Always On Mission.

We have all been on trips. Vacations, trips to the lake, and to see a relative in another state. And in the process we usually need some kind of map to get there. Back in the day, I used a big Altas map and we did the journey looking at a paper map. Today, just plug in the destination to Google maps and it figures all that out for you.

Acts 1, Jesus is going back to heaven and he’s meeting with the disciples to commission them and encourage them to witness everywhere for the cause of Christ. Just like he calls us to witness wherever we are. We are always on mission no matter where we go.

So let me encourage you to always be present. Jesus has passed the torch to us as his followers to reveal the light to those around us in a dark world. Many times, we wait until the moment we can have a “big splash” but the truth is Jesus is present in all the small things we do to be like him every single day. We are able to live out that calling because the Holy Spirit lives within us. It’s in his power that we live everyday to the fullest.

I want us to be prayerful. That first century church was always in prayer. As you read through the book of Acts, the church was constantly in prayer for guidance and wisdom. So this summer, our prayer needs to be that God would open our eyes to see the world as He sees it. Then, we would be active in his story.

Finally, be perceptive. You will find yourself in all sorts of places this summer so have your eyes open to where God has you placed. Seeing how God is working is a discipline. So slow down and be aware of people who cross your path and the locations you find yourself. Jesus said the most important thing in Matthew 22 is to love God and love people. So let’s make the most of every opportunity we get this summer. Blessings on the journey.

Comeback.

I know you have a comeback story. I moment when the chips were down and you were not sure how the next move would go. in 1997, Apple, Inc., had 12 years of losses so they brought Steve Jobs back and within 2 years, their stock shares had risen to $99 a share. Apple is a force to be reckoned with now in the world-wide market place.

My life story is the same. I was raised by a Christian mom and dad who pointed me toward Jesus. But at 18 when I left home, I had my own plans. So I started living in ways that did not look like Jesus. I did not go to church, read the Bible, or hang with Jesus-people for about 5 years. I finally realized my plan was not working but I knew Jesus’ plan would. That’s what I had been taught. So I came back to Jesus when there was no light in my life and it’s been a wonderful 28 years in pastoring and ministry.

There are three basic moments in a comeback story. And Jesus’ story is the greatest comeback of all time. There’s the moment when you think it’s over. When Jesus was arrested and eventually crucified, the disciples thought it’s over. There is no comeback from a Roman crucifixion. Jesus had been their hope and dream for a different tomorrow but now he was dead. The disciples had to wait Friday night, all day Saturday and into Sunday morning for a different story.

Mary Magdalene goes to Jesus’ tomb early Sunday morning to anoint the body of Jesus. The darkness in her heart matched the darkness of the early morning. Jesus had done so much for her but now he’s dead. And there are moments when you’ve been in the valley as well. The moment you first learned about the affair; when you got fired; when you discovered you couldn’t have kids; when you had to bury a child; when you heard the word “cancer”.

But I want you to know if you are currently in a “Friday” or “Saturday” in your story, it may seem like a long shot but it’s not over yet! As long as there is time on the clock, God is working!

And then there’s the moment you start to believe. It’s tough to believe someone could come back from the dead. We celebrate Easter but more like a decades old family tradition or a church ritual. However, one of the most compelling reminders of Jesus’ resurrection are the number of followers who died for their faith rather than deny it. I mean, why die for something that isn’t true?

The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:19-20 that the power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in each of us that believe in the story. That’s an incredible amount of power to overcome within us.

Then there’s the moment the celebration begins. Jesus appears to so many people after his resurrection. One account says he appeared to 500 witnesses in one moment. They ate with him, touched him, spoke with him, and were close to him. Jesus was truly back and alive!

After Jesus ascension, the disciples are told to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to come. 50 days after Passover, the Holy Spirit comes on Pentecost. The disciples are given incredible power and tell the story of Jesus from the Temple steps. Peter says, “This same Jesus whom you crucified, God has made both Lord and Savior of us all.” It moved the crowd. I mean anyone who walks out of their own grave is exactly who he says he is…King of kings and Lord of lords.

The crowd asked “what must we do to be saved?” And Peter told them to change, be transformed, repent and be baptized…and they did. Thousands were baptized that day and the first day of church was a major success. We are the ancestors of that Pentecost Day so many years ago.

So, your comeback story can end in celebration as well. Jesus promised us life and life in the full if we say “yes” to his lordship. Transformation can be complete in your life and you can begin living your best life if you except Jesus for everything he says he is. Satan will pressure you to make excuses of why you can’t or won’t follow Jesus. But know, it’s in Jesus that you can experience all the joy, peace and authentic love you’ve been looking for. Blessings on the journey.

Our congregation just had it’s “Mission Sunday” this past Sunday. It’s the day we fully acknowledge God’s call to us to be in the world and sharing his story in multiple ways. It’s the day we ask our church to financially back where our leadership team feels we are being called into the story. It’s an incredibly encouraging time to reflect and dream. But how persistent are we ready to be when it comes to retelling the greatest story ever told?

Jesus asks us in Luke 18:8, “…when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

This question cuts right to the heart. Jesus is asking: when I come back at the end of time, will I find any faith in the world? The question we have to ask ourselves is what kind of faith is Jesus talking about? Is Jesus simply talking about adhering to a long list of rules? Is he hoping that when he comes back he will find us all being super pious and rigidly religious? I don’t think so. Instead Jesus wants to know if he will find us living in relationship with God. That’s ultimately what faith is all about: living life in relationship with God.

God wants a relationship of love with us. He already has a relationship with us and loves us beyond our wildest imagining. He wants us to enter into this relationship of love with him, and allow it to transform our relationships with everyone — our family, our friends, our coworkers, the sick, the poor, and everyone we meet.Our challenge is to find ways that we can grow in our relationship with God and let that relationship spread into all of our other relationships in life.

How can we do this? Certainly through prayer: talking to God, speaking to him as a friend, as a father who loves us, giving thanks at the end of the day, taking time to go on a walk through nature, maybe even going to church or reading the Bible.

Faith starts in prayer but it doesn’t end there: it sends us out to love in return for God’s love for us. Faith leads us to help out a friend who's in need, to show our love for our family, to take time to help the poor in our community, to talk to a homeless person, to volunteer in the hospital. The question for us is: what concrete steps can we take this week to grow in our relationship of love with God and let it spread throughout our whole life? Then Jesus will surely find faith on the earth when he returns.

May you prayerfully answer the call to live missionally! May you lean into the story of God every day. May you experience the joy of passing on the story of God in your every day story! Blessings on the journey.