If you have not yet read David Brooks’ column, “The Moral Diet,” do yourself a favor and start there.

Then, read Luke 13.

Our church is beginning an incredible journey this week. We are reading through the New Testament as a community and Luke is our first book. Tonight we are having our kickoff event and our discussion will center around the issues facing us as the Church in America. I can think of nothing more appropriate to get us started in discussion than Brooks’ column and Luke 13.

Some who were present on that occasion told Jesus about the Galileans whom Pilate had killed while they were offering sacrifices.² He replied, “Do you think the suffering of these Galileans proves that they were more sinful than all the other Galileans? ³ No, I tell you, but unless you change your hearts and lives, you will die just as they did.” (Luke 13:1-3, CEB)

In a world that searches for “moral goodness” by thinking in terms of our own righteousness, we need to get a dose of awareness from time to time that we aren’t doing so well. We cannot do so well without Christ. HE is our righteousness.

The Church needs to do better. The Church is empowered to do better. We must do better. We must follow Christ. We are to prepare ourselves for the Lord, and we are not doing so well at this point in time.

It is time to seek the Lord. It is time to change our hearts and lives.