Monday, July 15, 2013

The Gospel transforms

The Gospel should TRANSFORM
- the way we relate to one another in the home
- the way we relate to people in the workplace
- the way we talk to people
- the way we talk to people about GOD.

... Those were the four main points from the sermon at my church yesterday.  Let me revamp those a little:

The gospel should transform
- the way I relate to my family
- the way I relate to my students and coworkers
- the way I talk to people
- the way I talk to people about God.

... Well, does it?  ever? sometimes? most of the time? all the time?

Colossians 3: 16-17 says: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Chapter 4, verse 5-6 says "Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of your time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."

In these few verses, there is a call toward community -- a community in which fellow believers help each other to answer the call to be more like Christ, a community in which we are being transformed by the renewing of our minds.  There is also a call to reach outside of our community, to people who don't know Jesus, so that they might hear the gospel.

My prayer is that I would LOOK for ways to speak about Jesus to my students and co-workers more often, to be purposeful in those conversations when they happen, and to be gracious in all conversations so that Jesus can shine through.  In every workplace, school, etc. there are people that need to be loved and who need grace.  Am I overlooking the students who try to 'blend into the walls' or do I seek them out. This is something I know I need to work on.

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