Pursuing Jesus

At the end of his career, Joshua calls the people of Israel together to renew their covenant. Here at the New Year is a traditional time for Methodists to renew our own covenant with God.

In Philippians 2 we see how the Son, though in very nature God, did not exploit that equality but emptied himself - for our sake. Jesus is the greatest Christmas present imaginable. Have you received that gift?

In Matthew 2 we see that King Herod thought harmless, helpless, even cute(!) baby Jesus was dangerous. How could he have thought such a thing? Should we take Jesus as dangerous?

During the season of Advent we remember Jesus' first coming (birth in Bethlehem) and look forward to his second coming. How do we live in this in-between-time?

Jesus calls us to be his witnesses. Our witness is rooted in our experience of what he's done for us.

Christians today might look at the messianic prophecies of the Old Testament and wonder how any one in Jesus' day could have missed him. Reading the prophecies of Isaiah, for example, are a little more complicated than we usually allow. They require interpretation on multiple levels. Once we do that, we find how they speak of Jesus.

We sometimes limit the operations of grace to what we call "salvation." More than that, grace incorporates us in the Body of Christ and equips us to function as part of the body.

What's your next step as you seek to support the church in the area of gifts? In the Parable of the Talents Jesus challenges us to let go of our security - our resources - and to trust him.

When people join the United Methodist Church, they vow to support the church with their presence. How does this go beyond attendance? How can we be present to God and to each other?

When people join the United Methodist Church, they vow to support the church with their prayers. How does that work?