Come and See/Right where I am....
10/13/2009 10:30:51 PM
I have two themes to talk about.... two things that rose up in the message on Sunday morning and bit me so hard, right to the bone! I can't just share one, they are both very important... both very strong... both very needed.
The actual title of the message Sunday was "Come and See". This is described in John chapter 1 when Jesus meets His first disciples. Actually, they were disciples of John the Baptist, but in verse 35, John says "Look, the Lamb of God" and by John's word, His two disciples began to follow Jesus. Jesus saw them following Him and asked them "What do you want?" and they replied "Rabbi, where are you staying?" and Jesus replied "Come and See", and they went and saw where He stayed and spent the day with Him. A few passages later, Andrew who was one of the two disciples went and got his brother Simon and said "We have found the Messiah", and he brought him to Jesus.
Come and See! ... We all get excited when we have new good stuff to tell our family and friends right? We love sharing positive, uplifting things that will bring happiness to someone else??? Right?? That is what Andrew did when He found out that Jesus was the One... he went and got one of His loved ones and brought him to Jesus: literally!
Come and See! ... Jesus was bringing and inviting everyone into His life while on this earth. I know that a lot of non-Christians and some Christians feel like religious people try to separate themselves from non-believers, just like the Pharisees did back in Jesus' day… but guess what? Jesus IMMERSED Himself with everyone: the unclean, the disabled, the outcasts... He even TOUCHED them physically when healing them. He didn't have to! He could have easily not touched anyone and kept His distance to do His miracles... but that was not what He was here to do...
Jesus says "Come and See" for whatever you are looking for, He will give it to you....
He is the Rock of Salvation, and I would like to say to all of my friends "Come and See" what Christ is doing in me. See what He has to offer you, and you will not go away empty, but full like a river that is overflowing.
The next message that was impressed upon me was on missionaries. Now, I have been a Baptist for about 40 years now, and trust me when I say that I know what Missionaries are and have heard many great stories of foreign missionaries abroad and even people here in the States that do mission work, but Pastor Shante' defined “Missionary” differently than when I was younger. She said Missionary means "to send". A Missionary is someone who tries to persuade others to accept or join something such as a belief, a cause, or a movement. The message here that the Pastor was trying to convey was that I am a Missionary "Right Where I am"
I spoke in my very first blog about how I felt God was telling me to start in my own back yard by telling my friends about Him... well friends, He is still telling me that by the sound of this message... He is not asking me to go join the Peace Corp, to move to a Foreign Country mission, or even to join something local here in Rocketown that is part of a group. He is asking me to be willing to be "sent" among His people- among you, and among anyone else that I associate with...that makes ME a missionary.
One thing that I thought very significant was said... the bible says "For God SO loved THE WORLD" As a believer, I am to be IN the world, because that is where His children are that need Him... so…. not trying to hide out from anyone... if you want me, want to talk, would like to hang out, I am here as your friend. Right here...
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