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We are part of a real-life story that is going on around us, but many of us haven't yet realized our role in God's story. To be a holy people is to be an intentional, loving people, with a purpose--to bring others to Him. We are now the place where heaven and earth intersect and from which the glory of God radiates out into the world. We are the people of God.
We may not be strangers in a strange land, but we are strangers in a strange time. As Christian influence wanes, exile helps us evaluate our lives, and, like Jonah, discover that God is up to something powerful among us. There is hope even in the belly of a fish--and God wants to use us to bless our Babylon.
We see in John 4 how a single invitation lead "many more" to become believers: the woman at the well encountered Jesus, and she HAD to share the news! Likewise, millions have heard and/or shared this same gospel invitation, but... there are millions of others who have not.
As followers of Jesus, we are commanded to take that invitation into our communities--the places that are familiar to us as well as those where we are not welcomed and do not want to go. To do so, we need to see every single person we come in contact with as "table mates" and make room for them to sit and join us.
In other words, we have to adopt the heart and passion of the woman at the well to share our relationship with Christ with everyone we encounter--even those who may have offended or hurt us. And it starts with one small conversation.
Worship is a response to what God has done and who we are in Him, and it overflows from a real encounter with Jesus that changes the way we live. God doesn't want to be part of our lives--He wants us to leave behind empty passions that reflect our misplaced devotion and surrender all of ourselves to Him. When we live with such passion--such worship--we can't keep it to ourselves. What are you excited to share?
Ripples moving in the same direction grow into waes. Transformation is a process, and every step is precious to God. He can multiply its impact in ways we can't imagine! What is your next "yes"?
Jesus doesn't see people the way the religious see people. But we're not called to be religious--we're called to follow His example. Everyone is created in the image of God and is loved by Him no matter what... therefore, we as a church believe there are no lost causes. No one should be defined by their failures, issues, or conditions. We are known, seen, heard--and worthy of redemption!
It can be uncomfortable walking in ankle deep, knee deep, or even waist deep waters, but God is calling us to something deeper! "Where the river flows, everything will live..."
Earthquakes don't end with the first rumble. The aftershocks continue long after, shifting the ground beneath us, and Pentecost is one of the most powerful aftershocks of Christ's resurrection. We are created to host the holiness of God! To be holy is not a command, it's an identity. It's not about behavior modification, it's about transformation! Real holiness is magnetic. Are you ready to allow the aftershocks of the resurrection to reverberate through your life? Because the world is starving for real people filled with real love from a real God.
Just like the aftershocks that follow an earthquake, Jesus' resurrecction and ascension were shocking, powerful, world-changing moments that continue to shape our faith and mission today. We live, we believe, and we serve in the tension between Christ's ascension and his return, but we are meant to be living aftershocks--carrying the power of the resurrection--into Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth! How are you living in the in-between?
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