Grace Community Church

Day 5 of 7

 

The question has been rattling through your head since this morning. Somehow your decision for Jesus has gotten back to your family and you got an interesting email from your cousin. This member of your family can be cynical, and this message was no exception.

 

"So, now that you found Jesus, does that mean you're going to be one of those boring Christians who doesn't do anything fun? Or will you be one of those fake Christians who lives the fun life but then says Jesus forgave them?"

 

This email is rattling through your head.  You can't stop thinking about it. Will I be the person who is disconnected from the real world? Will I mess up time and time again? What says I won't be like Eric in a few weeks, totally disconnected from the church? Doubt has filled your mind and as you walk into the coffee house, I can tell something is different. Without sharing the doubt that you are feeling, you share that someone in your family made light of your faith.

 

Hearing something negative like that is really hard. I know that I've had people in my life make fun of me because of what I believe or what I do. But, there is something especially hard about having family say something like that. Did you know there was a time when Jesus' family thought he was crazy? I'm serious, Mark 3:20-35 talks about this time they came to bring him home because they thought he'd lost it. Here he is, fully God, doing the will of God the Father, and they don't get it. Even his own mother who'd heard directly from an angel that her son was God's chosen savior, thought He'd lost it. As a follower of Jesus, there are times when people will think you too have lost it.

 

In spite of this, God doesn't call us to live our faith in secret, he calls us to let it be known that we are His. One of the ways we do this is through Baptism. Baptism is an outward expression of what God has done in your life. The Bible talks about how Baptism symbolizes how we died with Christ and rose with Him when we made our decision of faith. (Colossians 2:12) Jesus himself was baptized, setting an example for the rest of us to be a part of this symbol.
Now, I have to make this clear: baptism doesn't save. We are saved by grace through faith, not by the good things we have done (Ephesians 2:8-9)! Baptism is a symbol, just like a wedding ring. I think it's obvious that I am not a ring person.

 

So, if I were married and didn't wear a wedding ring, or maybe lost my ring for some reason, would that make me not married? No way! The most important thing is to understand that baptism is something God calls us to do as a way of telling everyone what God has done in our lives.

 

So are you interested in getting baptized? It does involve some risk. You may see more family come into the picture to make fun of your decision. That isn't easy.  Do you want to stand up and tell people around you that you're a follower of Jesus Christ?

 

Though we may feel isolated from friends and family because of what we believe, we do have something so great within the church and that's called fellowship. Now I know that is a big church word, but let me explain it. Fellowship is spending time with someone who has the same beliefs as you and is encouraging you in that belief. So, when you and I have coffee like this, we're having fellowship. Now, that's become a very churchy word, so I don't usually call people and say, "Want to have fellowship?" But when we meet, that's very much what is happening.

 

Remember Hebrews 10:22-25.  What does it say?  Basically it says that we are right with God now and meeting with other believers is important. That's it. It uses that great phrase, "Spur one another on towards love and good deeds."  That's the distinction between fellowship and just hanging out. When we have a community of believers, we find ourselves "spurring each other on." Have you ever had gym partners? People you work out with consistently? They push you to stay consistent and keep going to the gym, that person is "spurring" you on to work out.

 

Remember the next question we always ask, "What does that mean for me?" I'd say you have to surround yourself with people that are going to spur you on to love and good deeds. So, you should ask your close Christian friend, "How are you spurred on toward love and good deeds?" Your friend may find it in a small group, a Bible study, or something along those lines. Once he/she identifies what it is, ask if you can join.

 

So, next week we can talk about what you find out about some community around you!

 

As I lean in to end our time in prayer, you can't take it anymore.

 

A question has been in the back of your mind since you read your cousin's email this morning. You turn to me, and finally just blurt out the question, "Look, I've got to ask. If nothing can separate us from God's love, if God has forgiven us for every sin in the past and the future, and if we are cleansed from a guilty conscience, then why should we even try to avoid sin?  Why not just live it up?"

 

Wow! I can tell that question has been on your mind. That's a GREAT question, we all ask it and I guarantee you, you'll ask it again.

 

Remember that book of the Bible we read a few days ago, Romans? Paul wrote it to a church to reveal the message of God. Well, he covers that very question in Chapter 6 of Romans, so today why don't you read that.

 

As we pray you feel like the cynicism of your cousin got the best of you. Your prayer is short and just asks God to be with us. When it's my turn to pray, I'm excited! I share with God how I'm looking forward to seeing His truth become more clear as the days go by. You head out the door with a glimmer of hope in the midst of an overall down day.