? At first, it may seem hard to believe that the human race is at the center of God’s heart given the vastness of the universe. It can seem backward, unscientific, even medieval to think that human beings play such an important role in everything that has been created. After all, haven’t we learned that the earth is not at the center of the universe?

Yet there is another way of thinking about this. When children are very young, their world is kept relatively small. The home in which they live, the backyard in which they play, and the nursery school they attend are the extent of their worldly knowledge. They know the world of adults is much larger and that Mommy or Daddy have to go off to a place called “work,” yet the mind of a child is not developed enough to know what the larger world entails. Until they grow to maturity, they are kept in very small confines because they are so precious and dearly loved.

Perhaps this is the way it is for us. The message of the Bible is not only that we are dearly loved as the children of God, but that we are growing up into a role God has planned for us. While we may not be able to understand everything that role will entail, the choices we make here and the way we learn to love each other are formative for an eternal life we will share with the God who made us.

GOD LOVES EVERY HUMAN BEING

God knows me • God loves me • I belong to God

The very idea is transforming. There is a God who knows each one of us personally and loves us more than we could ever know. This message, given to us by Jesus Christ, is the foundation of all we believe and practice. Believing this changes us at the very core. To illustrate, take a moment and speak these words out loud: (really, speak them out loud.)

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God’s Favorite Place

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PEOPLE ARE BEAUTIFULPeople are beautiful. Each of us is a unique creation, bearing the image of the God who made us. We are called the children of God not only because we are so deeply loved, but because we were made to be like God and participate in God’s work. God unleashed amazing innovation in producing life forms of astounding beauty and variety when he first created earth. God used himself as a model when humans were created.

God’s own nature is written into our soul. We have the capacity to think the way that God thinks, act the way that God acts, and love the way that God loves. As God has a free will, so do we. As God works to make things of beauty, so can we. As we grow into deeper spiritual maturity our character will become more like the God who made us.

It’s hard to know what God’s motive was in the creation of the human race, and even harder to know what God’s plans are for our future. Yet one possibility may go something like this: I was once visiting a family business that had been passed down through many generations. The father of the family had retired and had given the management over to his sons and daughters, all of whom had a position in the business based on their skill. The father did nothing but consult with his children on occasion. Each day, he would come into the office, sit at his desk, lean back in his chair with folded hands, and take delight in watching his children manage what he had spent his life building.

God delights in people. As God’s children, each of us bears a resemblance to our Creator, who loves watching us learn and grow. God enjoys giving us gifts and delights in watching us use them to build upon what already has been created. We can be sure that our future is going to be something amazing and wonderful.

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Page 8: The Big Picture: A Simple Presentation of the Christian Message

Seeing the beauty of God in every human being is a skill anyone can develop. We begin by looking beyond their faults and failures, and embrace the truth that God loves them right where they are. We refuse to assign labels to them that demean their human dignity. We decide we will think the best of them rather than the worst. We open our hearts to them to accept them as our sisters and brothers.

Begin to develop this skill with everyone you meet.

REFLECTION

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The Human

Dilemma

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The Bible begins the narrative of human history by telling the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. When human beings were created, God breathed his own character into their soul so that they became the physical representations of the spiritual God. Adam and Eve were given the responsibility of tending what God created, and told to reproduce and fill the entire earth. They had but one law: They were free to eat the fruit of any tree in the garden, but they must not touch the fruit of The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. On the day they would eat of it, they would die.

The Tempter then came in the form of a serpent, bearing the lie that God was withholding something good. If Adam and Eve would eat of the tree they would become like God, knowing both good and evil. The lie was clever because it contained a truth. Adam and Eve certainly did come to know both good and evil, but they did not become like God. In fact, they became less like God than before.

The image of God in us is now shattered. While we retain many of the same traits and abilities as our Creator, they are directed toward very different ends. We retain the ability to love, but our love is often directed toward the very things God hates. We have the ability to create, but many of our creations have destructive purposes. We have the freedom to choose, but we often use that freedom for terrible choices instead of noble purposes. We are a shattered mirror and the shards that remain reflect an image that is distorted and twisted.

