What does it mean to be a Christian?

I asked this question in Sunday school last week. Everyone in class felt it was a difficult question to answer. But what does it mean?

We looked at Romans 5. Verse 1 says this: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." I don't usually just pull a verse out by itself but there is something significant here. Peace.

Sadly in our day we usually find little peace. The noise grows around us - voices, technology, and industry. There are more billboards and neon signs every day. Speed is valued. Bigger is always better. More means greater.

Then we look at our lives, our inner lives. Do we find peace? How can we with all that is going on around us? The pace of life and the stress of life. The broken relationships and disappointments. What is there to cling to? Peace.

What does it mean to be a Christian? It means peace with God through Christ. In a life that can overwhelm us. Peace. In a life that pass us by in an instant. Peace. In a life that has moments of fleeting joy. Peace. In a life that sometimes makes sense and sometimes makes no sense. Peace.

Peace with God through Christ.

What are you putting in your brain?

With the Superbowl coming up, I hear a lot of people say they watch for the commercials.

How about last years...a beer that lets you breath fire or fly. A tire commercial where Richard Simmons is nearly hit on a dark road. The horse training montage? The Audi commercial that spoofs the Godfather movie. Shipping problems solved with pigeons. The Pepsi Max commercial where people are falling asleep until they get Pepsi Max. Or Justin Timberlake being abused as he flies across the city.

Everywhere we go, there is input being shoved into our brains. Radio, television, billboards, video games, tshirts, neon signs, and the list goes on. So I wonder what are we putting in our brains?

Here is my Superbowl challenge to you. Take one of those commercials that you see and find truth in it. Find something that you can relate back to scripture. Then tell me about it.

Soundtrack

Pastor Tom hit on this a couple of weeks ago. If you had to pick a soundtrack for your life - a song or a couple of songs - what would they be and why?

Some that have defined me in the past:
In times of faith struggle - Straylight Run: For the Best
and U2: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
When everything thing seems to be a jumbled mess in my head - Audioslave: Doesn't Remind Me
Trying to start over after messing up - Augustana: Boston
Depression - any song by Jakob Dylan or the Wallflowers

Today I would say two songs- The Beatles: Let It Be

I am the king of worry. There are none that parallel my prowess when it comes to anxiety. God knows this about me. In fact He is probably amused by the lengths that I will go to obsess over a simple issue. Yet He is there always saying "let it be", for He is in control. Sometimes I feel pretty small for the way I don't trust. So thanks to John, Paul, George and Ringo for reminding me that I don't have to be big because God is.

Straylight Run: Your Name (Sunrise Highway)

This is a song about direction. I want to pretend that I have it all together, as though I have arrived. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have so much growing to do. Standing in the face of change is scary. You look at past mistakes and think "well it's not my fault because _________". Then the longer you look, the more you realize that it is your fault and you need to change. Everything about us resists change and growth. Look at Jonah, Moses, Abraham, and countless other reluctant leaders in scripture. Excuses, resistance, reasons, cop outs, whatever it takes.

What is your soundtrack?

Honesty before God

There is no fooling God. He sees us for who we are. The truth of our sin and the beauty of our newness in Christ.

Christ asks the disciples "Who do you say that I am?"

I think we need to ask ourselves the same question. "Who am I?"

When we are honest we can begin to leave behind the past and live more fully in Christ.

It is a constant examination of the soul. St. Ignatius called it awareness. St. Paul calls us to do it constantly.

Today make your prayer one of honesty. Confess your sin in full. See the new creation you are in Christ. Living in truth. Let your light shine.