Going Beyond Our Belief
For most of us, the Christmas season has come to an end. Decorations are being put away until next year, school is starting back, and we’ll begin to get settled into something resembling a regular routine. I certainly thought we had a very meaningful Advent/Christmas at Creekside. For me, Christmas always brings an invitation and an affirmation to believe--to believe in God’s ability to do what seems impossible, to believe in God’s faithfulness in keeping his promises, and ultimately, to believe in Jesus. Some might say that is the essence of what Christianity is all about, believing in Jesus. But I don’t think Jesus would say that. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus called people to more than belief. He called them to believe in him enough to follow him, and as they responded to that invitation, he invited them to live in vital relationship with him. As we turn the page from the Christmas celebration, we’ll spend the next few weeks looking to one of Jesus’ best-known teachings, the Sermon on the Mount. As we study these lessons together, I trust we’ll see clearly what living in personal relationship with Jesus means, and I hope that each of us will make doing so our primary resolution for the new year.