James Duff December 14th 2014 ~ Invitation & Challenge

A few times during each week I receive a message through social media from Redeemer Church in New York. The senior minister there is Timothy Keller. I love reading and thinking about these messages. Some messages are what can be termed ‘highly invitational’ and I find these messages invite me into a deeper and more substantive relationship with God.  It’s as though I cannot help but be drawn closer to Him.  The other type of message I receive is what is termed ‘highly challenging.  These challenge me in my role of representing him as a child of God, a co-heir of the kingdom with Jesus.Here are a few that I have received this year and have found very thought-provoking and ultimately encouraging in my walk with Jesus.  I hope they are for you also.InvitationalThe pressure is off all of us to make a name for ourselves.  Jesus has made a name for us already.The way to find your calling is to look at the way you were created. Your gifts have not emerged by accident.God sees us as we are, loves us as we are and accepts us as we are.  But, by His grace, He does not leave us as we are.God suffered to end evil without ending us.The gospel is that, when we believe in Christ, there is now “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1).God's reckless grace is our greatest hope.The world as it now exists is not our true home. We were made for a place without death or parting from love, without decay and without disease and ageing.In the end, God will use evil to do the opposite of what was intended.The gospel is the good news that God has accomplished our salvation for us through Christ in order to bring us into a right relationship with him and eventually to destroy all the results of sin in the world. ChallengingYou are under-qualified for the job of master and commander of your own life.If Jesus didn't think he could handle life without knowing the Scripture inside and out, what makes you think you can?Revival occurs when those who think they already know the gospel discover they do not really or fully know it.The only character flaws that can really destroy us are the ones we don't admit.Everyone says they want community and friendship but when that means accountability and commitment people run the other way.Prayer—though it is often draining, even an agony—is in the long term the greatest source of power that is possible.It is impossible to forgive someone if you feel superior to him or her.We would never imagine that getting our heart's deepest desires might be the worst thing that can ever happen to us.If your god never disagrees with you, you might just be worshiping an idealized version of yourself.Doing justice includes not only the righting of wrongs but generosity and concern, especially toward the poor and vulnerable. If some of these have sparked a thought or question that you would like to discuss, then please feel free to speak to one of the ministry team or somebody who you know loves Jesus. Jesus both invited his disciples into honest and deep relationship with him and challenged them with his teachings and life. My prayer this Christmas is that we see and hear the invitation and challenge of Jesus. Shalom James