Re:Verse passage – Luke 19:1-10 (day one)
Join us as Senior Pastor Chris Johnson, Associate Pastor Aaron Hufty, and Associate Pastor Bryan Richardson walk us through Luke 19:1-10 in our Summer Re:Verse Series: “Better Together.”
Teaching
Re:Verse passage – Matthew 28:18-20 (day seven)
teaching them to observe all that I commanded you. vs 20a
As I sat in a subway car on my way out of Manhattan late Friday night, I began to think about this verse in light of what had transpired this week. I led a team of 11 high school student leaders and adults through New York as we aided a church planter in Brooklyn. We didn’t lead anyone to Christ this week. I didn’t preach at a service. Surely we didn’t come all this way just to have fun in the Big Apple? That is when it hit me; the great commission is less about going and more about teaching. This trip wasn’t about making converts, it was about making disciples. Our group was able to have some rich meaningful discussions about things we were seeing and hearing as we were traveling. We discipled each other. We taught each other. We also had several divine encounters where God led us to speak with people about why we were there. We pointed hundreds of people to the Borough Church as we served behind the scenes for an NYPD basketball tournament. We were able to help the Borough Church host their first ever youth outreach event at a bowling alley in Sunset Park. Though we may never see the fruit of our work, we were helping make disciples by planting seeds. Whether we were discipling our own group or planting seeds throughout New York, we were fulfilling the great commission!
Powerful and Personal
Re:Verse passage – Matthew 28:18-20(day five) “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth… and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Jesus’ last words on earth are mind blowing. God’s Kingdom is to include disciples from all nations. Outside the box. Different than first thought. Daunting. Intimidating. Revolutionary. The largest vision and mission. What would you think? What would you feel? What questions would you have?
Jesus wants His disciples to know 2 things as they process His command. First, He wants them to know “How big He is” (authority). Only a powerful and sovereign God could make this demand. We will never be on mission in a location outside His authority. Second, He wants them to know “How close He will be” (intimacy). We will never be on this mission alone. God won’t be just near us, He promises to be with us. Only a personal and relational God could make this demand.
How Are We Doing?
Re:Verse passage – Matthew 28:18-20 (day four)
Our passage this week is a very familiar passage…the Great Commission. As we have been studying this summer how we are Better Together, we have also been putting forth what our New Testament church should look like. Evangelism, discipleship, baptism, and obedience to the Word of God…these are the characteristics that we need to be involved in until Jesus returns. The beauty of Jesus’ final command to us on this earth is that we do not have to depend on ourselves to accomplish the assignments. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to us…it is by His power that we are able to carry out such a huge command. (Acts 1:8)
Every time we read this passage, we should self-evaluate (or let God evaluate) how we are doing, personally, in these areas of our life. Are we growing in our discipleship? Are we discipling others? Are we being obedient to God’s Word? Are we leading others to faith in Christ? Remember…we do the work, the Holy Spirit brings the results!
Shine
Re:Verse passage – Matthew 28:18-20 (day three)
“…even to the end of the age.”
During this Age of Men, that is, the age of the human race, one constant remains amid the tumult: the light of the presence of the Christ. But if we expect there to be any other source of light, the night — be it suffering or fear or loss or dreams dashed — will be very disappointing and very, very dark indeed. Perhaps it has seemed that way to you. Were you expecting more light, less darkness? Any sudden flare of physical light will disorient you (think of high beam headlights aimed straight at you in the thick of night on a narrow, unfamiliar mountain road). It’s no different in the spiritual realm. The light Christ gives now will be sufficient.
No need to be Alone
Re:Verse passage – Matthew 28:18-20 (day two)
…I am with you always…
If you have been on this faith journey for long it is likely that there have been times you have felt alone. Whether it be a season of personal struggle, hurt, loss, or just isolation we all experience these periods of loneliness. How does this correspond to this great commission promise of the Lord to always be with us? The simple answer is that when we are ever in doubt we would be wise to trust scripture. If the Lord has promised to be with us always, and we feel alone, what have we put in the way of that relationship? It doesn’t matter if what we are doing is Kingdom-minded, if it impedes our relationship with Jesus we must refocus. You can always trust Jesus to be faithful. If you are feeling disconnected, do an inventory of your priorities. In the end you will find him right where he promised to be.
Re:Verse Blog – 7/18/22
Re:Verse passage – Matthew 28:18-20 (day one)
Join us as Senior Pastor Chris Johnson, Associate Pastor Aaron Hufty, and Associate Pastor Bryan Richardson walk us through Matthew 28:18-20 in our Summer Re:Verse Series: “Better Together.”
Serve Like Jesus
Re:Verse passage – John 13:3-17 (day seven)
For He knew the one who was betraying Him.
Jesus washed Judas’ feet. Can you imagine knowing your friend who had walked by your side for years was about to betray you for a few coins? Can you imagine looking him in the eye knowing what peril he was about to put you through, and instead of casting him aside, you bend down and begin to clean his dirty and grimy feet? Can you imagine loving him enough to forgive what was about to happen? Judas betrayed Him with clean feet.
Could you wash Judas’ feet? It is easy to wash the feet of those who love us. We would all wash the feet of Peter who flatters us with words of affirmation, but could you wash the feet of your enemies? That is where the line is drawn for most of us. We will serve when it is in our best interest, but to truly serve like Jesus is to serve even when you know the act may not bring rewards. Clean their feet anyway!
Greatness
Re:Verse passage – John 13:3-17 (day six)
[Jesus] got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. John 13:4
If you want to become great, then become a servant to all.-Jesus, Matthew 20:26.
Jesus took the form of a servant. He took off his Rabi/teacher garb, then put on what a servant would normally wear in order to wash people’s feet. I wonder if that was hard for Jesus to condescend to that position, to lower himself? I find myself, often enough, out of some sense of self-importance trying to hold onto personal significance (greatness), not give it up. That’s my knee jerk, self-absorbed reaction. It is as if I might lose something of myself, some semblance of status or position, or become less, if I were to take the position of a servant.
The irony is Jesus did not dwindle into becoming a servant, he became (in the eyes of his disciples) great. Even in my own personal experience, the people I admire most are those who serve others, when they could easily demand service from others.
How about you? Will you be great today? Greatness does not cling to privilege or power or status, greatness gives it up in order to serve others.
Loving and Serving
Re:Verse passage – John 13:3-17 (day five)
“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,”
I marvel at the burden of knowledge that Jesus constantly carried. All that He knew and understood about Himself, this world, and others. He knew who He was. He knew how much authority God had given to Him. He knew what God had sent Him to earth to do. He knew His time on earth was drawing to a close. He knew that one of His own disciples was betraying him. Yet, none of that knowledge kept Jesus from loving, leading, and serving by example.
It’s very humbling to admit that I often use circumstances, knowledge, and yes even burdens as excuses not to serve or lead or encourage others. Jesus didn’t. Neither should we! So today, in the midst of our circumstances, burdens, tension, uncertainty will you join me in following Jesus’ example of Loving and Serving others?