This is why there is so much evil in the world. Everything God created is good. Evil exists only through the distortion, misdirection or misapplication of the good thing God made. While God may have a single good purpose, the distortions we create from that one good purpose can be innumerable.

THE FALL

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Page 12: The Big Picture: A Simple Presentation of the Christian Message

Even as Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, God gave the promise that there would come a future deliverer. One of Eve’s offspring would face the Tempter once again, but this time the man would be victorious. As the ages passed, God continued to reveal more about this coming champion of the human race. Finally, when the time was right, Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River and immediately went out into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil.

In the wilderness Jesus faced every temptation known to the human race. The Devil cleverly crafted three great temptations in an attempt to persuade Jesus to embrace a different path than the one God had chosen for him. Jesus overcame each temptation by keeping his focus on God’s purposes for his life. When Jesus emerged from the wilderness, he began to demonstrate his power over the forces of evil. He cast out demons, healed the sick, and spoke truth into the corrupted religion of the Pharisees and teach-ers of the law. In demonstrating this authority, Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom of God had truly come.

Jesus Christ is the champion of the human race. Jesus has done what no one else has ever been able to do: He grappled with the source of the greatest of all temptations and emerged victorious. Jesus there-fore understands what it means to be truly human, and is able to show the way to new life. He is gentle with those who stumble and fall, and is quick to bestow grace to those who strive to turn from evil. He is the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a deliverer, and in following in his ways, we can find reconcilia-tion with God.

THE PROMISE

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It is important to see that the external sins we commit are a result of an inward spiritual condition. In the same way that an internal sick-ness might manifest itself in different external symptoms, so it is with our spiritual sickness. We all struggle in various ways. Outside fac-tors can impact us as well. For example, the environment in which we grow up greatly affects us. If our home life was good and peaceful, we may not struggle as much as someone whose home life was unhealthy.

Realizing that we all share the same condition of inward brokenness enables us to show grace and mercy toward the people around us.

To whom do you need to show grace?

REFLECTION

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Jesus Christ

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JESUS CHRISTJesus Christ is unique. In all of human history, there has never been anyone like him, nor will there ever be again. He is more than a great teacher, profound philosopher, or social reformer. He is the Son of God. The phrase “Son of God” is a key to unlocking the true nature of Jesus Christ. In the ancient world, it was understood that as a son would grow to maturity, he would continue his father’s work. If the father was a fisherman, the son would become a fisherman and learn the secrets of fishing from his father. If the father was a carpenter, the son would learn the trade of carpentry and expand the father’s business. It was also believed that the very personal characteristics of the father would be transferred to the son as well.

When Jesus was 12 years-old, his parents brought him on an annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish feast of Passover. When the feast was over and his parents returned home with their other rel-atives, Jesus remained behind in the temple conversing with the teachers of the law. Everyone who heard him was astonished at his wisdom and understanding. When his parents finally found him, and asked why he had stayed behind, Jesus replied bluntly, “Shouldn’t I be about my father’s business?” When Jesus had grown to maturity and was baptized by John in the Jordan River, the crowd heard a voice from heaven saying, “This is my Son whom I love, with him I am well pleased.”

Jesus Christ has learned his Father’s business. He understands God’s will and has grown to become the exact representation of God on earth. On the following page is a helpful analogy.

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AUTHOR, AUTHORSuppose a famous author created an imaginary world and grew to love the imaginary characters of the story. The author would have the power to write him or herself into the book as one of the characters, and could become an essential part of the plot. The author-made-character would interact with the other characters of the book with the same personality and mannerisms as the author who had created everything. It would be as though therewere two authors, one living in the real universe writing the story, and the other living in the written universe living out the story. This is a beautiful illustration of what God has done in Jesus Christ. Jesus is a second manifestation of God who has been written into the story of human history. Jesus himself made this claim saying, “I and the Father are one,” and “Whoever has seen me, has seen the Father.”

To understand God, therefore, we need only look to Jesus. The words he spoke and the manner of his love are an exact representation of the thoughts and feelings of God. Through Jesus, we can come to know the measure of God’s love for every person, and in the story of his life, we can see how far God is willing to go to redeem us all and give us a new beginning.

