innocent Bible study

We've been confiscating most of the teenagers on the first two Sunday mornings of the month for a little Bible study in the café. We were motivated to so do after watching most of them sleep, doodle, or text through most Sunday mornings. It's been going well.

We're going through a book called Live Like a Jesus Freak. Each chapter focuses on a characteristic that needs to be brought to submission. "Love like a Jesus freak," "Worship like a Jesus Freak," etc. Last Sunday was "Stand like a Jesus freak."

Timothy read through the opening of the chapter until he came to a reference to Luke 6. He read the first verse of the passage and paused. It was one of those have-I-ever-read-that-verse? moments.

Luke 6:46/"But why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?"

That stings a little. I haven't called Him Lord since yesterday morning. We've talked, but I'm aware of that sore spot on my face and I keep calling Him anything else I can think of. Maybe it's petty, and I know He knows I'm trying (... but how hard am I trying? My alarm went off at 6 this morning and I rolled over and ignored it), but it hit me really hard. We're called to a life of discipleship and obedience, not to a prayer and a tub of water and grace to continue in compromise.


Then we watched a clip from Luther. The chapter used Luther as an example of "standing like a Jesus Freak," so I jumped on it (as I'm doing again right now) because - as my husband and kids will tell you - I'm in love with Luther. I think I've read Here I Stand three times and the movie is remarkably accurate.

Luther speaks to and inspires me. I watched a podcast last week of an interview with Rick Warren. He was talking about people being imperfect and made the comment that your mentor's should be alive, but your models should be dead. Luther is my model.

This is the scene we watched. This documents the moment when Martin Luther stood before the emperor, various cardinals of heavy influence, and many of the princes of the territories of Germany and answered for what he'd written. Recant and be forgiven, or stand and be burned.