"A gospel too small"

"A gospel which is only about the moment of conversion but does not extend to every moment of life in Christ is too small. A gospel that gets your sins forgiven but offers no power for transformation is too small. A gospel that isolates one of the benefits of union with Christ and ignores all the others is too small. A gospel that must be measured by your own moral conduct, social conscience, or religious experience is too small. A gospel that rearranges the components of your life but does not put you personally in the presence of God is too small."
-Fred Sanders, "The Deep Things of God"

It's a blessing to have to read this as homework. Freal.

Scattered thoughts v.SoCal

Humbled by how much I need to learn.

Broken by the reality of the Fall for the first time in a long time. It gets more real the older I get. People need to know that there's hope. 

Pensive but hopeful in the power of Jesus.

Grateful for the school and church God's provided me to learn and serve in.

Banking on the blood of Christ.

Wanting to yearn for a more real, consistent intimate relationship with Christ. There's always more life to be had.

Reminded that the end goal of the gospel is getting God. It is about getting back to the sweetness and satisfaction of knowing and being with God, Himself. It's what we were created for. It's what we rebelled against. It's what Christ died to restore. Communion with God is basically what atonement is about. It's basically everything. Though I didn't read the book, the idea of "God is the Gospel" (Piper) has really helped me in this slow process of sanctification. He's the goal.

Caught off guard that God would still want to pursue a relationship with me. Somewhere in this ministry thing I had forgotten that God still cared about Jon, not just them. 

As one of the books I am required to read put it, I really need to get over trying to "live for God" and instead just enjoy living with Him.

In effort to summarize what I'm learning in bite-size readable pieces,
-Jon