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The kingdom of God is the central concept of Jesus’ teaching. It is the idea that there would soon come a time when God would establish a new world order governed by a holy king called “The Messiah.” This idea was first expressed hundreds of years before Jesus in a prophecy found in The Book of Daniel. The prophet Daniel saw a vision of four empires which we now know to be Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Daniel was told that at the time of the fourth empire, the new kingdom of God would appear. This new kingdom would fill the entire earth and last throughout all generations. The people of Jesus’ day were therefore waiting with great expectation for the appearance of their messiah and the establish-ment of a new world order centered in Jerusalem. After Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River, he raised their expectations by preaching,

The people believed that Jesus was indeed the messiah. He not only taught with the authority, he dem-onstrated great power. Yet as Jesus continued teaching, he explained that the kingdom of God was a spiritual kingdom, not a material one saying, “The kingdom of God is within you.” The true kingdom of God is established through spiritual transformation, not by military power or political achievement. It is a voluntary kingdom, not a compulsory one. After three years of ministry, Jesus entered Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover and the crowd hailed him as their king, holding fast to their belief that he would establish a new Jewish monarchy. When he failed to do so, a disappointed crowd (composed undoubt-edly of some of the same people) called for his death, and jeered at him as he carried the cross outside the city to a hill of execution called “Calvary.”

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

“The time has come! The kingdom of God is near!

Repent and believe the good news!”

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RECONCILEDThe kingdom of God began not with military conquest or political achievement, but with an act of the utmost humility. Through the death of Jesus Christ, God began a work of reconciliation that would trans-form the world.

Have you ever been in a disagreement with someone you love? Try as you might to talk around the is-sue, the subject of your disagreement will hang over you like a layer of thick clouds. The heaviness con-tinues until someone breaks the ice and speaks honestly about the situation without attempting to assign blame. The turning point toward healing takes place when someone begins to absorb the blame rather than assign it. Even someone who is perfectly innocent can take the blame upon themselves in order to give the relationship a fresh start.

This is what God did for us. Our sin is the unresolved issue separating us from a joyful relationship with God. Jesus Christ is God’s answer. While the world was lost in sin, Jesus took the sin of the world upon himself and died on the cross. His death satisfied the penalty of sin for the entire human race. Then something wonderful happened! Since the fullness of God dwelt in the person of Jesus Christ, and because God cannot die, Jesus rose from the dead. As a result of his faithfulness to God, God gave Jesus the authority to grant eternal life to whomever he chooses. With this power now secure in himself, Jesus has promised to give eternal life to all those who acknowledge what he did for them.

Now there is nothing that separates us from God. The only thing that can keep us from a new and joy-ful relationship with God is our own pride. Even though Jesus paid the debt, we can choose to remain at odds. But for those who are ready to acknowledge their own sin and indebtedness, Jesus has promised the gift of eternal life and a permanent place as members of God’s own household.

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All of us are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ, and by his grace alone. Our salvation begins and ends with Jesus. It is not accomplished by our efforts or energies, nor by our wisdom or intellect. Jesus Christ gave his life on the cross so that he could offer salvation to us as a free gift. There are no forms for us to fill out, no church for us to join, no mystical process for us to engage. All we need to do is recognize what has been done for us and accept the new life Christ offers as a free gift. When we do this, regard-less of the circumstances we are in, Christ offers the gift of salvation to us freely out of his great and abundant love.

The manner in which this happens varies with every person. Some people respond to the message of salvation in the midst of a worship service; others do so in the privacy of their own home. Some people open their lives to Christ after years of carefully thinking it through; others respond to his call the mo-ment they hear it. Some people open their lives after years of resisting God; others do so without any resistance. It doesn’t matter the time, the place, or the circumstance. What matters is that we hear the message of salvation in Jesus Christ and respond to it by welcoming him into our lives.

As time passes, it is easy to lose the perspective of salvation as an act of pure grace. As we yield our-selves to God, we will certainly begin to see God’s hand at work in our lives. As we begin to make significant progress, we may start to believe that this progress is a result of our own efforts and ener-gies. We then begin to wonder if we are progressing fast enough or doing enough for God. We can begin to doubt our salvation and even doubt God’s love as the focus shifts from God’s grace to our efforts. At such times it is important to refresh our perspective to see that everything, even our good works, is merely a result of God’s abundant grace calling us to new ways and enabling new life to happen.

