Pressing Forward Together

Why is it that Paul can offer himself as someone to be imitated and few of us would dare to do so?

It was a tradition for graduating college seniors in our Christian fellowship to give a few parting words of wisdom to the underclassmen. Most gave reallypractical advise about investing in relationships with others, or the value of quiet times. I don't know what wave of boldness overcame me, but ten years ago, I decided to take up this week's passage where Paul writes, "Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do." In hindsight, as a young 22 year old, I know I was being brash and making my peers squirm a little bit. But after having studied this week, I'm confident that these words need to be on all of our lips.

What made the difference for Paul? If I could write my own paraphrase of Paul's words, it would go something like this: "It's not that I've arrived. Quite the opposite. I'm on the way there! So join me (and Timothy and Epaphroditus) in straining and struggling forward to our goal!" In other words, Paul wanted people to join him not because he'd figured it all out, but because he had seen the power of Christ's resurrection at work and knew that it leads somewhere great!

What difference does the resurrection make for Lake Avenue Church? This is what we'll be exploring this weekend – how to be a church of people on the way together, what goal we're pressing on toward, and where the upward-moving call will take us. Please join me in praying for God's guiding and leading of our church family.

To His glory,

Jeff Liou
Pastor of College Ministries