ALIVE

Take a few minutes to read through Mark 16:1-8. These are just some reflections from that text. To watch the full message that was preached on this text, go to www.vimeo/genesisboston, or to listen to the message, go to - www.genesisthejounrey.com/media. Message title - ALIVE

We all know we will eventually die, but then what? What’s next? Heaven? Hell? Purgatory? Don’t know, don’t care?

This is the question that ALL of us must answer – ‘Beyond death, is there life?’ If YES, then how does one conqueror death? If NO, then there is even a great question one must wrestle with. What’s the point? Why are we even here? Are we the brunt of some cosmic joke? If there is no hope in death, then what hope is there in LIFE? Why care? Why love? Why do anything?

The final verses in Mark’s Gospel deal with death & life. Specifically, the death and resurrection of Jesus. The Bible makes clear that Jesus was brutally murdered, but that on the third day after His death, he was raised back to life. But if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then I would have to agree with 20^th Century Philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein once said –

“If he did not rise from the dead, then he decomposed in the grave like any other man. He is dead and decomposed. In that case he is a teacher like any other and can no longer help; and once more we are orphaned and alone. So we have to content ourselves with wisdom and speculation. We are in a sort of hell where we can do nothing but dream, roofed in, as it were, and cut off from heaven.”

SO – Why does the resurrection of Jesus ultimately matter? ‘So what?’ The following are three truths about the ‘so what’s’ of the resurrection…

1. Because Jesus is ALIVE, our relationship with God changes –

A. We are justified before God {made right with God both now and in eternity}

Romans 4:25 – “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”

B. We are raised up with Jesus to eternal life with God (Heaven), not eternal death (hell).

1 Corinthians 6:14 – “By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.”

John 11:24-25 – “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

2 Timothy 2:11 – “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him…”

John 6:40 – “For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

2. Because Jesus is ALIVE, our relationship w/ourselves changes –

A. Jesus resurrection sets us FREE to live a NEW LIFE!

Romans 6:4 – “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

Galatians 2:22 – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Philippians 1:20-21 – “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

John 15:5 – “"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

QUESTION – is how you are living today (who you are, and what you are doing) – is this how you want to be living when He returns for you? If no, then make the decision tonight to REPENT – turn away from self, and turn to the One who gives you new life.

3. Because Jesus is ALIVE, our relationship w/humanity (the world around you) changes –

Those who came into contact with the resurrected Jesus were compelled to introduce the world around them Jesus! The Good News that Jesus was ALIVE compelled His Followers to share this Good News, urging the world around them to be reconciled back to God (Read 2 Cor. 5:13-6:2).

The RESSURECTION of JESUS MATTERS b/c it changes our relationship with God, with ourselves, and with the world around us! Following the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the disciples – they were NOT THE SAME! There was NO more arguing over who’d be the greatest! There was NO more desertion, denials, or doubting who Jesus was and is! There was NO more life as NORMAL, rather what we see is a community of followers who preached fearlessly about the resurrected Jesus, who lived fearlessly the mission Jesus set before them and figuratively became the hands, feet, heart and mind of Jesus to the world around them.

They became known as ‘Christ-ones’ (Christians). The resurrection of Jesus Christ enabled them to live differently. The resurrected Jesus changed them, not just their circumstances, but it changed them from the inside out. They were forever different and the world around them began looking very different as well. Is He (Jesus) changing you so much so that you and the world around you is looking different?

If You See Him...

I’ve been thinking a lot about suffering lately. Not by choice mind you, but because its become a reality for a close friend of mine. As I type these words, there is a heart that is breaking, and as their heart breaks, mine is breaking for them. They’re asking all the right questions – questions anyone of us would ask. ‘Why me?’ ‘Why now?’ ‘Where is God in the midst of this madness?’ ‘Is there purpose somehow in this pain?’ ‘Is there some greater good to be gained?’ ‘Will all of this somehow be redeemed, or will I just be left reeling in a sea of hurt, confusion, loneliness and anguish?’

They are fair questions. But fair questions don’t necessarily equate to helpful questions. Meaning – what happens when there are no answers? What’s worse – the suffering itself, or not having any answers to the questions you are asking? To suffer is bad enough, but to suffer with no knowledge of why you are suffering can lead one to despair.

