Learning To Light The Way Series

There is often a greater process involved. Studies now show only 15% of us come to faith in a sudden conversion. More people will have a process like C.S. Lewis, who came to faith over a number of years while traveling a circuitous path. Lewis was an atheist from age 13-31 and says, “I was very angry with God for not existing.” Then after years of reading and reflecting he begrudgingly admitted the existence of a Supreme Being. Still a far cry from following Christ, he explored Plato, Hinduism, and Nietzsche, and every week he’d meet in a bar and have a holy conversation with his Christian friend, J.R.R. Tolkien, who wrote Lord of the Rings. Then he took the step of admitting that, yes, Christianity seemed to be the best available explanation of reality – but he wasn’t ready for it. Later he wrote in his book Surprised by Joy that one day he got into the side car of his brother Warnie’s motorcycle for a trip to the London zoo. He later wrote, "When we set out I did not believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and when we reached the zoo I did." Now that’s a long way from the Damascus Road. Lewis didn’t get slammed to the ground – if he did I’d hope he’d been wearing a helmet. The fact is that most of us don’t come to faith on the Damascus Road but on the London Zoo Road, zigging and zagging through holy conversations over a period of years until the God whisperer leads us home. victor pentz

We do well to remember that Jesus spoke more about disciples than decisions…

• He clearly DID speak often of decisions… many very difficult and defining ones… but listen again to his propositions… they are rarely given with a sense that they were to be simply answered in a single moment… nor that any one decision said it all. It becomes clear that many propositions… and many decisions were a part of becoming a disciple (follower / apprentice).

• In contrast to the way we often think… it would be hard to state at what point any of the disciples believed… or at what point their decision really counted. What mattered is that they held onto the central.

• It’s more like a marriage… the implications of saying “I do” reflect a decision that will only be as meaningful as the thought beforehand…. And a commitment in all that follows. Las Vegas quikie weddings really aren’t the best model for marriage.

So what’s involved with becoming good fellow travelers with the light of Christ?

What is involved in lighting the way for others to know God?

1. CULTIVATING our own inner life with God

“You are the light…” assumes that we bear a relationship that is enlightening our lives. It doesn’t require perfection or completion… but a relationship that is authentic.

We are in a process… and don’t need to be afraid to be honest about it.

Remember what the first great missional life… the apostle Paul said…

2 Corinthians 4:5-7 (MSG)

“Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, "Light up the darkness!" and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ…. If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us.