On Sunday we looked at Matthew 16v13-20, where Jesus states that the work of the Church is to reflect heaven on earth. God is reconciling all things to himself through the Church who binds and looses on earth what is bound and loosed in heaven.

This means that the Church functions as an alternative society here on earth. One where countless individuals, filled with God’s Spirit, put His will on display as they walk through life together.

Throughout the Scriptures, God uses the few to get to the many. We encourage you to find out what God is up to in your life so that you can partner with Him in the reconciliation of all things.

On Sunday, we began our Fall vision series “I will build my church” - based on Peter’s confession of the Messiah in Matthew 16v16-17.

Jesus is building his church by inviting humans into the very life of the Trinity. It’s a divine dance of love that we are invited to participate in. We are given the Spirit in order to acclimate to the culture of Trinity here on earth.

From Trinity we learn that there is other and union. We live in a culture that has tried desperately to eliminate friction in life; however, the call of the Christian is to do life together with real people who are different than you, and by the grace of the Holy Spirit to love them! This is how he will build his church.

In John 21v15-22 Peter learns that you can’t follow Jesus while looking at someone else.

Discipleship is not a steady increase of growth or us becoming our best selves. Peter’s life exemplifies this clearly. Following Jesus will take you on the circuitous route. Through the tragedies and triumphs of life you learn that Christ’s mercy abounds for those who look to Him and follow him.

In John 6v30-69 Jesus gives a teaching that even his disciples call scandalous.

His very literal statements about eating his flesh and drinking his blood and identifying himself as a God who gives his life away, offend the human mind and our desire to be great.

Jesus’ words here show us that the only way to truly live is to die to yourself, and let go of everything that could benefit you in this life. The beauty of it all is that as we partake in the Eucharist meal, our scattered selves come to rest in Him.

Jesus asks, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”—a question that reveals the weight of what Christ endured as he took our sin upon himself, while also showing us that following Jesus means yielding our lives to God rather than pursuing comfort and control.

We should expect suffering, not because suffering is the goal, but because the good works God prepares for us often require us to let go of our own strength, expectations, and attempts to generate life for ourselves. So we yield to him, trusting that whatever must die in us will ultimately give way to life in Christ.

Jesus’ question from Mark 8:29, “Who do you say I am?”, must be answered by each of us. To see Jesus as Messiah and Lord is more than knowing the right answer—it is a lifelong journey of following Him, allowing Him to shape our identity, priorities, and understanding. Our answer shapes every part of our lives and invites us into a life of learning from Christ and giving away what we receive.