Fix Your Eyes on Jesus
Dear Calvary Family,
Our world can feel like it’s spinning out of control at times - both in our personal lives and the maddening news cycle. And, as we just learned about the betrayal of Jesus in our Sunday morning series through the Gospel of Luke, it can also feel like our world is turning against us because our culture is so divisive, polarized, and fractured.
I implore you to fix your eyes on Jesus and to seek godly and biblical wisdom when it can feel like you are being pulled from one extreme to another. Should we just blindly accept and “love” every opinion and depravity? Absolutely not! Should we seek power and control and greed as a form of a successful life? By no means! Does what we believe and who we follow really matter all that much? Absolutely yes!
As Paul wrote this encouragement in 2 Thessalonians 2:13b-15, “We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.”
The way of Jesus is both a narrow road and a path led by the Spirit.
What I mean by that is the narrow road is very exclusive. Jesus is the only way—to the Father and to a full, abundant life. What Jesus teaches and commands are true and timeless. What makes Jesus angry should make us angry. What makes Jesus compassionate should make us compassionate. We should not be led astray by culture defining what makes something sin. Only God’s Word can show us that.
The path of being led by the Spirit is so much different than the path of being influenced by the flesh or of the world. The way of the Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I think many of you might consider that list to be soft or weak in the eyes of our current culture, but that is a demonic deception. Please be wise as you choose whose leading and influence to follow.
We need biblical teaching about truth and godly leadership.
I encourage you to check out the last week of The Jesus Questions, our current Midweek Series, next Wednesday night at 7:00pm in Fellowship Hall. It’s all about equipping the next generation with timeless truth in a skeptical age. Or attend the Alpha Course on Sunday mornings at 11:00am to seek answers to life’s biggest questions.
Also, we are in the season of nominating new elders for the next term. We need godly leaders who don’t just seek power and control, but pursue the fruit of the Spirit. If you know of men who have been members of Calvary Church for at least three years, faithfully live according to the qualifications of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, and display the fruit of the Spirit in their lives, then please email to nominate them for our Elder Board.
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
Eric Wakeling