The Thursday After

Today Ken Esau spoke about spiritual health (video, notes). I really appreciated the focus on 3 big rocks (translated so I can remember them):

1. The big story: God is re-creating the heaven kingdom on earth
2. To understand this big story, dig into the bible from front to back
3. To plug into this big story, live out the new kingdom in a local church family

This resonates. The bible’s big story is that God insists on partnering with humans to bring about the new earth. The one he had in mind when he created Eden and people.

So yes, absolutely Jesus came for me: this new kingdom is the world I want to live in. Sounds like we have a choice: sit back and see what happens, or partner with God in ways that he wants, to help bring about this new kingdom. God makes is clear he wants the second. He wants us to “put on the jersey”

And how does this get real? I’m trying to fall in love with the bible, because this is where the principles and game plan are laid out for jersey wearers. I’m trying not to sweat the little stuff, but focus on the big picture. I’m loving the bible project and I think you’ll find it helpful. Now to puzzle through what it means for me (and you) that “the bible is not just a book to be studied, but a story to be joined”?

Did you notice the second song we sang Faithful Now … “and I don’t always understand, and I don’t always get to see, but I will believe it” … trusting God’s big story, even when we aren’t seeing or understanding it.

This is a service worth watching again – there was lots there… maybe on Thursday 🙂

This is a service worth talking through in homegroup. How are we really digging in to trust and follow Jesus in his game plan to generate the new earth?

And I clearly need to see The Princess Bride. Definite cultural gap.