SAVED BY GRACE

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Page 22: The Big Picture: A Simple Presentation of the Christian Message

FREE WILL

Since we are made in the image of God we have a free will. Our will is the part of our soul that directs the course of our life, much in the same way a ship has a rudder or a car has a steering wheel. Yet because we are living creatures, our will is active, not passive. Our will is a living force that drives us toward the things we value in the deepest part of our soul. If we value good things, our will moves us toward them so that our lives are filled with blessing. The problem is that if we value corrupted things, even things that we know will bring us harm, our will directs us toward them with equal force. Our will is free because God will not invade our soul and force us away from the corrupted things we have valued.

Living the Christian life is therefore a battle of the will. While our new relationship with God offers us great hope for a better future, our will is still directing us toward the worldly things we secretly valued. Even though we might intellectually agree with the teachings of Christ and be emotionally moved by his great love for us, our will is still persistently driving us toward the hidden values we retain. Sometimes the battle within us is intense, and we are often tempted to give in simply because we are weary of the fight.

Jesus can help. His love, mercy and grace become the safe environment where we can deal honestly and openly with the deep things of our soul. The act of confessing our sin brings the hidden, corrupted things we have valued into the light. So long as they remain hidden, our will steers us toward them. When we bring them into the light, we can correctly name them as evil and choose the new ways of Christ as our own. When we make this choice, our will attaches itself to these new and holy values and drives us toward them with great fervor. So it is that our will remains free, but we are now free to follow in the new ways of God.

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Page 24: The Big Picture: A Simple Presentation of the Christian Message

LIVING BY FAITHFaith is our response to God. It is a leap from the way we have been living to the new ways God is showing us. It is a radical reordering of our lives around the truths of God. When we believe in the love of God and in the salvation of Jesus Christ, this new world is revealed. When we make a conscious choice to live by this new understanding we are living by faith.

As we begin to make progress in our daily walk with God, God will set before us new opportunities that will lead to new outcomes. Some of these new ways will be challenging for us to embrace. We will not be able to see in advance how the new outcomes will be possible. We will be challenged to step out in faith, believing that God will provide the resources along the way. All challenges of faith have this same basic pattern. God calls us to abandon old patterns of living by which we sought to control the circum-stances of our lives, and embrace the new patterns by which we trust in God’s leadership. There is no way of determining in advance how or when God will bring the new blessing. These pivotal moments of faith are designed by God to be the very means by which we grow in our relationship. God wants us to learn to trust in his goodness and provision.

The life of faith is often misunderstood even by very religious people. Some think of faith as a magic force by which they believe they can channel God’s power to accomplish their purposes. They want a particular blessing at a particular time, and work hard to convince themselves that this is what God wants as well. They are disappointed to find out that God will not be manipulated or controlled. Howev-er, faith is not the means by which we manipulate God to accomplish our will. It is the means by which we abandon our will in order to align ourselves with God. When we begin living this way, we will begin to experience new blessings. These new blessings are a result of God’s goodness to us, and our faith response.

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Page 26: The Big Picture: A Simple Presentation of the Christian Message

Jesus Christ has accomplished everything for us and offers salvation as a free gift. Christ will not force his gift on anyone though. He waits for us to hear his voice and open our lives to him. Have you opened your heart to Jesus Christ?

Opening your life to Christ is simple. If you have never done so before, then pray these words out loud with all the sincerity of your heart:

Lord Jesus,Thank you for loving me.Thank you for your death on the cross on my behalf.Here and now, I open my life to you.Lead me into the life you have prepared for me.

To those who welcome him in, Jesus has made this promise: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in.” (Revelation 3:20)

Each day, keep your heart open to Christ and he will abide with you. It is his promise.

