We’ve been exploring the idea of a total reset in life – what Jesus described as being born again. It presents a number of challenges to us in our modern lives which are so complex and interconnected. What about our responsibilities, families, and so on?
Jesus is not talking about a life replacement, but reset and renewal. A reset is different from formatting a computer. One is destructive and wasteful, the other is refreshing and freeing.
We regularly talk about the world’s big story in these daily challenges. We were created to know God be known by God, to have God at the centre of lives. Then all humans rebelled against God, pushing him out of our lives. This was the beginning of sin, a separation between humans and God stemming from our desire to worship and rule ourselves, rather than reliance on God.
Human history is filled with evidence of this separation from God. What was God to do? God could reformat, start over, and pretend it never happened. But instead, we got a reset moment. God stepped into this world as Jesus Christ, and pushed reset.
He makes it possible for us to reset our lives, and has begun to reset the entire world – with a fresh start known as the kingdom of God.
In our lives, we get a second chance to live in a close, personal relationship with God, when we start practicing the kingdom of God.
Having tried the alternative, living to ourselves, now we can live under God’s care and guidance once again.
Considering the rebellion against God in our past, God doesn’t say “forget about it”. He sees, remembers, and does something about it.
The Kingdom of God is a reset world. Not the whole world yet – we just see signs and glimpses of it in people, and in God’s direct action today. We’re invited to start living into this now, and to become a glimpse of the kingdom of God in other people’s lives.
But how? Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
We’ll see tomorrow what that means.
Question: Where do you see signs of God’s “reset” world today?
Reminder:Coffee hours are tonight tomorrow night at 7:30pm at Starbucks in the Ajax Chapters Store. See you there!
Reminder: We are reading the Bible in sync as one community – so check out today’s reading here.
Reminder: The best way to grow spiritually this year is to join our Christianity 101 in the Cafe Course in Pickering starting January 22nd. Register for you and a friend today!
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Years ago, I started my own business in web hosting, when that was a newish industry. I was studying in university at the same time, and had always been able to do both, until a server crashed during midterms. I didn't let either midterms or my clients drop, I simply gave up sleep. It finally caught up with me, and I had to get out of my room and went for a late night walk. I eventually stumbled into a church, exhausted and scared that my business might not recover. I remember the minister listening, then suggesting, "get some rest…then consider, maybe God is trying to tell you something."
I returned ready to solve my problems. I moved all the customers I could to one server. I ordered new server, then there was nothing I could do but wait. I could only rest.
I felt completely different when I woke up. I could study, I could write papers, I could think, I could fix the problems that caused the crash.
Rest is important!
An estimated 3.3 million Canadians age 15 or older have problems getting enough sleep, which may be affecting their health and quality of life.
A magazine of internal medicine summarized their research. The bottom line is: “sleep serves as an indicator of health and quality of life"
Lack of rest leads to more tension, depression, fatigue and marital strain, at least for women, according to one study of 1,500 women in rural Wisconsin.
And one medical publication found Middle-aged men who were at high risk of heart disease 50% less likely to die of a heart attack over nine years if they took frequent vacations.
We need rest, and we’re not just going to look at physiological reasons, but theological. That our need for rest comes from God himself.
Question: When was your longest stretch of sustained work with no day off? How did it impact you?
