But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” Matthew 17:7 ESV
Jesus the Great Disruptor (Part 5)
PBS’ Nova recently broadcast an episode focused on the age-old question that every pet owner secretly wants to know: does my dog REALLY love me, or does he/she just stick around because I provide food and shelter? Nova reported that researchers had devised an experiment involving the use of an MRI machine that could detect when the “pleasure centers” were triggered in dog’s brain. The researchers found that almost all of the dogs they tested showed a greater pleasure when they heard their owners’ praise than they felt when they received a treat.
I guess my dog really loves me after all.
I wonder if Jesus is asking us a similar question—do you REALLY love me? Or are you simply sticking around God’s church for the sense of community, beautiful music (and maybe even) the insightful sermons? Is your relationship with God on auto-pilot? Or does it make a meaningful difference in your life? Does it impact the way you love others? In the level of peace you have in your heart?
This weekend at Trinity Downtown we’ll be discussing the choice we have in front of us every morning when we get out of bed: to follow Jesus, or to go our own way. Jesus offers the chance to experience a joyful life working alongside the Creator. Choosing the path to life isn’t just a sterile exercise in obeying certain rules, engaging in certain rituals, or believing the right creeds. Following Jesus sometimes entails abandoning our assumptions and our social positioning so we can engage in a life-long relationship-building journey with Him. Along the way with Jesus we’ll experience joys we never anticipated and fight important battles and achieve victories which we might have otherwise sidestepped.
Come and hear how Jesus wants to transfigure your life and shift your relationships to the next level. Hear His gentle voice speaking to the parts of your heart that mourn or the parts of your behavior that are meek and misunderstood. Your kids won’t want to miss our “Kingdom Quest” pre-school and student gatherings, and you’ll enjoy making new friends and learning more about your faith in our expanded array of adult bible study classes, all held at 9:30 am on Sunday.
Come get a fresh jolt of spiritual energy at Trinity Downtown. It will make a tremendous difference in your life.