We have a CFA coming to Danville finally!!! I have passed by nearly every day and while you couldn't tell at all what they were building at first, now it's starting to take on the very prominent features of a stand alone CFA location. The more it comes along, the less it will be mistaken for anything else. Well...do we recognize that this is how discipleship is supposed to go? Being a Christian means that we, you know, actually follow and look like Jesus. The gospel breaks ground, and at first you can't tell much. But as we grow in Christ, we should continue to grow until we are easily recognzied to act, feel, and think like Jesus.
#SetYourMindAbovePodcast
We have a CFA coming to Danville finally!!! I have passed by nearly every day and while you couldn't tell at all what they were building at first, now it's starting to take on the very prominent features of a stand alone CFA location. The more it comes along, the less it will be mistaken for anything else. Well...do we recognize that this is how discipleship is supposed to go? Being a Christian means that we, you know, actually follow and look like Jesus. The gospel breaks ground, and at first you can't tell much. But as we grow in Christ, we should continue to grow until we are easily recognzied to act, feel, and think like Jesus.
#SetYourMindAbovePodcast
What if I told you that God could be seen in the most ordinary things every day?
What if I told you that every day, ordinary events could teach us extraordinary eternal truths?
Would you believe me?
Hi, I’m BJ Sipe – and you’re listening to the Set Your Mind Above Podcast.
I am a Christian, a preacher, a husband, and a father.
Thanks for tuning in!
I made my way over to Starbucks to wrap up the rest of my workday today, and much to my dismay the location was drive through only once again due to staffing issues. That was not going to stop me from grabbing a fall drink and getting my work done here though, so I got me a venti PSL and grabbed a seat outside. As I sit here, I am looking across the bypass at the unfinished building across the way that is mid-construction, and it’s really starting to take shape. While there are no signs up yet as to what this location will be, it is evident just by looking at it the more it has come together what this building is going to be. I am so incredibly excited to announce that Danville is getting its very own standalone Chick-Fil-A. If you don’t know much about me, you should know that I am not only an avid fan of all things coffee, but I am an avid fan of Chick-Fil-A. My first experience with the exceptional chain was not until I had left home and gone off to college in Florida, seeing as there were no locations in Oregon until just the past few years. I have been hooked ever since. But even though Chick-Fil-A’s are prevalent throughout Kentucky, Danville was not so lucky. We would have to drive around 45 minutes or so to get to the closest location, depending on traffic. But now, at long last, we will only have to drive across our small little town to enjoy the best chicken known to man. Back to the building though, as I look across the way, my eyes are met with the all too familiar features of a Chick-Fil-A brick and mortar building. Their locations have a very distinct look to them. The large, rectangular shape with a flat roof. The two-toned exterior with a modern flare of concrete, dark wood, and iron. The symmetrical, evenly spaced black framed windows that extend across each side of the lobby. The enormous double drive through line. As they begin to work on the interior, it will start to bear all the same markings of other locations. The flowers on each tabletop. The local themed cow art inspiring us to eat more chicken. As a matter of fact, if you were blindfolded and led inside the lobby of a random location you had never once entered before, within a second of opening your eyes you would know immediately where you were. The design is specifically called the “Heritage Design” – and it was launched by the company back in 2011. Every single new location or remodel is done in this flare and style to reflect Chick-Fil-A’s strong roots and personality. This particular location is scheduled to be done right around the holidays in December – which is the very best Christmas present that a guy could ask for. But until then, I will drive past from day to day and see what new things are taking shape as it continues to take the form it is destined to look like. Naturally, it doesn’t happen overnight, but when it is finally finished, it will be the exact image and representation of what it was built and created to be.
As wonderful and glorious as Chick-Fil-A might be, nothing compares to the work that God is doing in each and every single one of us. My friends, we must realize that we are being build up as the children of God to bear the very likeness of Jesus Christ. Paul will make this abundantly clear through his statements in 2 Corinthians 4. Let us first look at the apostle’s statement in vv. 7-11, “Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us. We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’s sake, so that Jesus’s life may also be displayed in our mortal flesh.” What a powerful statement from a dedicated disciple: the life of Jesus was on full display through him. Unfortunately, in today’s culture, many people have the misconception that being a disciple of Jesus is a very easy thing. So long as you believe in God and attend some kind of local church (if that), then that is what makes you a Christian. In reality, there is often very little change or transformation that takes place in someone’s life. Paul, however, has a very different understanding of what it means to follow Christ. He explains that being a follower of Jesus is hard, and it means that we are to think, feel, and act like Jesus. When others see us, they should be able to recognize Jesus – because it is Christ who lives in us and influences everything that we do and say. There is exact agreement between the apostle Paul and the apostle John, as we see reflected in John’s own writings in his first epistle, chapter 2 and vv. 3-6, “This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commands. The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet doesn’t keep his commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, truly in him the love of God is made complete. This is how we know we are in him: The one who says he remains in him should walk just as he walked.” The truth then is very simple: disciples of Jesus will look like Jesus. The qualities and characteristics of the Messiah should be seen in each and every Christian. The love of Jesus. The truth of Jesus. The gentleness and kindness of Jesus. The forgiveness of Jesus. The kingdom focus of Jesus. The self-control and self-denial of Jesus. Though each and every person looks differently on the outside, when you examine different Christians lives and the reflections of their hearts, we ought to see the same unmistakable image time and time again: the picture of Jesus, the foundational blueprint of the life of a Christian.
But this leads us to our second point, because if you are like me in examining yourself, you recognize the following truth: there are a lot of areas that I don’t yet look like Jesus the way that I need to. In fact, none of us are the perfect representation of the Messiah, and neither will we be fully until all things are brought to completion. John would say this in 1 John 3:2 – “Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is.” So the question is, what do we do in the meantime? John answers that question as well in the very next verse. “And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure.” God is not finished with us yet, but until he is, we have transformative work to do in our lives. With each and every passing day, we ought to look a little more and more like Jesus. This brings us back to where we began in 2 Corinthians 4 as Paul describes this process in vv. 16, “Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day.” Jesus is our blueprint, and our “construction” period is lifelong. So ask yourself this question…has building stalled in your life? Can we say with confidence that we are dedicated to discipleship in this way, that with each passing day we look less like the world and more like the Lord? I pray that we are. Also don’t forget this – we are all at different places in this building process. Some of you are brand new Christians, and in this way the gospel just broke ground in your life. As such, there is still a lot of work to do – and that’s okay! It’s a process. Some of you are seasoned Christians, and God has been working on your life for decades – and there are very clear characteristics that allow others to see Christ in you. Whatever place in life you find yourself, don’t give up. We are called to obedience. We are called to discipleship. We are called to day by day look more and more like Jesus.
Thank you for tuning in for this week’s episode, and I would invite you back every Thursday for a brand-new episode each week. If you haven’t already, be sure to find us on Facebook for future announcements or even some special video sessions. If you have benefited from this podcast, share it with someone else that you think would benefit from it also. Until next time, know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each & every day set our minds above.