Between Sundays Logo

Between Sundays for Week of September 5, 2022

Over the past few weeks, Jesus has shown us his mission and his priorities.  He’s not afraid to break the rules.  He’s not afraid to turn everything we thought we knew about how the world works on its head.  This week, he warns us that following him is not easy.
Choosing life means making difficult decisions about our priorities and commitments.  If we want to be Jesus’ disciples – if we want to learn from him and grow to become reflections of him – then we have to make hard choices about what we give up.  Money and power and privilege and so much that we try to secure in this world will only disappoint us.  The path of following Jesus leads to the abundant life God has promised.
As Pastor Hoffman reminds us, we won’t always get our priorities right.  But God never gives up on us.  Jesus didn’t give up on the Twelve, even when they denied him and were anything but worthy of the title “disciple.” Jesus gives us a seat at his table, forgiving us for the ways that we have strayed and fortifying us to try again, to make hard choices required to choose relationship with God and love for God’s people.

The Word Logo

Being a disciple of Jesus is more than a title, it’s a way of life.  Today, Jesus explains the sacrifice and the cost of following in his footsteps. Following in the way of the God who makes all things new means we can’t keep everything the way it’s always been.  What sacrifice is called for in your life or in the life we share together in our community of faith to follow in the way of Jesus?

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Ponderings

Many products carry a warning label. On sleeping pills: “May cause drowsiness.” On a chain saw: “Do not hold the wrong end of the chainsaw.” On a superhero costume: “This product does not enable flight or super strength.” If Christianity were to have a warning label, today’s words from Jesus in the Gospel of Luke would be it. Jesus teaches the disciples that while their salvation is solely a gift from God, the life of a disciple is filled with sacrifice.