Walking with Jesus - February 21

February 21 – Matthew 1 – 12
Focal passage: Matthew 7:13-29

Working Titles: Walking with Jesus Changes Everything or Before I Follow, Let me Think or I Think He’s Serious or We’re Not in Kansas Anymore

Beginning thoughts: Following Jesus or walking with Jesus is an all-consuming decision even though it starts with a simple choice to make room for him in our lives. Jesus was clear that he was offering people a different path than they found in the Judaism or Roman world of his day. Following Jesus involves a radical break with our "normal" life. The call to the Kingdom of God is one Jesus expected others to accept but he was very straight about the choice being made. We are secure inside the Kingdom but we must first admit how insecure we are in our current life. The storms are blasting. The destruction is happening. We are sitting in the same place as the early disciples. Will we join Jesus in the transformation of Real life, beginning with ours? We are free to choose to follow Jesus into the Kingdom of God and participate in the new creation or stay a slave to our “normal” and participate in the destruction of our lives and God’s world. We must participate in the end of the world as we know it, including the safe American Christian world that ignores the way and words of Jesus while it claims to follow Jesus.

Discussion topics: What are some of the differences Jesus would like to see in our world? What would Jesus start with in your life, if he used you to change things? What are some good things Jesus would build on in our world? Where is Jesus working now? How is Jesus inviting people to follow him now?