REFLECTION

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The Holy Spirit

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THE HOLY SPIRITThe Holy Spirit is the person of God who lived within Jesus Christ and can live within us as well. When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit came upon him bearing the fullness of God. The Holy Spirit enabled Jesus to see the world as God sees it, and also gave Jesus access to the full scope of God’s power. Consequently, everything Jesus did was born out of this spiritual connection with God. We can have the same intimate connection. Through the Holy Spirit, we can begin to see the world in an entirely new way.

The figure on the right is a Rubin’s Vase, an optical illusion that can be interpreted two ways: a vase or two opposing faces. For example, a person might first look at the figure and see a vase. The second interpretation of two faces will come only after further examination or prompting. The opposite might also be true. A person may first see two faces but may not see the vase. Sometimes, unless they are told to look again, some people will never see the second interpretation. This figure illustrates how the Holy Spirit prompts us to see the world in a new way. The Holy Spirit reveals how God sees things, and when we view things from this new perspective, the world is beautiful.

This is why two people who share the same experience can offer very different interpretations. Suppose two people are walking through a park that is filled with natural beauty. A person whose mind is closed to God might say, “Although this park is certainly beautiful, I see no evidence of God whatsoever.” A person whose mind is opened to God might say in reply, “How can you miss it? I see the beauty of God everywhere!” The person who sees the beauty of God everywhere does so by the illumination of the Holy Spirit. When God’s Spirit and ours are in union, the Spirit of God transforms our perspective. It also transforms the way we think about the circumstances of our lives. With the Spirit at work in us, the course of our lives can be redirected toward very different conclusions.

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Page 30: The Big Picture: A Simple Presentation of the Christian Message

The path of holiness is simple. Any person whose life is open to God can learn to live a holy life. Most people think of holiness as an unattainable characteristic, achieved only through severe measures of self-denial or by means of secret mystical practices. Yet holiness is simply the word the Bible uses to de-scribe the character of God. If our life is open to God, then the Spirit of God will begin to shape us after God’s own character, and we will grow in holiness.

The path of holiness begins when we sense God’s call to begin living in a new way. Without God, we live naturally by the patterns of this world, and seldom feel any conviction that our lives are out of align-ment. With selfishness at the center, we live by whatever practices satisfy us personally, whether they are the habits of private sin or the self-deceptive practices of false religion. Whatever decisions we make, our root motive is self-gratification. When we welcome God into our lives, we embrace a new motive: the desire to please God. This new motive sets us on the path of ever-increasing holiness. Growing in holiness is not as difficult as it might sound. We begin by paying careful attention to our conscience, the inner moral barometer that sounds an alarm whenever something isn’t right. When we were living according to worldly patterns, we turned a deaf ear to this alarm, refusing to respond to its warnings. The alarm sounds because we are encountering something that is dangerous to our relation-ship with God or others. By consistently ignoring the sound of this alarm, some people have stopped hearing it all together. The entrance of the Holy Spirit reawakens the alarm of conscience, and we start to hear it again. By paying attention each time the alarm sounds, we can identify the next steps God is calling us to take.

THE PATH OF HOLINESS

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One of the keys to holiness is to pay attention to the questions that cross our minds. The very fact that we are asking a question about our behavior means that the alarm of our conscience has gone off. For example, read these questions and see if the answers are not obvious:

“Should I be watching this offensive program?” “Should I engage in this gossip?” “Should I be on this explicit website?”

The very fact we are asking the question means that the Holy Spirit is using our conscience to get our attention. By paying attention to our question we can begin to keep clear of those things that will distract us from the new path God is calling us to walk. There is also a positive side to this alarm though that points us to new and productive possibilities. Consider this second stream of questions:

“Should I give my discouraged friend an encouraging phone call?” “Should I give some of my money to this worthy cause?” “Should I put down my work and go on a brief prayer walk?”

Our conscience can also point us to the good things that cause us to grow in the character of God. With each wise decision, our mind is renewed and refreshed, and we grow more into God’s likeness. As we engage in this new way of living, it is important to remember that growth in holiness is a process. Some people are worried at how often the alarm sounds. This is because our spiritual growth is so important to God, and God is not casual about issues of holiness. We need to make sure we are not misinterpreting the sounding of the alarm to mean that God doesn’t like us anymore. The fact that the alarm is sounding means that God loves us very much and cares about the way we are living.

