Response to my Q at end of class last night:

Dear Discipleship 101 Folks:

A quick follow-up thought from tonight's class.  At the end of our session, several mentioned anxiety about whether we have what it takes to be able to be like Jesus.  To live like him -- courageous, missional, radical peacemakers, healers, sacrificial love, resurrection power -- represents a radical shift from ordinary living. 

But remember the last thing Jesus said to his disciples in the final film clip: "Receive the Holy Spirit.  I am with you always to the end of time."  (From John 20:22, Matthew 28:20.)

In other words, none of us has the power within us to become like Jesus.  We become like him only with the help of the Holy Spirit.  As we welcome more and more of the presence of the Spirit of Christ into our lives, as we build relationship with Christ, we receive (by grace) the power to be gradually transformed into the likeness of Christ.

So the question is not, "Do I have enough strength to change myself?"  None of us does.  The question is, "Do I want to invite God to change me into a person who is like Jesus?"  If so, we open ourselves to the grace that changes us by spending time in the presence of Christ. 

We can talk further about these ideas in the weeks ahead.

Pastor Jeff