It was when I was listening to Stuart Blythe preach a really insightful sermon at Mo Gibbs' ordination and induction to St Ninian's in Stirling yesterday that I realised it. Stuart was preaching on Luke 10.1-12 and the model of vulnerability in the ministry of Jesus Christ. And I was already into that. But then he spoke of faith as our participation - yes, in the life and ministry of Jesus. And also in the victory.
You see, it's not that I hadn't thought of victory. But there's sometimes an approach that sees all of the Christian life as 'victory!' . Victory in trampling people and getting what you want. And that I have no time for - nor, I believe, does God.
But vulnerability and persecution need to have an endgame, if there's worth to going through with this Christian life stuff. And that endgame is the resurrection. The entering into of the New Heavens and New Earth that we wait for. Victory.
So I've corrected my profile statement about what faith is. Thanks, Stuart.
