Easter worship was amazing! All those people! All that celebrating! “Jesus is risen! He is risen, indeed! Hallelujah!”
Now what?
Good question.
As Susan and I were filing out of a packed sanctuary last Sunday, I wondered, “What will all these people do now?” I overheard one usher telling another that there had been 1100 people in the service. What would 1100 people full of the life and love of Jesus be able to accomplish this week in their neighborhoods if they were also full of the purpose and mission of Jesus?
And what about all the people in your Easter services? Now what? Maybe there weren’t 1100. Maybe there were 110. Maybe there were 11. Same question. Same opportunity.
Now what?
Now that we have observed and celebrated Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection… again… now that we have heard the good news of our redemption and restoration… again…, what are we going to do? Sit on the bench and run out the clock until we die and go to heaven?
No. Now that Jesus has freed us from sin and death and has restored us to His love and life, we get to follow Him and join Him on His mission.
You see, Jesus is on a mission. He was sent by His Father on a grand adventure to redeem and restore all things to His Father’s Kingdom. And He invites us to join Him.
“Come, follow Me.”
However, for many Christians, therein lies the mystery: What does it look like to “follow Jesus” in everyday life and join Him on His mission?
Does it look like following the rules? Does it look like following religious rituals? Does it look like convincing people of Jesus? Selling people on Jesus? Saving people for Jesus?
No.
The Bible says “following Jesus” looks like “loving people.”
For instance, in John 13:34 Jesus says, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Ephesians 5:2, says “…live a life of love, following the example of Christ.” In fact, “loving people” is how Jesus says everyone will recognize that we have been trained by Him, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another,” John 13:35.
So, if you want to follow Jesus and join Him on His mission, it really is this simple: look for people who need a little of the abundant love you have from the Father and offer it to them. Or, as the Bible puts it, “Love your neighbor.”
Because we are baptized into Jesus (Romans 6:3), we have Jesus living in us and through us. That means to the people where we live, work, or hang out, you and I are literally the body of Christ. We are Jesus with skin on. We are the way people experience His love in the material world where they live. The love comes from Jesus, but it is experienced through us – from Him, to us, through us, to the people around us who need Him and His love so badly (1 John 4:19).
That means you get to have fun being the neighbor, co-worker, or fellow-student people enjoy having in their life. You get to be the one who smiles and waves, notices and helps, listens and understands. You get to be the one who is quick to listen, slow to become angry, and the first to apologize. You get to be the one who practices hospitality, generosity, and humility. You get to be the reason someone receives some joy, experiences some kindness, or has an advocate.
Dear friends, living a life of love is the best way to live. It is a full, rich, abundant way to live. It is how we join Jesus on His mission. And it works.
I am often asked, “I know the Bible says to love my neighbor, but when do I tell my neighbor about Jesus?” That’s easy. When they ask. At least, that’s Peter’s advice. “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you…” (1 Peter 3:15).
Let me tell you a story.
About a year ago, a couple who attended one of our “Joining Jesus” trainings, decided they were going to be more intentional about meeting and getting to know their neighbors so that they could do a better job of loving their neighbors.
They began smiling and waving more. They noticed and helped more. They stopped and listened more. They teamed up with other neighbors and started having more cookouts, more game nights, and more birthday parties. And with all this, came something else. Conversations. The small talk among strangers turned into conversations among friends.
And then one evening it happened. As everyone was enjoying a fire in the backyard, one of the neighbors said to the couple, “We really enjoy hanging out with you and your family. There is just something about you… we always feel good after being with you. You’re Christians, aren’t you?”
Just like that, they were having a conversation about Jesus.
Neither the husband nor wife were theological experts, but they could tell the neighbors why they trusted and followed Jesus. To the neighbors, what the couple shared rang true because of how they had seen them live. The couple wasn’t perfect like Jesus, but they had offered love like Jesus. And the experience of that love made all the difference.
Last May, the children of those neighbors were baptized. Last fall, the whole family joined the church. It’s a cool story. But don’t forget. It all started with a couple becoming more intentional about getting to know their neighbors so they could do a better job of loving their neighbors.
The couple wrapped up their story by making an important observation, “We think our neighbors wanted to ask us about Jesus that night because we first took the time to show them Jesus in how we lived.”
Yep. The Bible says that’s how it works. Show them Jesus’ love so they can experience Jesus’ love. And then, when they ask, be ready to tell them why you trust and follow Jesus. When people experience Jesus’ love through you, it opens up their intake-valve to be more curious about Jesus’ truth as well. They want to hear more because of what they have seen and experienced with you.
From Jesus, to you, through you, to the neighbors around you who need His love so badly.
Joining Jesus on His mission: It’s simpler than you think and a lot more fun!
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Would you and your congregation like to begin joining Jesus on His mission this spring and summer? It’s the time of year when neighboring is most natural. In the months ahead, your congregation could start having their own stories like the family above. And Dwelling 1:14 can help.
We offer online, 90-minute “Neighboring Workshops.” Greg Finke leads the workshop live and walks participants through a simple process that results in everyone having a self-identified plan for joining Jesus in their neighborhood or wherever they travel this summer.
The workshops are offered on a weeknight of your choosing sometime before mid-June. After the workshop, Greg will also schedule three follow-up Zooms to continue coaching participants as they implement their plans throughout the summer.
Interested? Contact Greg at finkeonthemove@gmail.com or call 281-844-7644.