Since salvation is much more than “I get to go to heaven when I die”, the reality of the resurrection shakes other preconceived notions.  If my faith only satisfies my needs for the life to come, then changes to my lifestyle and behaviors become optional.

Once we awaken to the reality of the resurrection, we set out upon the road of mission – God’s mission of knowing us, us knowing him, and us making him known to others.  Paul states this at the beginning of his letter to the church at Rome (Romans 1:5) when he says, “we received grace and apostleship to call everyone to faith’s obedience for the sake of Jesus’ name.”

Following Jesus, then, is not something reserved for “super-Christians”, as if there were such a thing.  No, following Jesus is the natural follow-through to belief in the first place.  If I’m now awake and have seen the dawn, then I have a full day ahead of me.  The work I do doesn’t grant me any more grace (Jesus has supplied all that I need), but the work does accomplish the mission of God in this world.

Jesus has some stark words on what it means to be a disciple, words that are often misunderstood:

Luke 14:25-34
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

So often, we’re encouraged to take a clear look at what it means to follow Jesus (count the cost), determine if we have the stamina to do it, and then hit the road.  Some people have what it takes, and some don’t.  But that misses the point!

No one has what it takes!  I know I don’t.  I’m guessing you don’t either.  My tower-building skills will lead to an unsafe construction.  In fact, if I want it finished, I’m going to have to rely on someone else who has the special ability to make something out of nothing…

What we can’t do, Jesus can.  What’s true in salvation is true in God’s mission.  The good works that we do in our community is not meant to supplement the grace of Jesus, as if it needed a little boost.  No, our good works are the fruit of God’s grace at work in us, seeing his mission made real in spite of us.  Like Paul said, it’s for his name’s sake, not our own.

Today I heard about a woman in Indiana who is taking care of two kids whose parents died in a fire.  She asked her church to help make meals for these kids, and no one answered her call.  She decided to put an ad in the local paper, and got a much better response.

We should lament the reality that many in the church just don’t get it.  But we should also celebrate the reality that God is alive and well beyond what the church decides to do, working in the hearts of those outside of the walls of the church so that his mission can be made real.

Now that you’re awake, how have you come to know God’s mission in your life?