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PRAYERPrayer is talking with God. Prayer is our lifeline that keeps us connected with the Lord. It is the means by which we keep our relationship with God fresh and lively. When we pray, we are opening our spirit to God and sharing the deepest thoughts of our soul. We are also able to listen to God in prayer, and as we grow into greater maturity, we will be able to hear God speak to us more and more. The result of genuine prayer is that we find our lives enriched and empowered.

Jesus set before his disciples some simple instructions on how to pray, and then modeled a life of fruitful prayer. Jesus often withdrew to quiet places to be alone and to open his spirit to God. If Jesus, who was the Son of God, needed to be in prayer, then how much more do we! Jesus told his followers to find a quiet room, close the door, and pray to God in a secret way, and God would be with them. Knowing this, each day we should set aside some time to be alone with God. Jesus then gave an example of prayer in what we know as The Lord’s Prayer. In this model, we find some of the major components of prayer: the honoring of God, the desire to see God’s will fulfilled in our lives, requests for the things we need each day, the need for us to forgive and be forgiven, and the need to be kept from temptation. Jesus gave this model not with the intention that it be recited meaninglessly, but to show some basic elements.

Yet a life of fruitful prayer can extend beyond our designated prayer time. When we move through our day, we can do so with a continual awareness of the presence of God. We can pause throughout the day to acknowledge that God is with us and to ask for help with a problem. We can stop for a moment and simply praise God for the beauty of the world. We can read the Bible and hear God speak to us through one of its verses. The life of constant prayer is a joyful life, keeping us continually connected with the God who loves us and redeemed us.

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Our Father, who art in heaven,hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come,thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heavenGive us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our sins,as we forgive those who sin against us.

And lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever.

Amen

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Spending time in prayer with God takes intention. It will not happen naturally. We do well to set aside some time each day to be in regular connection with God. Different practices work for different peo-ple. Some people use printed devotionals and find them very helpful. Others simply start talking and let the course of the conversation with God flow where it will. Whatever practice you choose, the important thing is to be honest and open with God, listening to the inner voice of the Holy Spirit. While this may seem difficult at first, over time we will become more aware of God’s leading.

How do you plan to spend time with God in prayer?

REFLECTION

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The Church

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WE GATHER TOGETHER AS CITIZENS IN THE KINGDOM OF GODThe word “church” was not a religious word in the ancient world. It was a secular word used to describe the assembly of the citizens of a town. The original word literally meant “those who are called out,” meaning the citizens who were called out of their homes to an official assembly. Some towns would have “church” once a week, and their citizens would gather to discuss legislation, to plan for expansion, and simply to socialize.

Some people in Jesus’ day were Roman citizens. Rome was the capital city of the empire, and Roman citizens held rights and privileges that other citizens did not have. Roman citizens were representatives of the culture and customs of Rome. Many were born Roman citizens, others won Roman citizenship in battle, yet others paid a great fortune for it. While common citizenship was confined to a local region, the rights of Roman citizens extended throughout the empire.

Jesus began to use this word when he asked his disciples for a public profession of their faith. Simon replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!” Jesus blessed Simon, and called him “Peter” meaning “the rock,” and said, “Upon this rock I will build my church.”

Jesus’ intention is that people from all over the world will make this same profession and enter into a higher citizenship. This changes how we think of the church. The church is not a building; it is the gathering of citizens of the kingdom of God. Our purpose is to worship the Lord, to be resourced for Christian living, to plan for the expansion of God’s kingdom, and to grow in our love for each other. Having gathered as citizens of God’s kingdom, we are then sent out into the world to serve as God’s representatives.

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Page 38: The Big Picture: A Simple Presentation of the Christian Message

Baptism

Baptism is the sign of new life and incorporation into the church of Jesus Christ.

In the same way that a baby grows in the water of the womb and is born when the water breaks, so baptism symbolizes the spiritual birth of illumination to the ways of God as the Holy Spirit enters our life. Baptism is a sign that the old ways of living have past, and a new way of living in relationship to God has begun.