So what does one do? Not just when suffering becomes a reality (and it will), but when there are few to no answers to the questions born out of a broken heart?

Answers would be helpful, but I’m no longer convinced that answers to my questions in the midst of suffering is actually what I need most. So what is needed most? If not answers, then what?

Vision!

Suffering as a unique way of blinding us. We can only see as far in front of us as our current pain will permit. Why vision? What does vision have to do with comfort in the midst suffering?

Consider Job – that’s the guy in the Bible whose life got flipped upside down, turned around and then flipped all over again. Talk about suffering, well let’s just say that Job would be somewhat of an expert on the subject. Throughout his entire story, he had no knowledge of what was going on. Meaning, he had no idea that a private meeting took place in heaven with Satan and God. He had no idea that Satan was the architect behind his suffering, and He certainly had no idea that God had granted Satan permission to do anything and everything short of killing him (Job 2:6).

No answers came to Job. He asked, but he never got understanding as to why he was enduring the suffering of it all. But the one thing that Job got in the end was VISION. Not answers, but vision. What did he see? God!

“My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” (Job 42:5)

Through it all, Job had heard of God, but he had not seen God until he endured the suffering of it all. We often want answers to our questions, but I don’t think what we need most is answers. What we need most is vision – a vision of God. And when one sees God the reality is that the suffering might not end, but our view of it will be radically altered because we have been given a new vision – a vision of something, rather someone far greater – God!

Maybe the answer is that suffering comes so that we would see what we cannot see in the calm of the day. Maybe the answer is that God is most concerned not with our comfort, but that we would cast our eyes on Him and Him alone. Maybe the reality is that His desire for us to see Him is so strong that He permits the unthinkable to happen in order that our vision of Him would be set aright. Vision is what we need most, not answers.

To my friend who is suffering right now – my prayer for you is not so much that you would have answers, but that you would see God. Despite the pain, confusion and hurt, my prayer is not for relief, but that you would see God with clarity. For I know if you can learn to see Him in the pain, you will never miss Him when there is peace. If you can see Him in the storm, you will never miss Him again in the calm. If you see Him, you will see a God who not only sees you, but you will see that He cares. If you see Him… that is my prayer for you!

be GENEROUS

My college pastor told me that it is a good idea. He even went one step further and said that it was a Biblical command. I responded: ‘I don’t have anything to give.’ His response was transformational – “Michael, learn how to be generous and your giving will not be impacted by what you have or don’t have.” Perplexed, I mulled over his words and realized that giving is not always tied into being a generous person. Anyone can give, but I didn’t want to be just anyone, I wanted to grow and mature into being a generous person.

How about you? Would you use generosity as an adjective to describe your character? Like me, you might answer by saying you don’t have anything to give. But I want to encourage you to consider that giving and being generous are not always married together. Simply stated, not everyone who gives is generous, but people who are generous will always be found giving. The question is not which one are you, but which one would you like to be?

The Men and women of GENESIS seek to reflect the character of God to a world that is in desperate need of knowing that God not only exists, but that He cares. How does God show that He cares? He is generous beyond compare. As I’ve studied the Scriptures, I continue to see that God’s generosity is without end:

• John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son…”

• Romans 8:32 – “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

How might we reflect the generosity of God to those around us? We ALL need to grow in the grace of giving; that we would learn how to be a generous people. The Apostle Paul made clear, the root of generosity is joy; and joy stems from the gospel at work in each of us. Grasped by the grace of God joy can be seen in our generosity.

The churches in Macedonia were facing severe trials from extreme poverty and persecution, but their joy in the gospel was evident by their generosity. They had nothing to give, but generous people are not bound by circumstances.

2 Corinthians 8:2-3 – “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.”

Let it be said of GENESIS that we give beyond our ability. As GENESIS moves forward into God’s call to church plant, you will have the opportunity like the Macedonian churches to be generous. On Sunday, June 7th, we will make a financial pledge of how we will support what God is doing within GENESIS.

Over the next two weeks, I would ask that you seek the Lord as to how He would have you use the resources that He has entrusted to you to support the work of His church.

