in the middle with mystery

Made In His Image – Colossians 1:15-23

Dearest Family,

If I were on a pastoral search committee, I would borrow from the questions an Athletic Director might ask a prospective coach. I would want to know; 1) “Do you see yourself more as “player” coach or as an “equipping” coach?” 2) “How many players have you equipped to play at the next level and who are they? 3) “How do you keep score? and, “What do you think the score is today?” 4) “What quarter is this contest in right now?” 5) “Would you please comment of the differences of Team Church’s current plays and those in the “new part” of the Big Play Book?”

MwM is going to take a look at the score between The Saints vs. The Demons. And yes, I am going to wear this metaphor slick in the next 1000 words … but we will drill down a bit deeper into the Mystery. Paul, the consummate coach adds …

“Of this church (team) I was made a minister (coach) according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles …

which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Bless you,

Rob

Made in His Image – 2 Corinthians 3:12-18

Dear Family,

I was born again in 1976 and enlisted with a tribe of people committed to The Average Commission 🙂 To be part of the “Great” Commission, we learned that we needed to be sharing the gospel on “foreign” soil. Our tribe was just “average” because, we believed God had called “all” men to share the gospel “where they were living.” Many of those attending church with us supported foreign missions with their tithes but believed we were cultish. The local church kept us at arm’s length. Many of us reciprocated. Awkward. Here is an excerpt from today’s MwM post …

For many years I envisioned the primary tool in accomplishing the Great Commission as evangelism. Verbally sharing the gospel was, to me, the dynamic behind all kingdom growth. Today’s passage is helpful in explaining why I no longer see evangelism (in the traditional sense) in this exclusive light. Telling the old old story is important but it will be more effective when it is coupled with the light of new life. I believe there has been an overlooked component to the Great Commission – the mandate to live brightly,

And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.

Bless you,

Rob

Made In His Image – Ephesians 2:4-10

Dearest Family,

Theologically, it seems we are scattered to the four winds as God’s people, yet we have something in common which has not yet reached its zenith. It’s not a doctrine or a principle that we can better understand, then live out. If you read further today in MwM, you will see “this something” will ultimately prevail in establishing both unity and potency in the Church. We must train ourselves to look up and see things as they are, not as we perceive them.

Bless you,

Rob

Made In His Image – Psalm 8

Dearest Family,

As lights in the world our lives are intended to illuminate reality. Paul tells us we must do this by encouraging one another day after day (with our hope filled destinies, among other things) because it is not impossible for unbelief to work its evil upon us. Paul tells us to look up where Christ is and stay focused on him until the very end.

In today’s MwM post I am doing my best, toward this end, for His name’s sake.

Bless you,

Rob

Made in His Image – Colossians 3:1-17

Dearest Family in Christ,

Our circumstances are so glorious in Him yet we frequently labor to personally taste and see how good God is. Why is this ? MwM explores a few answers to this question and, with Paul, encourage us how to look up instead of down for our epiphany.

A large part of looking up is actually “looking up” – not toward the elevated podium, from which so many predigested meals are served, rather toward Christ, God’s Word. There is not much point to reading MwM if you do not take some time with the daily passages of scripture. Everything I write presumes the reader is doing this. If you read my stuff and skip the scripture, you will be robbing yourself of essential nutrients in the same way sermon-only diets do.

Christ’s abundant blessings to you,

Rob

Made In His Image – Romans 8:18-27

Dear Family,

Have you had restless leg syndrome? How about restless soul syndrome, where you are just ill at ease with the cosmos; where disquiet is your daily bread? Do not turn the radio up, just yet. Let’s see if there is something causing this inward tumult. It could be a very good sign. You will discover why if you explore further into MwM.

Bless you,

Rob