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Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Over these several weeks I’m attempting to help us, all of us, find peace in the storm and ways to be God’s answer of HOPE in the global chaos, no matter where you call home, no matter your skin color or heart language or education or vocation, no matter your gender or age.
This week we’re considering the Assurance we have that Almighty, Creator God is SOVEREIGN OVER all things, at all times in all places, and He will accomplish His purposes for His glory...even when the world seems to be in such chaos!
Today let’s consider this: The risen Jesus Christ is our Sovereign IN the chaos! The Sovereign, Creator God came into our world through the miracle of the INCARNATION. In His sinless life here, Jesus lived “Sovereign IN the chaos” by speaking God’s truth which awakens hope in contrast with the world’s deception, which leads to despair in the darkness. Listen to these words of Jesus: “I am the light of the world, whoever follows ME will not walk in darkness…If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free…So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:12,31,32,36)
Of course, both then and now, people reject this claim from Jesus. They want to define their own truth as they reject God’s truth. So Jesus said to some of those who were present: “I came from God…I am not here on My own, but He, the Sovereign God, sent Me… You belong to your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the TRUTH, for there is no truth in him. When he (the devil) lies he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies…” (John 8:42-44)
Now friends, do you see that one of the hallmarks of a follower of Jesus is their ability to distinguish the difference between truth & deception, and whatever they speak should be only God’s truth, all the time. In fact John wrote it this way: “God is light, in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship (a relationship) with God yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:5,6)
Now consider this: As the Sovereign lived among us, He, Jesus, invited people to get to know Him, to understand Him, to believe Him, to trust in Him, and to be dramatically changed in their growing relationship with Him as Savior. And as they followed Jesus as their Savior/Leader they had a God honoring influence upon the chaos in which they lived across Palestine. As God’s Holy Spirit took up residence within people living in relationship with Jesus, they became significant in helping others come to know Jesus, and He became their Sovereign IN their chaos! In many cases these Jesus following people became the wisdom and moral leadership so desperately needed by communities and even nations living in chaos! That, my friends is our privilege as well in July 2020! Do you see the desperate need for this where you are living this summer?
Let’s look more closely. Shortly before resurrected Jesus left planet earth to return to heaven, He said to those He had been teaching and training: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore as you are going through life make disciples of all people…and I will be with you always…” (Matt. 28:18-20) A few weeks later Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit of God comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses…to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Please notice these commissioning words of the Sovereign Jesus were not exclusive only to those few men who were His disciples in the first century. It is God’s intent for EVERY follower of Jesus, in EVERY generation, in EVERY place! Do you hear the strategic impact Jesus followers could be having everywhere we live, work, study, play and have any interaction with people who are caught up in the chaos? “Make disciples” simply means…make a big difference by helping people know Sovereign Jesus as you do. Empowered by the Holy Spirit we are to help people understand and experience the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit as they grow in their relationship with Jesus, just as you and I are growing!
There was a process Jesus used that He invites us to use. Jesus always began with “Come to Me and you will see for yourself…” (John 1:39) Over and over Jesus did that with those who were interested in discovering who He really was and how their life might be impacted if they spent a little time with Jesus, and listened to Him! John and Andrew spent a day with Jesus and were so impacted, they went and told others that they were convinced, after only one day, that He was their Messiah, ready to help them! You’ll see that in John 1:33-42.
The truth is, the more desperate and chaotic the times become, the more people are considering how God might help them. Are you and I alert enough that we can discern when the Holy Spirit is stirring a hunger for God in someone who has been irreligious or uninterested in spiritual things before? Who do you know who is ready to hear how Jesus has changed your life? Invite them to ‘come and see’ Jesus.
Then Jesus moves to “Come and be with Me, spend some extended time with me.” (Mark 3:14) Lots of people were impressed with Jesus and His miracles, but He invited 12 men to come and spend extended time, several months with Him. And the more they got to know Him the more their world view changed, their attitudes and behavior changed,their understanding of Jesus changed them! Time in God’s Word and time with people who know Jesus really well, will bring change in you or anyone! Jesus and His truth will change them! Is someone you know showing real interest in going much deeper in their relationship with Jesus and are you ready to help them really get to know Jesus through significant time with Jesus?
Then Jesus moves to “Come and follow Me…” You’ll see it with Philip in John 1:43 or James, John, Peter and Andrew in Mark 1:17 or Levi in Matt. 9:9 or especially Peter in John 21:15-22. This is when a person lives what I call “FOLLOWERSHIP“. It’s the daily, intentional act of living your life following the leading of the Holy Spirit in every aspect of your life. It’s how those disciples lived after Jesus returned to heaven, especially John. And his letter of 1 John is so very powerful in helping us learn how to live “FOLLOWERSHIP“! I urge you to find time to read it in these days.
“FOLLOWERSHIP” is seeking to greatly honor Holy God in every thought, word, attitude, choice, relationship you have…that’s living worship! And it’s daily developing your relationship with Almighty God your heavenly Father; Jesus Christ your Savior and Lord; and the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. It’s being alert to how God is wanting to influence your world through His truth and compassion poured out through your life into the chaos! Now, what difference could you and I be making, IN the chaos of our world, if we were living true “FOLLOWERSHIP” in our relationship with our Sovereign Jesus? Just like Jesus and His friends did in their day!?
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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