As the tension between Jesus and the religious leaders reaches a boiling point, Jesus gives one of the most intense and incendiary teachings about their failure to live up to their role. He repeatedly calls the religious leaders of Israel “hypocrites” and points out their lack of integrity – placing unbearable religious demands on the people while ignoring their own sin and wickedness. Within these teachings is a vital look at the difference between legalism and grace which is a message the Church of today needs to hear.

After coming to Jerusalem and beginning his final week before the crucifixion, Jesus teaches daily in the temple. Here, his teachings reveal not just his expert subversion of the religious leaders of Israel, but the profound beauty of his kingdom message. When they are trying to trip him up about the “most important commandment,” Jesus quotes from two Old Testament laws which encapsulate the entire Spirit of God’s desires. Although the basic formulation, “Love God, love others,” is familiar to many of us, the two laws he quotes gain even more significance when seen in their original context. One is from a passage about wholehearted dedication to the teaching of God. The other is from a series of laws promoting true justice, mercy, and equality among the people. Jesus is not just cleverly answering a trick question; he is inviting his followers into a profound and whole-life commitment to the desires and teachings of God.

When the mother of two of Jesus’ disciples asks for them to be given roles of great importance and power in his kingdom, Jesus reveals a surprising truth: that those desiring greatest influence should seek the humblest position of a slave. As we see many times throughout the gospel of Matthew, Jesus upends the ordinary expectations of humanity by

introducing an “upside down” kingdom. In his kingdom, the key to true greatness lies not in human power but in self-giving love.

One of the most overlooked aspects of the Holy Spirit in our world is the overwhelming life that is made possible by his presence. Although this absolutely applies to the new, resurrection life we can experience in the New Creation thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus,

the Spirit of Life goes even deeper in our world, now. Throughout Scripture we see God’s Spirit as the vivifying source of all life in Creation, we see the Spirit drawing humanity away from our violent and warlike tendencies and into life-sustaining peace, and we see the Spirit shaping Christ-followers into fountains of God’s life and abundance in a still broken world. The Spirit helps us champion the life of the downtrodden, protect the life of the vulnerable, and even nurture the life of our physical world.

In a time filled with decay, pain, violence, and death, it is vital to remember that the Spirit within us is working to transform us into sources of life in our world now, not just in the resurrection. What might it look like to delve deeply into the life-giving richness of the Holy Spirit this year, allowing New Creation to spring up everywhere we go, and thus bringing the life of our Creator into our broken world?

One of the primary challenges for the health of the Church is that it’s made up of… well, people. We are prone to division and easily fall into traps of “othering” those not like ourselves. The good news is that God’s Spirit is constantly working to overcome those divisions to make us one. It is God’s Holy Spirit who allows a diverse community of faith, made up of different cultures, perspectives, and backgrounds, into a single, unified body.

In a time filled with political rage, cultural tribalism, and divisive rhetoric, ideas of unity, even within the Church, can sometimes seem like wishful thinking. However, if we allow the Spirit of Unity to transform us, we can overcome the hatred of our time and demonstrate to the world that an entirely different kind of community is possible. What might it look like to invite the Holy Spirit to give us hearts of unity this year, as we allow our lives to be shaped by the others-focused, self-giving love of Jesus?

One of the surprising outcomes of God’s Spirit taking up residence in the hearts of Christ-followers is that otherwise ordinary people began developing extraordinary power – power to heal, to serve, to teach, and to speak truth about the very heart of God. This power, otherwise known as the “spiritual gifts” given to believers, is one of the primary ways that God grows, supports, and guides his Church. As we use our Spirit-given gifts to serve, His power shapes the community of faith around us in unexpected ways.

In a time when the brokenness of our world seems insurmountable and the Church struggles with division, it can be tempting to allow our faith to become little more than an individualistic relationship between us and God. However, with the Spirit empowering us, we can recover the vision of the Church as the body of Christ in our world and recapture the self-giving love we were created to demonstrate as a community. What might it look like to explore and live into our spiritual giftings in new ways this year as the Spirit empowers us to become the Church God desires?

January 23 & 24 | Christmas at Grace | Barry Rodriguez by Grace Church

As Jesus prepared for his death, resurrection, and ultimate ascension, his followers were understandably worried. What would they do without Jesus by their side? Who was going to teach them? How would they know what was true? Jesus’ promise in response to these worries was that God would give them “another Advocate,” the Holy Spirit, to be with them forever. This promise, which remains true for all Christ-followers even today, is a profound one: that the very presence of Christ would dwell within his followers, guiding them into the truth.

In a time like ours, filled with untruths, misinformation, and teachers with hidden motives, it can sometimes feel like “Truth stumbles in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed” (Isaiah 59:14). But with God’s Spirit guiding us, we can find truth through Scripture, through teaching, through the voice of God in our hearts, and through the words of other believers. What might it look like to invite the Spirit of Truth to dwell more richly in us this year than ever before?

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As we have seen throughout our study of the book of Matthew, the gospel writer frequently writes on multiple levels. In the case of the magi from the east, Matthew is not just looking back to the Hebrew Bible and the fulfillment of God’s ancient promises. He is also offering stark commentary on the current realities faced by his readers in the late 1st century. Matthew’s readers faced cultural pressure from the all-powerful Roman Empire as well as persecution from wealthy local elites. They undoubtedly wondered, “How will the Church survive in the face of such mighty opposition?” To respond to such pressure, Matthew’s depiction of the magi visiting Jesus makes a mockery of Roman propaganda about the Caesars (e.g. Frankincense! Magi from the east! The star!) and hints at the boundless blessings to be had not at the top of the social ladder, but at the foot of the cross. As Jesus himself says later in the gospel, “those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last” (Matthew 20:6). This layer of meaning will offer us a stark reminder this Christmas of those who are truly blessed in the kingdom of God!

December 7 | A Story Fulfilled | Follow Me Part III | Barry Rodriguez by Grace Church