Thought for the Week 12th March 2017

1.      Joining Jesus in His Mission  – we need Him!

 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened”.  (Matt 7:7,8)

Jesus invites everyone who follows Him to join Him in His mission.  Responding to His invitation requires that we live a life that is different, a life that causes people to be curious about what (or who) it is that causes us to be who we are.  It also requires that we tell people about the Jesus who is changing us.

The challenge for many followers of Jesus is that we allow our lives to be shaped by the world that we are surrounded by, rather than by Jesus. The result of this is that there is no apparent difference between us, and the people that we live among.  As such, they are not curious about our faith, and our words, if we share anything, do not make an impact. 

How can this change?

In Matthew chapters 5-7 Jesus preached the ‘Sermon on the mount’.  This sermon outlines what it means to live life in the Kingdom of God, as a follower of Jesus.  The sermon is filled with numerous challenges to do things that cut against everything that comes naturally to us. 

Among so many other things, Jesus tells us: ‘love your enemies and pray for them’ ‘if somebody takes your coat, offer them your tunic as well’ ‘Don’t worry about having material possessions but trust in the God who provides everything’. 

Each of these things, and the many others that he refers to as key aspects of living as His follower, are enormously difficult and most of us, if we are honest, do not even attempt them.

The first disciples, as they heard Jesus teaching in such a revolutionary way must have felt the same as we do.  They must have been thinking, ‘How on earth can I ever live a life like that?’

To those first disciples and to us, Jesus says:

 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.  (Matt 7:7,8)

As you go through this week, remember that however difficult it may be to live for Jesus…you can ask Him!