How the Spirit Sculpts Your Life - Leo Sánchez - Episode 18

Leo Sánchez is the Werner R. H. and Elizabeth R. Krause Professor of Hispanic Ministries at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. A faculty member since 2004, he is professor of Systematic Theology and director of the Seminary’s Center for Hispanic Studies.

He received his Doctor of Philosophy from Concordia Seminary and his Master of Divinity from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon.

Leo teaches regularly in the United States and abroad. And he has delivered courses and workshops in Brazil, Cuba, India, Ghana, Chile, Panama, Argentina and Venezuela. He has participated in various colloquies on pedagogy through the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion.

In his community, Leo is principal double bass player with the St. Louis Civic Orchestra. He also enjoys swimming and international cooking. He and his wife, Tracy Lynn, have two children; Lucas Antonio and Ana Victoria.

You can check out his work at concordiatheology.org.

Resources

The Sculptor Spirit by Leopoldo Sánchez

Receiver, Bearer, and Giver of God's Spirit by Leopoldo Sánchez

Episode Audio:

Chapter 1 - How Spirit-Christology Can Help You Live Like Jesus

If you’re following Jesus, you’re probably trying to become like him. It’s really one of the main things we do as Christians. Sometimes it’s tough though because our sinful natures get in the way. Thankfully, theology can help us out here as we study the life of Jesus. Spirit-Christology is the study of the Holy Spirit’s work in the life of Jesus. In this chapter, Leo explains a little bit more about what that means and how doing a little more theology can have a profound impact on the way we live our lives in the real world, just like Jesus did.

Chapter 2 - It's Actually Possible to Live Like Jesus

Do you think it’s actually possible to live your life the way Jesus did? He calls us to follow Him, but is it really possible to follow Him faithfully? We often think the only reason Jesus was able to do the will of His Father and live a sinless life was because He was God. But if that's true, then what chance do we have of ever faithfully living up to the calling that he has set before us. How can we walk as his disciples and become more like Him? Leo’s 5 models of sanctification derived from a Spirit Christology deals with these questions. These models not only provide us with images of what a life in Christ looks like, but they give us a clear map forward so we can begin walking in the power of the Holy Spirit so our lives are transformed into the likeness of Jesus'.

Chapter 3 - The Drama of the Spirit's Work

In Galatians 5, Paul talks about the struggle Christians face when our sinful natures want what’s opposite to the desires of God for our lives. In a way, our lives and the struggle between these two wills is a great drama that plays itself out over the course of our entire lives. In this chapter, Leo unpacks his second model of sanctification that sees this dramatic struggle played out in our everyday lives.

Chapter 4 - Your Sanctification is Also for Your Neighbor

Do you have a tendency to think about your walk with Christ in individual terms? I know I do! It’s easy to become too focused on our own growth, our own behavior, and our own sin that we forget about those around us. It’s even possible to get so focused on our service for Christ, that we overlook those whom we are called to serve: our neighbors. But Leo’s Sacrificial and Hospitality Models challenge us to recognize our callings to lay down our lives in order to serve others as Jesus did.

Chapter 5 - Rest as a Means of Sanctification

You probably don’t think of sleep and rest as a spiritual discipline. But when you look at the life of Christ as a model for the way you live today, you have to take into account the times he got away from the crowds, rested, and slept. He even took a nap on a boat ride one night in the middle of a storm. Rest like this is a way of learning to trust God. It means giving up your control over your time and letting go of the never-ending list of things to do. In this final chapter of our conversation with Leo, he explores the devotional model of sanctification and how valuable it is for us to rest and celebrate as we become more like Jesus.

 

 


Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published