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The Lord’s Supper

On the last night that Jesus was with his disciples, he celebrated the Jewish feast of Passover. When the supper was over, Jesus took bread and wine,

and gave them to his disciples as symbols of his body and blood.

We celebrate The Lord’s Supper as a perpetual remembrance of his sacrificial death until he comes again.

There are two official rituals of the church: baptism and The Lord’s Supper or holy communion. These were instituted

by Jesus to be symbols of the spiritual truths central to the kingdom of God

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As we have been brought to new life through the message of God’s love, we are now given the joy of bearing this message to others. Opportunities of bearing witness to our faith will occur in the course of our daily walk. A witness is a person who has had a firsthand experience, and our Christian witness is no different. While some people are intimidated at the idea of bearing witness, God does not call us to speak about something we have never experienced, only to speak simply and plainly about what God has done for us.

The first step in bearing witness is to live authentically. The people around us will judge the validity of our faith based upon how they see us live. Our decision to embrace new patterns of living gives others the hope that there is indeed a better way to live. If others can see a genuine difference in us, they will be willing to hear the Christian message. If they see no difference they will conclude that Christianity is meaningless.

The second step is to speak out as God’s representatives. This does not mean that we attempt to force our religion on others or press them into a preconceived act of conversion. It means that we speak spiritual truths as the Spirit of God leads us. There is an opportunity of speaking as one of God’s representatives in every encounter. To those who need grace, we speak and offer grace. To those who need wisdom, we speak and offer wisdom. To those who need to know of the love of God, we bear personal witness to what Jesus Christ has done for us.

WE ARE SENT INTO THE WORLD TO SERVE AS GOD’S REPRESENTATIVES

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Page 42: The Big Picture: A Simple Presentation of the Christian Message

God has designed us so that we all need each other. It is important to be part of a faith community where you can share life together. The pur-pose for gathering with others is not only so that you can get something out of it, but so that you can contribute who you are. Your presence is important because other people need you. Are you willing to be present with the rest of the body of Christ as often as you are able?

Your work as Christ’s representative begins with the people you already know. Think about the people in your relationship circles. How can you love them on Christ’s behalf? Do you know their needs? Is there some trouble they are facing? Are you willing to be a friend? Sometimes the most profound thing we can do for each other is to simply walk beside one another.

Who can you share your life with that will be blessed because you care for them?

REFLECTION

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The Return of

Christ

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THE RETURN OF CHRISTThe return of Jesus Christ will be a new beginning for the human race. It will mean the end of the bro-ken cycle of human history as we know it, and the beginning of a new and eternal age in the presence of God. The universe is a vast place, and the Bible tells us that we shall soon reign with Christ. The earth is therefore a cradle where the human race is maturing. Soon we shall enter life as it was meant to be.

Human beings were made to live in perfect relationship with God and each other. As God is eternal, so we were made to live eternally. As God is good in all God does, so we were made to be good in all we do. The suffering, confusion, and pain we experience in this earthly life, as well as our inevitable physi-cal death, are all a result of our rebellion against God. The reconciliation offered to us through Jesus Christ is the beginning of an eternal relationship. As this message spreads throughout the world, more and more people are being brought into this beautiful relationship. Jesus said that when God’s message of reconciliation was proclaimed throughout all the nations, God would bring to a close this broken chapter of human history.

Jesus said that there is coming a time when suffering, pain and death will be no more. Having been born into this broken world, our minds can scarcely conceive of what a world without suffering will be like. Yet we know that the lessons we learn here are of the utmost importance. Our decision to love others as God loves them, to offer mercy and grace, to speak and act with truth and integrity, will have far-reaching implications for our future. So it is that the followers of Jesus Christ are preparing themselves for this next great chapter. The day of Christ’s return is unknown, but we are waiting for it with great anticipation.

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Knowing that Christ has said he will return soon, what do you need to do to prepare? Begin to focus the energy of your life on his return, and you will see great progress. Christ calls us to keep the fire of our love for God alive. He calls us to use the gifts and talents we have been given for others. He invites us to serve others on his behalf.

What are the things you can do to prepare for Christ’s return? Who are the people you can begin to serve?

REFLECTION

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Pastor John Longmire

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