Racer Campus Ministry

What does it mean to live a citizens of the kingdom of heaven? How do we live a life worthy of our King, Jesus? Philippians 1:12-18aIs it possible for us to see God's purposes even through our problemsIs it possible for us to see the evidence of God's presence and power, even when evil is being done around us or to us?As citizens of the kingdom of heaven, we posture our heart toward God's purpose, even when we encounter problems. "Even though Paul was imprisoned, being mistreated by fellow believers, even though he might soon be executed - all he could do was praise God and be filled with gratitude for his life." - Dr. Earl Lavender

Followers of Jesus are challenged not to sit in a place of condemnation over the world, but to offer discernment and correction within relationship. There is such a danger when we try to stand beside Jesus and condemn the world. Instead, we should look for ways to live in relationship with others and offer correction and the Holy Spirit leads us toward his way in the world.

The posture of our heart and perspective of our eyes set the path for our priorities. As followers of Jesus, this is especially true for our possessions. Therefore, what practices can reorient our posture, revision our perspective and redirect our path? 

What if fasting is a witness of how God is at work in his world? We fast from food to feed on the Spirit because Jesus fasted and the people of God have long fasted. Fasting also reveals our brokenness and aligns us physically and spiritually. Why would followers of Jesus not fast? 

As followers of Jesus, our worth and our worry are reworked as we seek first to seek Him first. It is our pursuit of God's kingdom purpose that transforms our value as humans and the veracity of our everyday worry. How can we seek first to seek Him first and let God rework our worth and worry? 

Followers of Jesus are to protect the posture of their heart by praying in private. Instead of pursing the praise of others in public, we are to pursue the presence of the Father in private. And, by praying the words of Jesus, we align ourselves with his mission in the world as children of God, bringing heaven home and unleashing the kingdom of God in the world.

Jesus assumes his followers will give to those in need. But he reminds us that it is easy for our intention to become attention. Jesus offers a directive to guard such endeavors, giving to others in private so that we will not gain from others in public. This trajectory calibrates our heart toward receiving a reward from the Father instead of receiving the recognition of humans.

God loves you. God loves your enemy. What if both of those statements are true? How might that change the way we love our enemies? Jesus followers are challenged to be people who pray for their enemy, posture their mind toward them, and practice hospitality with them. What if you are most like God when you choose to love your enemy?

Have you ever wanted to retaliate? Jesus challenges those who want to live his way in the world to create nonviolent ways to engage those around them. Followers of Jesus are to create ways to love hard-to-love people. 

If the crux of the kingdom of God is for Jesus followers to love God and love people, what does that look like? In other words, what shape does love take in the kingdom of God? In the way of Jesus, we cannot be shaped like love if we are not shaped like a cross. Love-shaped people are cross-shaped people.

As followers of Jesus, we are to love as Jesus loved, giving our life away for the sake of the world. It would stand to reason, then, that we will become love as we give our life away. What if we actually become our truest self when we give our life away? Therefore, what is love asking of you in this moment?

How honest are you in your everyday conversations? Do you ever tie yourself to something greater to make yourself sound better? Jesus challenges his followers to be honest, truth-tellers. We combat the dishonest narratives of the world that are rooted in fear with the narrative of the kingdom that is planted in love. Therefore, following Jesus means trusting God for our worth so we can be honest with our words.

Jesus challenges his followers to do whatever it takes to eliminate the lust of their hearts. Lust is not mere visual appreciation or temptation, but visual gratification from another's body. How can we become love in the world when lust has a rule and reign over our hearts? May we begin our journey to kingdom freedom as we get honest, open, training in the way of Jesus.

Jesus reorients the target and trajectory of our anger from murder to reconciliation. Simply not murdering people is out of line with the way of God in the world, followers of Jesus must surrender even their anger to Jesus and allow him to transform them from the inside out. Anger, then, is rescued through reconciliation with God, others, ourselves and creation. How do you need to reorient your anger?

Jesus is the direction of God's Story. All threads and trajectories within the story of God are tied to Jesus. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges his audience to reorient the direction of their life around them as he changes their desires. Where do we need Jesus to continue to orient the direction of our lives as he changes our desires?

Jesus proclaims that those who participate in his kingdom are salt and light. These markers are part of the identity of those who follow Jesus. Being salt and light are not an addition to participation in the kingdom of God, they are at the center of our identity as kingdom people. In other words, followers of Jesus are visible servants of the kingdom of God. Do you have a heart to serve people in this way?

The Sermon on the Mount begins with the good news that the last, the lost and the least are blessed in the kingdom of God. Those who constantly long for more in this world belong in God's kingdom. As those who experience such seasons, we receive the good news new and reach for a greater hope that God will make all things right later.

Followers of Jesus help others trust and follow Jesus. As we go to school, as we go to work and as we interact with others, we participate in Jesus' mission to make disciples. Jesus claims all authority in heaven and on earth, and he promises to be with his followers always. Our purpose, our commission, is powered by His promises. Who has God placed in your life to help trust and follow Jesus?

Followers of Jesus embrace the tension of living as kingdom people on earth. While Jesus ushered in the kingdom of God, we still experience the everyday realities of the world. We live in the overlap the world and the kingdom. To participate in the kingdom of God now, to usher in God's rule and reign on earth, we repent, reach and restore. We repent of our ways of thinking that are not in line with God's desire for creation. We reach out to those God places in our sphere. And, we restore those we reach to relationship with God, humans and themselves.

Jesus' identity, purpose, trust and power are tested in the wilderness. As Adam, Eve and Israel failed when tempted, Jesus succeed. How do we, then, find our way in the wilderness? How do we navigate our journey when we are tempted and tested the way Jesus was in the wilderness?Our way in the wilderness is won through God's Word and our worship. God's Word speaks words of identity and purpose, reminding us who we are to trust and the cruciform power we claim as followers of Jesus. And, everyday worship postures's our hearts on God's presence so that we can praise him in each moment.

Who or what has influenced your identity? As followers of Jesus, our identity is received, not achieved. Our identity is not achieved through our reputation, through deceit or through our own achievements. Our identity is received through the love of the Father, the invitation of Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew's second origin story of Jesus includes the reason God sent Jesus into the world. Jesus is God with us, here to rescue the world. The names of Jesus are the invitations of Jesus. We are invited into a story where God is here in Jesus and where God rescues the world in Jesus. Where do you need to accept the invitations of Jesus?

Who is writing your story? Matthew begins his good news with the origin story of Jesus. The opening litany of names points toward Jesus' origin story as meaningful, messy and miraculous. As follower of Jesus, Jesus' story must become our story. May we embrace and engage Matthew's witness of Jesus' genealogy this week.