Advent Encouragement: Sacred People Called to Build God's Kingdom

Imagine particles of light emanating from that person. Let your memory move to an encounter when you felt this love and light extended from them to you. And now, imagine the refracted light showering them as if a prism has just lit up the surface of the walls and their own skin. As you see this scene, let their face fade and change. And in their place, for just a moment, see someone that you struggle to love. And if you can, let that same reflection of light emanate and shower this person as well. This is difficult. But remember the promise of the third candle. You can do it. Keep going. [00:30:38] (76 seconds)  #ShineLightOnAll

While I certainly question John's methods, there are a few things that I think John the Baptist is spot on about. John seems to understand this idea that it is not your pedigree,it is not your family tree that God cares about. It's who you are. Who you are. It's not who your dad is. It's not who your mom is. It's who you are. [00:55:57] (32 seconds)  #YouOverPedigree

John even says, and I love this because it's ancient sarcasm, and if there's one thing I know and love, it's sarcasm, both from ancient, from the ancient Near East and today. It's ancient sarcasm. He says, don't think that you have this get-out-of-jail free card because Abraham is your ancestor. God can make descendants out of these rocks if that's what was needed. John is saying,and saying to us thousands of years later, you're not special because of your pedigree. You're special because of who you are. [00:58:05] (49 seconds)  #AncestorsDontDefineYou

You're special not because of who your mom or your dad is. You're special because you produce fruit. You produce fruit that will be used in the kingdom of God. You're special when you feel as though you're not going the right way, when you're walking away from the direction that God would have you walk. You're special when you turn around. You're special when you repent. There is no do you know who my father is in the kingdom of God. There is no do you know who my mother is in the kingdom of God. There's only what fruit are we producing? You and I. What fruit are we producing? [00:58:55] (50 seconds)  #FruitDefinesYou

It's the realization that we understand that we're not doing things the way God would have us do them. Repentance then is our awareness that we're out of step with God. That if God was a song repentance is the realization that we are out of tune with the song. That we're playing our instrument but we're somehow out of tune. That's what repentance is. [01:01:17] (34 seconds)  #RepentAndReTune

In fact, in fact, that's God's plan and there's no plan B.there's no backup.It's up to you and it's up to me to build God's kingdom of grace, love, mercy, and joy. It's up to us to build that kingdom here and there is no plan B. But we're sacred people. We're sacred people and we can do it. If there's hope for a brood of vipers, there's hope for us as well. [01:05:07] (43 seconds)  #BuildGodsKingdom

What if we realized and acted as such? What if we realized that God believes in us so deeply that God would invite us to build God's kingdom right here on earth? What if we believed that we were sacred people and that God is looking to us to share and show God's love throughout the world? What an awesome responsibility. [01:05:55] (27 seconds)  #GodBelievesInUs

My friends, do you know how relatively impossible it is for you to be you? Do not for a moment tell me that you're not sacred. Everything about you is sacred. There is a one in over 400 quadrillion chance that you exist. Do not tell me for a minute that you have nothing to offer. You have everything to offer. You have everything to offer. You can be light in this world just like this candle reminds us. You carry God's light with you. Don't tell me for a minute that you have nothing to offer. You have the most important thing to offer. [01:07:00] (58 seconds)  #OneIn400Quadrillion