October 05th, 2023

Hey Church Family!
​One of the most amazing things about Jesus is how approachable he is.  Whether you are a devoted disciple or a skeptical Pharisee you are accepted by Jesus.  The shrewdest tax collector and the unsightly leper, the guilty prostitute and the desperate paraplegic—all welcomed by Jesus.  And that invitation to "come and see" is an invitation to come close, to be healed, to be rescued, or be made whole.  Everyone who meets Jesus is never the same.  How could he be so powerful and so holy, and yet remain so humble and so touchable?

Only Jesus could do such a thing.

Even more staggering is his invitation to "come and see" gradually becomes "go far."  In fact, in Matthew 28, Jesus sends the disciples to ends of the earth.  When you meet the real Jesus, he saves you not just for salvation's sake.  He makes you whole not just so you can be holy.  He saves you so that he can use you for his purpose.  "Come and see" inevitably becomes "go and tell."  It's the bold commission.

Jesus doesn't just save you from something.  He saves you for something.  So, not only does Jesus save you from your sin, your past, the old self.  He saves you for his purpose.  To accomplish that which he desires.

Keep in mind, when Jesus sent the 12 disciples out to the whole world, not one of them was ready.  In fact, they were not educated enough, not influential enough, and had no resources.  They were the least qualified people for the job.  How could Jesus have the audacity to tell these fickle disciples to go and be his representatives to the whole world?

Only Jesus would do such a thing.

One of the ways you know you've met the real Jesus is this newfound sense of purpose that wells up in you.  You sense this desire to do something.  To go.  To accomplish something for God.  Real purpose is found when you meet the real Jesus.

Often what God rescues you from is what he uses you for.  Did he rescue you from addiction?  Maybe he's asking you to help the addict.  Did he save you from a life of self-absorption?  Maybe he wants to use you for service to others.  Has God healed you from a broken relationship?  Maybe he wants you to help others find healing from their past relationships.  When we begin to see how God has rescued us, we can often get a clue into how he wants to use us.

Your challenge this week is to write down your story.  How has God rescued you?  What has he saved you from?  That just might give you a clue into your purpose.  When you discover what God wants to do through you—once you see it, lean into it.

Together in Christ,
Pastor Michael