Pursuing Jesus

 As United Methodists we say that we will "support the church with our PRESENCE." This means more (not less) than "being there." Just as Jesus remained present to his disciples, even his betrayer, he invites us to be present to each other.

 We learn how to support the church through prayer from Nehemiah (chs. 1 & 9) Jesus (Luke 19:41ff), and Paul (Acts 17).

 In Acts 17 the believers are accused to "making trouble all over the world" or "turning the world upside down." From the changes we see happening in our world, we understand the feeling - we see people and groups that we feel are doing just that. How do we go about turning the world upside down for Jesus? Note: Reading Kavin Rowe's World Upside Down contributed to my thinking on this text.

 After being beaten and thrown in jail, what do Paul and Silas do? They pray and sing praises to God. How do we become the kind of people who can sing in jail - or when our world is falling apart in other ways?

 Paul and Silas were willing to give up their own freedom so a slave girl could be free. (Acts 16)

 In Acts 16:1-15, we see Paul and his mission team:1. Completing the team membership 2. Discerning their next steps 3. Entering new territory

 We can learn at least three things from Jesus's experience of anxiety in the Garden of Gethsemane:1. Own our anxiety, don't hide it 2. See the things that make us anxious in a bigger context 3. Don't go it alone

 When we consider the Ten Commandments and God's commands in context - the context in Exodus 20 and in the rest of the Bible, we see that God's commands are meant for our good.

 In Acts 6 we see the early disciples growing in multiple ways. They grew in numbers. They grew in crossing cultural boundaries. They grew in their relationship with Jesus.

 Do we trust God enough to invite him to examine us closely?