Before his birth, Jesus is prophesied to be the one who will save the people from their sins. Ephesians 2 & Romans 6 describe sin as causing death. All sin ultimately causes us to make ourselves god rather following the One True God. Under the power of sin, we follow our own desires and relegate God to a deity we seek only when doing so can help us achieve our goals and objectives. In this way, sin causes estrangement from God by our deviation from the life God designed us for. To be saved is to have our estrangement with God overcome and our relationship with God rightly restored by the gracious work of Christ, so that we can once again see God for who God is and experience ourselves as God’s children and servants.

Scripture - Ephesians 2:4-9, Matthew 1:21, Romans 6:23  

Before his birth, Jesus is prophesied to be the one who will save the people from their sins. Ephesians 2 & Romans 6 describe sin as causing death. All sin ultimately causes us to make ourselves god rather following the One True God. Under the power of sin, we follow our own desires and relegate God to a deity we seek only when doing so can help us achieve our goals and objectives. In this way, sin causes estrangement from God by our deviation from the life God designed us for. To be saved is to have our estrangement with God overcome and our relationship with God rightly restored by the gracious work of Christ, so that we can once again see God for who God is and experience ourselves as God’s children and servants.

Scripture -Ephesians 2:4-9, Matthew 1:21, Romans 6:23 

Thomas was a skeptical follower of Christ. He heard the stories of Jesus’ resurrection, but had trouble believing until he could see for himself. At the time Thomas expressed his doubt, he was the only disciple who had not yet seen the Risen Christ. In this manner, Thomas is an example for all of us. There will be times when we have not yet experienced what we are told and believe about God to be true. In those moments, we might consider ourselves Skeptical Christians. Jesus challenges Thomas and us in those moments to believe. Thomas experiences Christ by placing himself around those who have already experienced him. When someone a fellow Christian is experiencing skepticism, our job is to encourage them to cling close to those who have experienced Christ, to share our experience (strength and hope), and wait for Christ to appear in His time in His way.   

Scripture - John 20:19-29

Thomas was a skeptical follower of Christ. He heard the stories of Jesus’ resurrection, but had trouble believing until he could see for himself. At the time Thomas expressed his doubt, he was the only disciple who had not yet seen the Risen Christ. In this manner, Thomas is an example for all of us. There will be times when we have not yet experienced what we are told and believe about God to be true. In those moments, we might consider ourselves Skeptical Christians. Jesus challenges Thomas and us in those moments to believe. Thomas experiences Christ by placing himself around those who have already experienced him. When someone a fellow Christian is experiencing skepticism, our job is to encourage them to cling close to those who have experienced Christ, to share our experience (strength and hope), and wait for Christ to appear in His time in His way.   

Scripture - John 20:19-29

The good thief can be described as spiritually fallen. He believes in God. He knows he has messed up in the worst sort of way, and he hopes against hope that God might give him another chance. Jesus encounters him with grace beyond our wildest imagining. Just like in the life of the good thief, sometimes the consequences of our misguided actions cannot be undone, however, God may still be full of far more grace than we could ever ask for or imagine. Our job in conversations with the spiritual fallen is to listen to the depth of their story with compassion rather than condemnation, and then to invite them to consider the amazing grace of God – a grace that does not overlook our sin but rather redeems the willing in spite of our sin through Jesus’ sacrifice.

Scripture - Luke 23:39-43

The good thief can be described as spiritually fallen. He believes in God. He knows he has messed up in the worst sort of way, and he hopes against hope that God might give him another chance. Jesus encounters him with grace beyond our wildest imagining. Just like in the life of the good thief, sometimes the consequences of our misguided actions cannot be undone, however, God may still be full of far more grace than we could ever ask for or imagine. Our job in conversations with the spiritual fallen is to listen to the depth of their story with compassion rather than condemnation, and then to invite them to consider the amazing grace of God – a grace that does not overlook our sin but rather redeems the willing in spite of our sin through Jesus’ sacrifice.

Scripture - Luke 23:39-43

Zacchaeus was spiritually curious, so much so, he was willing to climb a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus and to open up his home for a banquet when Jesus requested dinner. He wanted to know what Jesus was teaching about God, even though his neighbors despised him and felt he wasn’t the kind of person God would be interested in helping. When Jesus encountered Zacchaeus, he sought to spend time with him, and through Jesus’ presence Zacchaeus found a new and better way to live. Zacchaeus couldn’t see Jesus on his own. He needed to climb a tree. When we encounter spiritually curious people, many of whom are what we might call non-practicing Christians, our job is to be their tree. To relate to them, listen to them, and to offer the ways to see and experience Jesus.  

Scripture - Luke 19:1-9

Zacchaeus was spiritually curious, so much so, he was willing to climb a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus and to open up his home for a banquet when Jesus requested dinner. He wanted to know what Jesus was teaching about God, even though his neighbors despised him and felt he wasn’t the kind of person God would be interested in helping. When Jesus encountered Zacchaeus, he sought to spend time with him, and through Jesus’ presence Zacchaeus found a new and better way to live. Zacchaeus couldn’t see Jesus on his own. He needed to climb a tree. When we encounter spiritually curious people, many of whom are what we might call non-practicing Christians, our job is to be their tree. To relate to them, listen to them, and to offer the ways to see and experience Jesus.  

Scripture - Luke 19:1-9

The Rich Young Ruler is someone we might think of as culturally religious. He has done everything his religious culture has asked of him, and he thinks that should be enough to win God’s approval. Jesus challenges him to place God first above everything else. Rather than making God one priority (perhaps even his first priority) among many, Jesus invites him to let God be God and order all his priorities. Sometimes we encounter Cultural Christians (Elon Musk recently described himself as one) who believe Christianity has a positive influence, but who have not ever fully surrendered their lives to Christ or experienced the supernatural presence of the Holy Spirit. Our job is listen and appreciate where, they are coming from and invite them to surrender fully to Christ and seek guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

Scripture - Luke 18:18-30

The Rich Young Ruler is someone we might think of as culturally religious. He has done everything his religious culture has asked of him, and he thinks that should be enough to win God’s approval. Jesus challenges him to place God first above everything else. Rather than making God one priority (perhaps even his first priority) among many, Jesus invites him to let God be God and order all his priorities. Sometimes we encounter Cultural Christians (Elon Musk recently described himself as one) who believe Christianity has a positive influence, but who have not ever fully surrendered their lives to Christ or experienced the supernatural presence of the Holy Spirit. Our job is listen and appreciate where, they are coming from and invite them to surrender fully to Christ and seek guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

Scripture - Luke 18:18-30