Sanctification

I have a confession to make. Throughout the last few Sundays and in our Bible studies of Matthew there have been overlaps. I have continued to know that often times there are coincidences that seem to defy common reasons. That has been true for me in the last few weeks. The sermons that have been given have dealt with helping us remember what it means to be a disciple of Christ. Through our studies, we have also been reflecting on putting our faith in action and this week I will be asking us to reflect on who is absent from our family both friends, neighbors, and those who are marginalized. As I was preparing for the sermon, I read my daily devotion by Stookey, This Day, A Wesleyan Way of Prayer. He was talking about Sanctification and what that might be in our lives. The scripture that he based his reflection on was Matthew 5:48, "Be perfect...as your heavenly Father is perfect." I wanted to share with you his reflection found in his book page 37.
"To be told by Jesus that we are to be perfect as God is perfect is a terrifying thing, a command so intimidating that we snatch it from our memories--unless we think of it in terms of capacity, not identical quantity. A pint jar can be as perfectly full as a ten gallon jar, even though the amount each holds is vastly different. We are not expected to have the infinite capacity for goodness and grace that characterizes God. But we can be and are expected to live up to the human capacity God has put within each of us (in varying measures), just as the Almighty lives up to full capacity of deity.
Further, the process of fulfilling the capacity given to us involves divine assistance. Sanctification (as the process is called) is not a good work we do for God but a good work God does within us when we open ourselves to the One who made us, who know our capacity, and who brings us to fulfillment when we allow it. Before this Holy One we present ourselves not as burnt offerings on an altar, but as living sacrifices in the world (Romans 12:1)."
For me sancfication is that process that John Wesley discussed about going onto perfection. And it is in that process that we become transformed as a disciple. If we go forth shouting from the rooftops about God's love, we are enabled to do that from the grace within us.