Who do people say that I am?

This past Sunday, I preached on the Gospel text from Mark 8:27-28. In the text, Jesus asks his disciples, ?Who do people say that I am?? I asked the very same question to my congregation, ?In today?s society, who do people say Jesus is?? The answers were brutally honest: ?some guy from the past, a myth, a prophet, a dead guy, and a man who is irrelevant? just to mention a few. As much as I hate to admit it, people ­? that includes Christians ? live their lives as though Jesus is dead and totally irrelevant to our mundane, everyday, soccer practice, football games, dance lessons, grocery-shopping, card-playing, bill-paying, planting/harvesting, recitals/tournaments, drinking coffee lives. We tuck Jesus away neatly in our ?don?t need drawer? and we live our lives focused on ourselves. Busyness fills our schedules as we spin our wheels seeking that which truly satisfies us. Yet, we are left feeling unfulfilled, tired, and resentful.

Society feeds us lies! The greatest lie: Jesus is dead and irrelevant to us today, tomorrow, and into the future. Dying to our selfish desires opens our eyes to the truth that Jesus is The Living Messiah (Christ) of the entire world. With our eyes open we see that Jesus is very much alive and active in and through our lives ? even lives that seem very mundane. Jesus calls us out of our self-serving ruts and frees us to truly live. Abundant life through Jesus is experienced when we see that our neighbors (near and far) require our help. Abundant life through Jesus is experienced when we volunteer and serve those in need. Abundant life through Jesus is experienced when we see that all humanity has value and dignity. Through the abundant life that we have in Jesus we are fulfilled, energized, and grateful.

I invite you to turn your back on the lies of society, placing those lies in your ?don?t need drawer.? The Holy Spirit is calling you back to church. At church people who need and have the forgiveness, love, and acceptance of Jesus will welcome you. At church Jesus will embrace you with unconditional grace and mercy. At church you will practice dying to sin, greed, and selfishness by practicing prayer, generosity, and servanthood. Are the people at church perfect? Absolutely NOT (perfection: another lie of society). The people at church are Sinners. Yet, at the same time the people at church are Saints; people totally forgiven by God through the active love of Jesus. At church you will find ordinary people, Sinners and simultaneously Saints, being nourished by the living Jesus the Savior of the world.

If you are seeking a church where: sinners are welcome; you?ll be accepted just as you are; and you?ll hear that you are deeply valued, loved, and forgiven by Jesus, I invite you to worship at Immanuel Lutheran (1226 E. Washington St., Washington) Sundays 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. or Wednesdays at 6 p.m. At Immanuel Lutheran Jesus is ALIVE and RELEVANT in our lives!