Well friends, it’s been a great three sessions together. In this final session, we’re exploring how to live change well and invite others to the greatest change that comes as we know and walk with Jesus.

Video

The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ represent the greatest changes ever known. On p. 98, I write:

The cross is the ultimate revelation of the love of God. At the cross, not only did Jesus bear our griefs and carry our sorrows (see Isaiah 53.4) but he also ransomed our souls from sin and suffering, from a world torn apart, and restored our relationship with a perfect and holy God. But the story does not end at the cross, because the resurrection of Jesus Christ shows his ultimate and complete victory over sin, hell and the greatest foe of all: death.

As Buechner reminds us, “The resurrection means that the worst thing is never the last thing.”

When we know this is true, we have the chance to share it with our world, our friends, our community, and our neighbours. One of the greatest challenges of this message in the 21st century is to find the language and vocabulary to share it well.

The story of Jesus is the story of truth. It isn’t limited to one culture, or one vocabulary. I give a few specific invitations for how to live into this story on p.113, that if our challenges include: Language and vocabulary, perception, confidence, and doubt, then these have as their flip side the following four joys:

• Timeless truth – The testimony of the historical Church is that freedom is found in knowing a God who does not change based on the fashions of each era. The truth found in Scripture is for all generations.
• Living truth – Our lives become one of the best invitations we can give to people to take the next step towards Jesus, and in this way we become living epistles in our friendships and com- munities, known and read by all (see 2 Corinthians 3.2).
• Confident truth – When we do choose to engage with the tools available to us, including an increasing range of podcasts, YouTube videos, social media tools, apps and published materials, we can become confident that our faith stands to reason and share our faith with assurance.
• Convincing truth – If, as in many places, people do not know much about the story of Jesus Christ, a personal knowledge of the gospel gives us the conviction we need to be able to paint a bold picture of the life, freedom, hope and peace that can be found in Jesus

Bible Passage

Come, Holy Spirit,

The one who makes all things new, Leave us

And our world

Forever changed.

Questions to Go Deeper

• Where do you want to deepen your own understanding of the life, death and resurrection of Christ?
• What are your greatest joys in sharing your faith? What are your greatest challenges?
• How has your heart been changed through this book and series? What do you hope to carry into your next chapter?