We are all called to make Disciples of Jesus Christ. It is part of the Great Commission of Jesus given to us in Matthew 26:16-20. To make disciples of Jesus Christ, we must first be a disciple. How else will people see what the grace and love of God look like? In our Baptism and the words of confirmation, we recognize and join the covenant God has given us through Jesus Christ. Christian is more than a title; it’s a way of life. Each day, we attempt to live our lives as Jesus lived out his. With the power of the Holy Spirit, we do remarkably well, and on our own, we often fail. But we know the grace and Spirit of God is there to pick us up, forgive us, and put us back on the Christian walk through life. But we need reminders of who we are and who we are expected to be. The Christian life takes effort. But we have each other and the Holy Spirit to guide us and strengthen us.

John Wesley understood this and drawing from the Puritan tradition, he published what we now call the Wesley Covenant Prayer. He expected the people called “Methodists” to pray this prayer at the beginning of each new year as a way of remembering and renewing their baptismal covenant. This is a bold prayer. We are asking God to help us live in ways we may not be comfortable with. It is a prayer of faith. A prayer asking for nothing for ourselves, except the greatest gift life has to offer. A life dependent and complete in Christ Jesus. A living sacrifice for God’s work in the world. In this covenant, we will succeed in some areas and may miss the mark in others. God will not abandon us for our failures. But the Lord does have expectations of his people. The Covenant prayer helps us remember what this Jesus way of life looks like and what loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and loving our neighbor as ourselves requires of us.

Pastor Rick