Where will amazing happen?

It has been quite awhile since I have blogged. Seminary has kept me very busy. I have been learning a lot and I have been challenged both academically and spiritually. I am glad to say that I am going to pick up blogging again.

The NBA has been advertising all year that their league is "where amazing happens", which I think has been a successful slogan. Now that the playoffs have started they have shown past clips of spectacular plays of the playoffs of past years. They have asked, "Where will amazing happen this year? To find out the answer fans need to watch this seasons playoffs. I asked myself, what if we ask this question outside the sports or basketball world and ask the Apostle Paul this question and then leave the question to Christians?

"Where will amazing happen?" 

The answer to this question is wherever God's new creation breaks in! The Apostle Paul says that Christians will be raised to newness of life and will be restored along with God's creation. God will raise believers from the dead and restore his creation (see Romans 6, 8). This is what we are look forward to. But Paul does not leave it there. Christians are to do the "work of the Lord" and Paul says some how our work will not be in vain but will be affirmed in God's new creation (1 Cor 15). Paul also says that we are new creations even now and it is everything (Galatians  6:15). So though this new creation will happen in the future it is happening even now. It happens when people come to faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and it happens whenever and wherever the Church of Jesus Christ does the work of the Lord. "Amazing" happens among those people that "are" new creation and "do" new creation.

So as I prepare to watch the Lakers tonight, I won't be looking for what is truly amazing, instead I will look to God and is church for "amazing" or "new creation". I am remind of N. T. Wright's appeal to "dream the dream of God's new creation". What would it look like? To quote Kanye West "Amazing!" I never thought I would quote Tom Wright and Kanye West together! Anyway, I am encouraged to ask this question and then as Paul would say go out and "do the work of the Lord!" I hope you are encouraged as well.

God Bless,

Marcelino