"And then the most difficult question of all, the one that Jesus did not ask of the disciples, at least not out loud, at least not that day in Caesarea: Who do you say that you are? As you walk through life, writing your own obituary every day, what are you saying about yourself? Who are you claiming to be? Who are you confessing to be?
We cannot expect the world to be righteous if we are not. We cannot expect the world to know righteousness unless we show righteousness to the world.
We forget this important truth about the people we meet; Jesus is following them, calling them, waiting for them to turn around.
Paul is making a point here, and it’s not so much a point about Jesus, but about the church, and it’s clear that the church is not a building, or a place, but people...
Then he looked up at his disciples and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. ‘Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
"There are two kinds of people in the world—those who will put the interests of others ahead of their own interests and those who won’t."
"Assuming you don’t like the world the way it is, would you change it? Would you be the one to make the changes that are needed—that you believe are needed?"
"The thing is, you may know some or part but probably not all of what the Spirit, in her own intention, has gifted you to do and be in God’s church..."