Have you ever gone on a trip and packed everything you own int he house? Why do you think we overpack and have this desire to have all of our stuff with us at all times? Today’s society puts a lot of emphasis on “the more stuff we have, the better our lives are.” What’s so great about all this stuff? Technology has some cool gadgets like smartphones, game systems and so much more so it’s hard not to want all the cool stuff. The problem with all this cool stuff is that it distracts us from what’s important.
Jesus should be the focus of our lives. In Luke 10, Jesus discusses how there aren’t enough workers and that if you decide to follow Him, to leave all your possessions behind you. He will provide everything we need, and He knows how tough the trip will be:
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; do not greet anyone on the road. ~Luke 10:2-4
Jesus was always actively recruiting more people to follow in His footsteps. He calls us all to go into the pack of wolves to help save other lambs. It’s vital that we remember He will provide everything we need to survive.
From everything that Jesus taught, what was one of His main points? With all the parables he told, what was the central theme? It’s a pretty simple one if you think about it and Matthew 29:19-20 is where Jesus mentions it:
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
We need to go out, meet people, and tell them all about Jesus and what He did for us. We also need to say to them that He is coming back. We may not know the time or day when He’s coming back, but the Bible says that He’s coming. Anyone that we come in contact with needs to be able to see His light.
Take some time to think about a specific person. Is this person a Christian? If not, have you taken the time to reach out to them and tried to help them see a little bit of light? It could be something as simple as sending them a message that asks how they’re doing or meeting with them for coffee. Taking the time to focus on them will help them know that they mean someone to someone else and they’re worth your time. Make sure to do this with your Christian friends too. They are just as important.
Remember that one of the ways that you can shed light is by becoming a Home of Influence within the Flatland Church family. Homes of Influence are places around Omaha that are dedicated to bringing the light into their neighborhoods. Whether that’s by providing dinner to a family, scooping snow off a neighbor’s sidewalk, or walking around the block in prayer, they offer a great avenue to bring the light of Jesus to places outside the church walls. It’s an opportunity to share our experiences and stories with our neighbors. By doing this, we can plant the seed for God to grow.
Authority is a word that some people don’t like. Children don’t like the authority of their parents because they believe they don’t get it. Individuals who break the law don’t think they have to listen to authorities when they’re committing a crime. Authority in God’s eyes is completely different. Jesus says:
Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me. ~Luke 10:16
We have authority when we have a relationship with Jesus. We have His power. Just as He says in the verse above, we’re able to reach people just as He did if we have the desire. The last question becomes how do we know we have the authority? Well, do you have a relationship with Jesus or are you trying to work through a specific formula? Acts 19 tells the story of some men who attempted to drive demons out of other people. Rather than having a relationship with Jesus, they thought they could do it based on Paul’s faith. Without faith of their own, the demons were able to take advantage of them and left them beaten and bleeding. We cannot have the authority of Jesus without having a relationship with Him. Remember this:
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. ~Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus is always with us no matter where we go. Believe this, and you will have everything you need.