The needs of GENESIS will be many, but generous people have a way of meeting needs.

Please don’t let your giving be done with an attitude of ‘I have to do this’. Rather be joyful knowing your generosity towards God’s work reflects to the WORLD the very character of God.

Has Christian America Come to an End?

A great article written by Mark Driscoll that was just posted on FoxNews.com. To read the article, go to - FoxNews

Who Knows?

One day GENESIS will launch out of its current location and begin a new journey in a new location. I've often wondered what that initial gathering might look like. I came across this video and thought, well that might be a bit much, but better a bit much, then not much at all. Enjoy!

I Do, I Don't.

Take a few minutes to read through Mark 10:1-12. These are just some reflections from that text. To listen to the full message that was preached on this text, go to www.genesisthejourney.com/media - message title - I Do, I Don’t.

Some thoughts on Marriage…
1. Marriage is God’s Idea – not man’s (Genesis 2:20-24)
2. Marriage is NOT the GOAL in life – (Mark 12:28-31) The Great Commandment is not to get married, rather its to LOVE God & Love people.
3. Marriage is a GIFT, not a curse – (Ecclesiastes 9:9)
4. Marriage is a GIFT to the generations that will follow you. The greatest gift to be passed along to your children (and their children) will not be $, toys, and vacations, but it will be a HEALTHY, Christ honoring marriage.
5. Marriage is a PICTURE of the relationship that Jesus has with the church – (Ephesians 5:32). Marriage will serve as an INCREDIBLE witness to those around you of what God can do!
6. Marriage & the Marriage BED is to be HONORED – (Hebrews 13:4)

God has a DESIGN, a PLAN for marriage and its outlined in Genesis 2:20-24.
1. RECEIVE – Adam received Eve as a gift from God. Continually receiving your spouse as a gift from God is essential to the health of your marriage.
2. LEAVE – Dependent no longer on parents for physical, emotional, relational needs, but fully committed to depending on your spouse in this way.
3. CLEAVE – Literally to stick to, or follow (pursue) closely. Never stop pursuing your spouse!
4. ONE – Oneness speaks to the physical, emotional, spiritual and relational. When there is TRUE oneness, the husband and wife will be NAKED and have no shame.

ONENESS KILLERS
1. Sexual Impurity – porn, thought life {lust}, inappropriate relationships w/people from the opposite sex.
2. Un-forgiveness – anger leads to bitterness; bitterness leads to hard-heartedness; and hard-heartedness leads to death in the marriage. Learning to forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:13)
3. Lack of Communication – learning to be a listener as well as a talker.
4. Lack of Intimacy – Intimacy has to do with knowledge. Knowledge of ALL not just parts of your spouse.
5. Lack of Time – LOVE can be spelled TIME. Make the relationship a priority. Take time to cultivate the relationship. There will be SEASONS where things are more CHAOTIC then others, but don’t let the SEASON your in dictate the health of your marriage, let the health of your marriage dictate how you walk through each season.
6. Spiritual Disconnect – Husbands who fail to spiritually lead.
7. Neglecting the ONE - GOD is your number ONE, and your spouse is your number TWO.

Thank You JESUS!

Hundreds of years before the brutal beating and murder of Jesus Christ, the Prophet Isaiah spoke these words: "there were many who were appalled at him – his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness…" (Isaiah 52:14) The Hebrew word 'Samen' translated in English as 'appalled' describes a group of people who are 'stunned by the horror of it all.'

There are many things in my life where I have been 'stunned by the horror of it all' but nothing more 'appalling' then what Jesus Christ endured on the cross. He was beaten, battered, bruised, mocked, spat upon, humiliated and died in the most excruciating manner possible. Jesus, God in flesh came to us in order to bring us to God and we killed Him! But as I consider the 'horror of it all', its not Jesus on the Cross that is the 'horror of it all', rather its the knowledge that it was my sin that put Him on that cross. Jesus took my place. It should have been me, but He went to do for me what I could not do for myself.



