NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

 Jesus called His followers to go into the world and to do two things:  Serve and make disciples. 

           

He called His people to serve: to feed the hungry, to give water to the thirsty, to be hospitable to the stranger, to clothe the naked, to visit the sick and the prisoner.  In other words, Jesus' people are servants who touch the lives of people as though in doing so they are actually touching the life of Jesus Himself.

           

Followers of Jesus live in light of who their Savior is.  Jesus said, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28).  In Matthew 10:8 Jesus said, "Freely you received, freely give."  As He served, so we serve.  As He gave His life a ransom for many, so we live out the implications of being ransomed by Him. 

           

Jesus called His people to make disciples, too (Matthew 28:18-20). The apostle Peter preached that God wanted no one "to perish but for all to come to repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9).  So, the church, in her serving the peoples of the world, also shares the redemptive heart of God to draw near and to bring His life into the life of every person. 

           

Every person matters to God in every way: physically, spiritually, socially, and emotionally, mentally.  No part of our lives goes unnoticed by God.  As an old song says, "It matters to Him about you."  It does, you know. 

We believe Jesus is God's response to the deepest needs of our lives; so it is we live the way we live and do the things we do.  Freely we have received and freely we seek to give.

LESS CAN BE MORE

 In Zechariah 4:10 the Lord God asks, "Who has despised the day of small things?"  He certainly didn't, and He is God.  Perhaps we do well to pay attention.

           

In Matthew 17:20 Jesus speaks of faith that moves mountains and says of it that it only has to be the size of a mustard seed -- very, very small.  Perhaps we do well to pay attention.

           

The ways of the world constantly remind us that bigger is better, that more is better.  God says, NO, to this.  When God is in it size doesn't seem to matter.  Zero plus God equals God.  When God is on your side, the odds are always in your favor. 

           

The key for us in this is to make sure that our lives are open to God and faithful to what God is about in the world.  And, isn't what God wants the very thing we want?  In pursuit of God's good and acceptable and perfect will we live so that God may work His works.

           

An old chorus says, "Little is much when God is in it."  Mustard seed size faith is all we need.  Don't despise the day of small things, because small things in God's sovereign hand become means of grace, mercy, truth justice, love, acceptance, and forgiveness. 

           

Never underestimate the power of God in a human life.  Never underestimate the power of God in anything.  Don't ever believe that you are too small or too limited to serve God.  Little is much when God is in it.  Even your weaknesses can't stop the wonder working power of God.  The apostle Paul reminds us that God's strength is perfected in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). 

           

Never let the bigness of things undermine the possibilities of God.  All throughout the Bible we are called to remember that nothing is impossible with God.  In that light, trust the presence of God, and live faithfully.

INSIGHT

 In the Church we speak of being totally committed to Jesus.  We talk about taking up our cross and following Him, and about jettisoning anything in our lives that stands in the way of Jesus being Lord in us.  It is a very serious issue for us, and we take it to heart, seeking to live in light of the grace and mercy of God that have come to us. 

           

I have been thinking about what all this means in the day-in and day-out matters of living our lives.  Where is it exactly the rubber meets the road, so to speak? Its got to be more than simply words and spiritual duty.  This is a life matter.  It should consume all it means for followers of Jesus to be followers of Jesus. 

           

In my thinking and praying and seeking I developed what I call an "Insight." INSIGHT is an acrostic standing for, I Now Surrender Into God's Hand."  When I got to the T, I drew a blank not knowing what word to choose.  I got to thinking about words that begin with the letter T.  Tomorrow.  Today. Things.  Thoughts.  Temptations. Time.  Talents.  Treasure. Tests.  Trials. Troubles. Tribulations.  Living in Southern California I couldn't resist listing Traffic. 

           

What is it you might need to surrender into God's hand now?  What's on your list?  Colossians 3:24 reminds us, "It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." What might Jesus want you to put on your list?  Give it to Him, and let Him work liberation into your soul and joy to your heart.

THERE WAS THIS ONE PRIEST

 Death is no respecter of persons.  It comes to everyone regardless of race, creed, or color.  It comes to theists, atheists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, and every other religion in the world.  Death speaks to the poor, the middle class, and the wealthy.

           

The writer of the New Testament letter of Hebrews tells us that death inflected even the priesthood of Judaism.  Good men came into the priesthood, offered powerful ministries for God but, in time, death spoke and these men passed away, ending their service.

           

There was one priest, however, who stunned the world by dying but then was raised from the dead.  Because He lives His priesthood lives forever.  In fact, He "has a permanent priesthood" and because of it, "He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them" (Heb. 7:24-25, NIV).

           

This priest, Jesus, is "holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens (Heb. 7:26, NIV).  This Jesus "sacrificed for sins once for all when He offered Himself" (Heb. 7:27, NIV).  He didn't present a sacrifice for sins; He became the very sacrifice.  He is the Son of God who went the distance for sin and came out on the other side of death, revealing to the world that His ministry is forever, of God, and applicable to all people everywhere.

           

What a mighty God we serve.