Thankful for Stewardship Summary Sunday & fellow fanatics..

Luke 18 and the story of the young, wealthy, ruler's encounter with Jesus is a powerful lesson for us as we seek to find our way in a world of uncertainty. 

• The illusion of control is enticing and insidious. Wealth, health..
• "Coming to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than putting your head in an oven makes you a biscuit."
• We are commanded to love one another and "keep our kin" by the true King. 
• The problem posed in following Christ aren't as hard as they appear.  We should seek the perspective of a child as we entertain options. 
• Cost of Discipleship: Jesus asks us for all that we are..all that we have and all that we will be in the future..
• Linear problem solving approach to life just won't get it done.  
• We can't solve all of the world's problems nor are we obligated to.. 
• As we journey together to seek the goal, we learn that the goal is actually the journey itself. 
• Our salvation and the results are assured. 
• The price of our failure has already been paid. 
• The young ruler's freedom was respected above all.. We don't know that he didn't return to Jesus at a later date, but Jesus demonstrated his love, respect and compassion.. rather than forcing.
• Peter Pan required a happy thought and some "magic" to fly. 
• Peter Pan's childlike spirit freed him from his "anchors/distraction"
• Our strengths and resources sooo easily become our greatest weaknesses. 
• Fulfilling obligations and accountability/responsibility in a "get it done model" are not the path to Christ.
• Coming to church, and doing all the right things is not the path to Christ.  It isn't enough to present the illusion or facade of discipleship.  Christ asks us to be fanatical.