As I am one day away from celebrating the reality that Jesus conquered sin, Satan and death, I am humbled by the truth that unless Jesus died the death He did, I would be without hope of ever having peace with God. "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." (2 Peter 3:18) He died for sin, my sin. Without sin there would be no need for Jesus on a cross, but my rebellion against God caused God to put into motion His plan of redeeming me and a fallen humanity back to Himself. That plan was personal. God entered into His created order so that He could redeem, reconcile and restore the created back to a perfect relationship with the Creator. There was only one man, a God-man who could make that a reality.




As I consider the weight of Saturday, the day before I will celebrate that Jesus is alive, I am reminded of God's plea to a sinful people spoken through the Prophet Isaiah - "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." (Isaiah 1:18) God is saying to you and I - 'Do the reasonable thing. Sin has stained your entire existence, yet God is offering you/I the opportunity to be clean in the most purest sense of the word.'

What does one say to a God who has done it all? What does one say to a God who has made possible eternal life with Him despite my rebellion against Him? What does one say to a God who driven by love laid down His life so that I might find life? What does one say to a God who endured the 'horror of it all' so that I could enter into the glory of it all?

Thank Your Jesus!

Thank You NEWSWEEK!

If you have yet to read through Newsweek's current cover story entitled 'The End of Christian America', I would encourage you to do so. Of all that was said and the discoveries that were made, I was encouraged by the following statement: "While the unaffiliated have historically been concentrated in the Pacific Northwest, the report said, 'this pattern has now changed, and the Northeast emerged in 2008 as the new stronghold of the religiously unidentified.' As Albert Mohler saw it, the historic foundation of America's religious culture was cracking."

Why would I be encouraged by this you may ask? Simple - this is WHY churches need to plant churches that will plant churches. If followers of Jesus Christ (Christians) are going to impact and influence the culture for the gospel, we need to be planting churches where the church sees itself as a missionary to this 'post-Christian culture.' I realize there is debate as to if America is truly 'post-Christian' or not, but the point is simple, there is a NEED to plant churches that will love Jesus and their neighbor!

So thank you Newsweek for doing the research and affirming something that I hope and pray the church will respond to. The church was never meant to escape the world, but we are called to engage the world around as men and women who have been sent. Let us not forget the words of Jesus to his disciple post-resurrection: "As the Father has sent me, I am now sending you." (John 20:21)

To those in the GENESIS community reading these words, God has placed a call on our community to be that church that will not settle for anything but being the very hands and feet of Jesus Christ to this New England culture! Let it be said of us that we did not shrink back from this call, but that we like the Apostle Paul resolved to 'become ALL things to ALL men so that by ALL possible means we might save some.' (1 Corinthians 9:22-23)

Jesus, Heart and Questions...

So I took my sermon notes from the message 'He Said What', plugged it into Wordle and this is what I got...

He Said What?

Take a few minutes to read through Mark 7. These are just some reflections from that text. To listen to the full message that was preached on this text, go to www.genesisthejourney.com/media - message title ‘He Said What?’

Proverbs 4:23 says this: “Above ALL else, guard your hearts for it is the wellspring of life.”

The condition of our hearts dictates the condition of our lives – your heart is the WELLSPRING! What lives in your heart will reveal itself in how you live! So how do you know what lives in your heart? When you get squeezed, what comes out? When you get tipped over, what comes flowing out of you?

As you read the story of the Mom in Mark 7:24-30, what do her actions reveal about her heart? This mom comes to Jesus in humility (postured at his feet), begging for his help on behalf of someone else and Jesus insults her (calls her a dog) and then seeks to dismiss her!

Jesus is either having an un-christlike moment, or He is making a statement to this mom about His mission. I Love how this woman responds – she is quick, witty, bold, yet humble and she is the only individual to argue w/Jesus and win. Mark 7:28 – "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs."

She accepts the priority of Jesus’ mission – meaning she understands that Jesus mission is 1^st to the people of Israel, then to the Gentiles. She understands that Israel has preference over the Gentiles. She concedes that the children (Israel) should eat first, but she challenges Jesus to expand His vision that even the dogs (the Gentiles) should get something to eat as well!

She gets it! She does not become embittered by Jesus words! She’s not concerned that someone else has priority over her. AND she does not take NO for an answer!

