Summer Focus - Into the Fullness

From time to time life seems disappointing. It is not that something has to go wrong. No tragedy has to occur. The family may be healthy, all the bills paid, and the grass may be green on both sides of the fence. Life just seems, well, adequate.

This may be what roller coasters are for, and bungee jumping towers, and skydiving classes. They add a bit of thrill to a life that yawns.

This is not what God intended when humanity woke up in a beautiful garden paradise. God gives us life to live and live fully. Why is it that we so often live life fitfully?

Our theme for this month comes from the book of Ephesians, chapter 4.

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. . . .

God created us to live lives in his image. We have such a hard time trying to figure out what that looks like. God himself becomes a man in Christ Jesus to show us. And what a life that is.

Jesus knows how to live life fully. Are you looking for an adventure vacation? Try this. Go out into the wilderness alone. Without any bread. For forty days. To confront the devil. That's what Jesus did.

After his vacation he goes home to begin the work God gives him to do. He stands up in the local synagogue to speak. One moment the people amazed at his vitality, the power of his words, the depth of his insight. The next moment they are so enraged by the truth he speaks that they drag him out of town to pitch him over the cliff.

And that was just the first day. The next day he wonders down to the lake and finds several fishermen going about their business. These are busy guys. They don't have a lot of time to mess around with religious speculation and philosophical abstraction. But neither does Jesus. He looks them in the eye and says, "Follow me." They drop what they are doing and follow him.

And so it begins. Healing, feeding, energizing, life-giving. People experience life in relationship with Jesus. His is not a life lived fitfully. His is a life lived fully.

The book of Ephesians suggests we can live the same kind of life. It says, we can all "come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

Is this really possible? Can we all really live healing, feeding, energizing, life-giving lives? The disciples of Jesus did 2,000 years ago. The disciples of Jesus do today.

This month we are learning to grow into the fullness of Christ Jesus. Join us.

Monthly Focus Archive

2006:

Easter Focus: New Covenant
Lenten Focus: A Covenantal Response to Poverty
February Focus: Moving Forward

2005:

December Focus: Longing
November Focus: The Gift of Years
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Foundations
Summer Focus: The Book of Acts
Easter Focus: Tapestry
Lenten Focus: Rule of Life
January Focus: The Next Wave

2004:

December Focus: Surprising Grace
November Focus: Free Indeed
October Focus: Money Madness
September Focus: The Outrageous Promise
Summer Focus: Into the Fullness
June Focus: Thick Faith
Easter Focus: All Things New
Lent Focus: A Hungry World
February Focus: Commitment
January Focus: Unity

2003:

December Focus: Hope
November Focus: Worship
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Seasons of Faith
Summer Focus: The Gospel of John
May Focus: Faith
April Focus: Resurrection
March Focus: Truth
February Focus: Covenant Groups
January Focus: Sabbath

2002:

December Focus: Shut Up and Sing
November Focus: Spiritual Gifts
October Focus: Stewardship
September Focus: Intentional Faith