Have you ever gone to a Rider game with someone who did not care for football as much as you do? You are intently focusing on the game, but they are not. During the game, they look everywhere, except at the field. They talk about all sorts of things, just not the game. Has that ever happened to you? We have probably all experienced this situation at one time or another; maybe we have even been “that person.” I know I have definitely been “that person” at times. (hmmm… perhaps that’s why I wasn’t invited again?)

Sometimes I think I am guilty of being “that person” with my faith. I know there have been times in my life when I have focused on everything but Jesus. The pressures, problems, opportunities, and victories of life have at times caused me to look everywhere, except to Jesus. Looking back, I realize that when this has happened, my faith has stalled; at times, I have wandered away from Jesus. Have you experienced this?

The author of Hebrews describes Jesus as the pioneer and perfecter (some translations author and perfecter) of our salvation (Hebrews 12:2). This means that Jesus originates, fulfills, completes, and perseveres our salvation. Jesus is the center of everything for the follower of Jesus. The problem is that, too often, we are distracted by the things around us and we take our eyes off Jesus. Instead of being the center of our life, Jesus becomes our ‘+1’, an add-on, an optional pursuit. The author of Hebrews encourages us to fix our eyes on Jesus as “pioneer and perfecter” because they know that what we focus on determines the direction of our life.

This weekend we return to Luke 9 and our “Journeying with Jesus” series. Over the next three weeks, we will look at three brief conversations Jesus had with his disciples as he journeyed towards Jerusalem and the cross waiting there. This Sunday, we’ll explore Luke 9:43-50 and see how Jesus responded to his closest followers when they took their focus off him and began to pursue something else. I hope you will join us as we consider what is in our hearts and where those pursuits are taking us.

See you Sunday,

Pastor Kirk