Jesus was blown away be her response b/c her response revealed what resided in her heart? Question – Anyone ever insulted you? Say something about your personhood? Your character? How did you respond? Humility or fight back defend yourself? Remember, actions reveal the heart!

In this mom’s heart was humility, wisdom, courage, love, and faith! What RESIDES in your HEART will surface in how you react and respond to those around you!

Read the story of the friends that brought their deaf and mute friend to Jesus (Mark 7:31-37). Similar to the story in Mark 2, do you have friends that love you enough to ‘lead you’ to the place you need to go, which might not be the place you want to go?

What was in their hearts is revealed in what they did for their friend. They not only brought him to Jesus, but they ‘Begged’ Jesus to heal him. When’s the last time you begged someone for something on someone else's behalf? Not for you, but for someone else?

What these guys did was revealing of what resided in their hearts: love, humility and compassion.

What RESIDES in your HEART will SURFACE in how you react and respond to the NEEDS of those around you!

Now go back and read the story of a group of men whose hearts were at best far from God (Mark 7:1-23)

The Pharisees wanted to know why Jesus and his disciples were not like them – morally pure on the outside – meaning, why didn’t they wash their hands before meal time.

The Pharisees had begun to create a lot of traditions, but the problem with their traditions as with many of ours, is that they were not biblical – they were just man-made!

As you think about your own traditions ask yourself this question: ‘Are they shaping you into a person where they really only impact your hands, but never touch your heart?

Jesus responds to the Pharisees by calling them Hypocrites (play actors). What do you do when you realize you’ve become the very thing that you’ve worked so hard to avoid? You that person who said I can’t stand Christians b/c they are so judgmental, selfish and hypocritical but yet what do you do when someone points out to you that you have become that person? Either REPENT of your religiosity, or you can carry on your rituals in order to keep playing the part.

What a tragedy when the WORD of God is ‘let go off’, ‘set aside’ and ‘nullified’ ALL in order to justify a life that’s really all about you and not God! It begs the question of what does God really care about? Exterior performance, or inward moral purity of the heart. We know the answer, but typically live for the former! Why? Its easier to dress ourselves up so we look good to an outside audience, rather then deal with what lies beneath the fancy clothing – SIN!

Jesus message was clear – ‘what goes into you, does not make you unclean, its what comes out of you that makes us impure. Meaning: tThe guy who cut you off is NOT the problem – the issue is the ANGER that resides in your heart that manifests itself in Road Rage. Pornography is not the issue, it’s the LUST in your heart. Gossip & Judging others is not the problem, it’s a heart that’s filled w/pride that says you’re better then everyone that is problem.

‘From out of men's heart comes: evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, folly! Did you notice that ALL of these things impacts our neighbor! The un-holiness of our hearts not only impacts our relationship w/God, but it has a serious impact on those around us!

The reality is ALL of our hearts are inclined towards these things and its only b/c of Jesus that we have a shot at a regenerated heart. How do you get that HEART that is not refurbished, but the heart that is GENUINELY filled with:

forgiveness, generosity, compassion, love, peace, joy, etc?

Psalm 51:10 – “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” The beauty of this PRAYER is that it acknowledges that God can and will CREATE in us what we cannot CREATE in ourselves.

Remember: what’s in your heart will show up in how you live!

Ask Jesus to create in you a new heart for it will lead you to newness of life!

GENESIS Church!

What do you get when you compose a document with 5,574 words? GENESIS Church! Thanks to 'Wordle' the two most repeated words in the task forces report were 'GENESIS Church.' I praise God for the call that He has placed upon the GENESIS community to become a church in this New England culture that is in such desperate need of a community of people that will Love Jesus, and their neighbor. God's blessings on ALL of us as we step into His call!

P.S. Just thought I would make sure that 'Wordle' was accurate, so I tried it again and it came back with the following image. Pretty cool!

He Did What?

Take a few minutes to read through Mark 6:45-56. These are just some reflections from that text. To listen to the full message that was preached on this text, go to www.genesisthejourney.com/media - message title ‘He Did What?’

Solitude has a way of keeping you focused on what matters most – consider what drove Jesus towards solitude by reading John 6:15 – “Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.”

