31 Days of UnitySample

(Re)deem: God’s plan for changing the world never ceases to be amazing. God chose to be born as a human, grew up raised by human parents, grew into the fullness of both God and humanity and then lived among and served everyday people. Jesus shows us the life that we were originally created to have. Jesus is a new Adam, a new type of humanity where God and humanity do not merely dwell in the garden together, but God and humanity dwell in union. This is what it looks like when the Spirit of God lives in our lives. Through his death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus opened up the doors of God’s kingdom and invited us to come and discover a life where we are filled with God’s Spirit and we dwell with God too!

This new life, with God and humanity dwelling together, is on display throughout Jesus’ ministry. It is a powerful life, filled with many unexpected blessings. So, of course, it drew notice. Crowds flocked to Jesus, to hear his teachings, experience his power, and draw close to the presence of God. They longed for this life in the kingdom, this new life where they too could dwell with God.

It wasn’t just the crowds, but those in power took notice as well. They felt the aftershocks of God’s power at work healing people, performing miracles, and changing lives. They were drawn to it, to experience it for themselves, and they were scared of it at the same time. For all the worldly power that they possessed, they knew that didn’t have access to the kind of power Jesus did.

In Luke 9, another layer of God’s plan is revealed. Jesus not only continues to do amazing things through the power of God, but now he begins to share this power with his disciples. As they are drawn into life in God’s kingdom, they are sent out to do "Jesus stuff". They heal people, drive out demons, and reveal the truth about God’s kingdom. These followers of Jesus going out and demonstrating this Spirit-filled life gather even bigger crowds and draw more attention. Jesus is preparing his followers for the moment when he will ascend to the Father and they will be the ones whose lives become an example and an experience of God and humanity dwelling together.

As we seek unity through the redeeming power of God, we are seeking Spirit-filled lives that communicate to the world the good news of God dwelling with and in our very lives. God’s plan to reconcile the world is to work through us, and the communities we form, to share the power of God’s kingdom. We too are called to go out into the world and do Jesus stuff. We are empowered to bring healing, to overcome evil with love, to bring the ministry of reconciliation, and to proclaim the good news of the coming kingdom. We are God’s plan for changing the world!

After you read the passage, ask yourself these questions:

• How does it make you feel to realize you are part of God’s plan to change the world?
• Have you ever felt the presence of the Spirit? When? How often?
• How could God’s power, displayed through the love of God’s children, draw the attention of the world?
• Stop and spend time listening to the Spirit, asking for God to reveal to you the ways in which God is calling you to demonstrate the power of God’s love.

Our Prayer for (Re)demption

Jesus, you did not come into the world to condemn the world, but to bring salvation. May your light shine brightly through your children, that in our love of one another, the unity of the Church, and our service to the world, all may see your glory and be drawn into life with you. Amen