Just to underscore\u2026read about the sacraments sometime \u2013 they are \u201coutward signs which have God\u2019s command and promise\u201d \u2013 isn\u2019t that what our identity is to be all about as followers and lovers and children of God? \u00a0\u201cThe chief thing about sacraments is God\u2019s Word\u201d \u2013 isn\u2019t it true, that this Kingdom deal isn\u2019t about you and me but really all about Jesus, the Living Word? \u00a0\u201cSign of the covenant of grace\u201d \u2013 aren\u2019t we called as followers of Jesus to embody God\u2019s covenant? \u00a0Light and salt to the world\u2026a city set on a hill\u2026go and do likewise\u2026those are words of Jesus given to challenge and encourage you and me to bear His Word and will into our world. \u00a0I don\u2019t know\u2026I don\u2019t want to make TOO BIG of a deal of this, but it is making more sense to me as I go along. \u00a0I don\u2019t think God uses only a handful of means to communicate and reveal His grace to the world\u2026He uses a multitude of expressions of Himself and His love through people who are part of His Body\u2026you and me. \u00a0I underscore, this doesn\u2019t mean that WE do the actual work\u2026we just bear the presence of the ONE whose work has been, is being and is going to be done in our lives. \u00a0Jesus is the one who saves, justifies, and sanctifies\u2026His work alone.<\/p>\n
So, I\u2019ve been coming to this conclusion\u2026we are a means of grace. \u00a0In fact, the more you think about, the more sense it makes. \u00a0The classic definition of a sacrament actually helps you and me (if we are followers of Jesus) to embrace our God given purpose and call\u2026we are \u201csent\u201d to the world to \u201cgo and make disicples.\u201d \u00a0We are a means of God\u2019s grace in and through our mission\u2026in that way, every follower is a sacrament\u2026every person who loves Jesus that which is poured out, broken, bringing the washing of new life that only comes through Jesus into the presence of the relationships in which we have been blessed.<\/p>\n
How\u2019s that for clarifying who we are in Jesus? \u00a0We (as the gathered community of faith) not only handle the means of grace, we ARE a means of grace! \u00a0Every follower a \u201csacrament\u201d\u2026I don\u2019t know, it seems to work for me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Robin Dugal, a friend of mine, when reflecting after a tough pastoral visit, reflects on what it means to be a clay pot charged with ministering grace: Just to underscore\u2026read about the sacraments sometime \u2013 they are \u201coutward signs which have God\u2019s command and promise\u201d \u2013 isn\u2019t that what our identity is to be all […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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