I’ve noticed that the harder you work to get to that space of solitude, the more you’ll value it when your their. ‘He(Jesus) went up on the mountainside (solitude) to pray.'

Why is silence and solitude so difficult? Blasé Pascal once said that “you can trace the SIN of the world back to one thing, man is afraid to sit alone in a room with His God”

Solitude forces us to wrestle with the thought: ‘Am I content w/God, and God alone?’ Will He be enough?

When the wind was hindering the disciples, why didn’t anyone PRAY to rebuke the WIND? I wonder if the reason Jesus waited so long before coming to the disciples on the water was to see if anyone would do what He would of done? Was Jesus thinking, ‘Come on guys, you know what to do, you’ve seen me do it – just try!”

What holds us back from doing what we’ve seen Jesus do? ANSWER: FEAR!

I love that Mark seems to highlight (2x) that Jesus WALKED. He did not run, skip or frolic across the water, HE WALKED – fully confident that He would not sink!

When God comes near, why is our natural response to panic, rather then to have peace?

When God comes near, do we fear that He’s coming to level us, or love us?

When God comes near, do we fear that He’s coming to condemn, rather then to demonstrate just how much He cares?

In the midst of the disciples FEAR – Jesus immediately speaks to them – He does not criticize, but uses His words to comfort them. “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

The reality is that in the presence of Jesus, there is NO need to have fear! Not now, not ever!

Fear causes us to FORGET the activity of God in our lives because our current situation (or problem) seems to cause a sort of spiritual amnesia within us. And when we forget what GOD has done, we error on the side of thinking He’s done nothing! And when we believe that God’s done nothing, our hearts grow hard towards Him!

From the OVERFLOW of a hardened heart comes FEAR.

The main problem with FEAR is not so much what fear causes you to do (panic, scream, freak out), but what FEAR PREVENTS you from doing! TRUSTING JESUS in ALL things!

For those of you who struggle with FEAR, know that this is a condition of the heart, not a condition of your circumstances! The Good News is that God knows how to deal with the human heart. When Divine love is driven into the human heart, ALL fear is driven away! 1 John 4:18 – “perfect love drives out all fear!”s

Jesus is speaking to you – ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’

You're A Pastor?

If I collected a quarter for every time I’ve heard that said to me over the years, it’s a good chance I’d be able to take my bride on her dream vacation by now. I’ve grown accustomed to hearing that said to me from a variety of people I’ve met along the way. I concede that the sandals, ripped jeans, frosted tips, and the minor obsession with the world of MMA is not consistent with the typical pastoral profile, but I’ve never been a huge fan of ‘typical’. It’s no heartbreak for me to hear the surprise in people’s voices when they discover what I do for a living, but it would be tragic if someone said to me ‘You’re a Christian?’ To hear that would mean that my lifestyle is somehow inconsistent with who I claim to be. Meaning, if I claim to be a follower of Jesus, then one should be able to follow the decisions and choices I make on a day to day basis and see a reflection of Jesus not only in ALL I do and say, but in who I am as a person.

So the question I would pose is this: ‘Does the world around you know that you’re a Christian?’ Would one be able to peruse your Facebook profile, observe your entertainment choices, survey your work ethic at your job, listen in on the multiple conversations you have throughout the day, or gaze upon who you are when no one is watching and know that you are a follower of Jesus? A simpler way to put this is – ‘do you stand out, or are you just blending in?’ Jesus stood out! He did not blend! People often think that Jesus only stood out for what He said and what He did, but fail to realize that what set Jesus apart was who He was. His character. His integrity. His purity.

As a follower of Jesus, I am not only commanded to be His hands and feet to the world around me, but to imitate His personhood. On the heels of exhorting Christ followers to have the same attitude of Jesus, the Apostle Paul goes on to say that we are to “become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.” (Philippians 2:15) Called to be blameless and pure. In a culture obsessed with beauty, sex and hedonism, who will take a stand to be above reproach (blameless) and holy (pure) in our personhood? Will you? We are called to shine, not blend in with the fading reflection of the world around us. Rather than hearing people say ‘You’re a Christian?’, let the world around us see not only our deeds, but observe our personhood and declare ‘You must be a Christian!’