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!

Read the Bible in Sync Today

Ryan Sim - July 18, 2013

Thursday - Act On It - Originality

There is some teaching, especially when it's unoriginal and shallow, that you can take under advisement. You can simply say, "That’s interesting" and then move on with your life. We read stuff like this all the time. Magazine articles. Newspaper. Blogs. Facebook posts. Some people are very skilled at rehashing other people’s research in entertaining and interesting ways. I often read things that are of little value to me. They're just interesting, and not going to change my life. I hope the Sermon on the Mount we've been studying is not that way for you. We saw last week – hearing and living these words is like building upon a stone foundation for life. Hearing and ignoring these words is like building on a sand foundation that washes away. How you hear the Sermon on the Mount is like the difference between a wedding announcement and invitation. With a wedding announcement in the newspaper or on Facebook, you say, "Oh, look, they’re getting married, how nice". An invitation is quite different, since it has your name on it. It’s for you. We want you to come. The Kingdom of heaven is often described as a party, and it would be a party with the most original, profound teacher ever at its centre. The very source of truth, wisdom is the attraction. His way of life would now be the only reality. The kingdom he’s been describing, would be there in living colour. He’s issued that invitation to you. Come to my kingdom, my celebration, my party. And this is not just a future reality, somewhere else. It’s something we are called to start practicing now, really living it out, to be ready for the full production . Life on earth is meant to be a practice party, and you’re invited. We're establishing a new church, or Christian community, in Ajax – and it will be built on the model of a party with Jesus at the center. It will be like nothing you've ever experienced before. We're planning our first party for this fall. Challenge: We're running a poll right now, that you can find in our app or here on our web site: http://bit.ly/15B2yry Tell us what kind of party you could RSVP to!

From Series: Sermon on the Mount | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio

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