The greater dream would be to see and feel the hopelessness of people who are facing an eternity without Jesus and to listen when God prompts us to leave a circle of comfort and go into a zone of the unknown. The greater dream would be to pray for doors of opportunity to open – to be radically grace-filled, loving people. That’s the best life you can live.
When you walk onto your job site or into your office or school or neighborhood, if you look at the world like Jesus looks at it, then the main thing you’re trying to see is how many colleagues and friends and family members you can have on your arm when you cross the finish line into the next life.
I’m pretty confident from how I read Scripture that a life spent that way is a life with no regrets - it’s a life that started out as a ripple, but somewhere along the way, it turned into a puddle and then a pool and then a lake and then a river and then an ocean and then a tsunami for Christ.
You might even say at the very end, ‘I never got to live in that big house,’ or ‘I never got to drive the car of my dreams,’ or ‘I never achieved that or never got to do this,’ but ‘I brought seven people to heaven with me.’
“Those who believe in God have the testimony of God inside them.” (I John 5:10 - GNV)
And here’s what we might imagine Jesus’ dream being: That someday places of worship, religious buildings, would be filled with people who give a rip about broken souls and hopeless futures and Christ-less eternities ... that church auditoriums and worship centers would be filled with radically loving, outward-focused people who aren’t forever wondering what’s in it for them - who don’t continually need to be fed, fed, fed, fed, fed until they are fat, fat, fat, fat, fat - believers who don’t get caught up with small issues and make them into big ones so the mission of Christ is drowned out.
And I don’t really know if that’s what Jesus would say His dream is, but it’s consistent with why He came to earth ... that people who call churches like KFA home would drive down a stake and say, ‘I’ve bought in to this. It isn’t all about us. At the end of every day and at the end of our lives, it is about people who don’t yet know who Jesus is. It’s about people with broken souls and fractured hearts and busted up relationships who are far from God. It’s about people.’
God put a life message inside you that has to come out. You have a storehouse of experiences He wants to use to bring others into His Kingdom. You are perfectly positioned by God to reach somebody in your circle of influence with your story.
When it’s all said and done, it isn’t about how many books you’ve read; it’s not about all the classes you’ve attended. It’s about loving lost people the way God does. He has never made a person He didn’t love. Everybody matters to Him. Everyone does.
And be blessed.
6 comments:
PK, the majority of my friends and family are not "believers". Most of them believe in God, but not, necessarily go to church or..if you, PK, are the standard...they do not live Godly lives. Actually, I don't meet that standard.
The thing is, I truly love my friends...no matter what they do. I see the wonderful parts of them, too. I will maintain my friendships with them, no matter what. I, at least, hope my love and affection spills over enough where they feel valued and special. As flawed as I am, maybe I can be Jesus with skin...just as you have been to me.
If I believe in Jesus, but have areas of my life that I greatly struggle with, can I share my hope in God with others? I'm not the perfect Christian, but I STILL have hope. As you told me once, it is not over. I believe that, too. I just know, for a fact, that my happiest times have been when I help someone or show them love. I took the test thegifttest.org and my strengths were perceiver, servant and giver. It fits me. :)
Great that you took the gift test - and great to hear your results.
I think if i have said it once, I have said it 100 times - I am not the standard. Christ is the standard. I don't measure up to that either. It hardly matters that i might measure up to Him more or less than someone else - we're all still 'beneath.' Fortunately for us all, He accepts us and loves us and continues to help us move forward with Him. I'm in process, just as you are and every other person who names the name of Christ. God can use you just as you are - and in the process, grow you to become more like Him.
Thanks, PK. :) Having Jesus love us, in spite of our imperfections, really is a beautiful thing. It is a warm and safe feeling. I am very thankful for that.
I suppose this sappy of me, but this sermon really reminded me of the movie Pay it Forward. It is a great movie! The point is, if something wonderful happens to you, you can "pay it forward"...give the blessing to someone else. I think the gift of salvation is one I would love to share.
PS...I am watching it tomorrow, for sure!
This was my first time at KFA and this message touched me for the fact that someone this past week reached out to me in a time of great distress and comforted me with Jeremiah 29:11 and encouraged me to come back to God...(I've been astray for about 2 years) So if it weren't for her witnessing to me about the great things God has in store for me, I wouldn't have been in church on Sunday. God is great and works through us and I'm excited to be part of it!! Now it's my turn to witness to others and share my love of God with them...
LOVE IT. Thanks for sharing.
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