I received an Amazon gift card in my Christmas stocking this year. Gift cards are great because you get to spend other people’s money on yourself — that little joy of buying something you might never buy otherwise.
Gift card in hand, I began browsing through the endless world of Amazon. My family always complains that I’m the hardest person to shop for — hence the gift card. After an hour of scrolling, I had to admit they were right. I couldn’t find a single thing I truly wanted or felt like I couldn’t live without.
Somewhere in my clicking, I stumbled across something called the YouCopia FreezeUp Freezer Food Block Maker. It’s designed to freeze leftover soups or sauces into neat, stackable blocks. As odd as it sounds, it sparked a thought that could make a pretty good sermon illustration.
This Sunday, Sari and I get to team-teach the lesson in Senior High Loft. Jordan has been walking students through the vision and values of Eagles Students, and he asked us to take on Identity and Formation. Understanding who we are in Christ and how we are being shaped into His image is foundational for every believer.
Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 3:18,
“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed in to his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
He echoes it again in Romans 8:29, saying that "those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.”
Spiritual formation is the lifelong process of growing in our relationship with God and becoming more like Jesus. Our identity in Him should be visible in how we live, think, and respond to the world around us. From the day we were born, something or someone has been shaping us — culture, family, career, friends, or even our own hopes and dreams. But Paul calls us to resist the world’s mold and, instead, let the Holy Spirit do the shaping.
If only it were as easy as pouring ourselves into a “Christ-shaped mold” and freezing overnight! Instead, it’s a daily process of surrender and obedience — allowing God to shape and reshape us as we walk with Him.
So ask yourself: What’s shaping me right now? Which mold am I fitting into — the world’s or Christ’s? Let’s be intentional in letting the Holy Spirit form us into the likeness of Jesus.
Now, let me ask a favor. One of the main ways the Holy Spirit shapes us is through other believers who are a few steps ahead of us. This Sunday, I’ll challenge our students to find someone who they feel reflects Jesus well — invite them to grab a Coke or ice cream or just sit and chat. I want them to ask questions about how that person has grown in faith. If one of those students reaches out to you (and let’s be honest, they’ll probably text), please say yes — and then offer to treat them!
This next generation is hungry for more of God. Let’s feed that hunger and help mold lives that look more and more like Jesus.
Well, back to Amazon, I still have that gift card to spend!
Pastor Ted
Associate Pastor