We live in a community that is a veritable kaleidoscope of cultures; Korean, Indian, African, Chinese, European and uncounted others. The polyglot formed and influenced by all of these we call American. The proof of this can be seen by a drive through the restaurant district of any town. Aside from hamburgers it is difficult to find a restaurant that is not ethnic in one way or another. Yet a child born into the world does not automatically know the culture of their birth parents. They have to be taught. It is a subtle thing that begins at birth with things like holidays, manners, and the interactions between the people around you, language and even the food we eat. All of these and more are teaching us the culture we are born into. Learning our culture is as natural as breathing. If you think there is something genetic to culture think again. I was in Boston a few years ago and I observed two striking African women dressed like foreign diplomats. I was wondering where they were from when they started discussing where their seats were located in Fenway Park. With a pure Boston accent and obviously die hard Red Sox fans, culturally they were pure Boston.

Becoming Christian is like learning a culture. We learn by association. We begin our Journey toward Christian maturity in our Baptism and it is the Body of Christ that nurtures and guides us into all that it means to be in Christ. We are literally immersed in it just as we immerse ourselves in the water in total immersion Baptism. At RLC we have been called to make disciples, mature Christians who both live and share their faith. It is a culture not a specific set of knowledge or abilities and like any other culture we learn it by being around mature individuals who can nurture us in our faith.

Paul calls the church the body of Christ. We all play a specific part but the true leadership, the head is the Christ. Jesus communicates with us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He tells us all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God. (Romans 8:14-16)

The key to Christianity is learning to be led by the Spirit. When we do that we become a part of something that is much larger than ourselves. We become disciples, ministers of the reconciliation, and any of a number of other ways Scripture uses to describe some who is led by the Spirit and lives and moves as part of the Body of Christ.

This means that as Christians we are all interconnected through Christ by the Spirit. We no longer act as individuals but in unity according to the will of God. That is the rub. Learning to be Spirit led does not seem to come easily to most of us. It defies our normal experience of the world. The first step is to get to know Jesus and the easiest way to do this is through Scripture. Bible studies are best since you can interact with others who are at different places in their spiritual journeys but any way of interacting with the Bible will help your relationship with God.

We also need to learn to pray for direction. Normally we pray for our needs asking God to be with us in our difficulties. In praying for direction as a Spirit led Christian we need to pray asking what God needs and desires. Forming our lives around God’s will is what it means to be a Christian.

We also need to recognize our own limitations. Zechariah helps us find a good balance by advising us that it is "Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts" (Zech. 4:6). It is His Spirit that accomplishes the work, not our strength. As we allow His Spirit to rule, and guide us, more is accomplished than we could ever do in our own strength.

In the beginning of our walk we can just ask ourselves “what would Jesus do?” The more we know him the more likely we are to be able to answer what may seem like a simple question. Seeking God’s guidance is critical in our life together as a Church.

Please pray for Guidance in our life together as a Church. Increase your efforts to know Jesus more closely and ask for his direction for yourself and for the Body of Christ here at RLC. As we grow closer to God seeking first the things of God we will as the Children of God also grow deeper into God’s blessing as well.

Pastor Jim Bliss
July 2009