Have you ever really stopped to think about how amazing Jesus is? Even if someone were not a follower of Jesus I think there would have to be a recognition of the astounding scope of his impact. Does anyone else on the world scene come even close in terms of their impact on world history? I think we'd have to admit that the list is pretty small. I'm not even sure how you would measure such a thing but, for your consideration, what do you think you'd have to do to get your name on the back window of a car 2000 years from now?
Sometimes I think we need to stop and think about what we're saying when we say things like "Jesus reigns" or we quote Colossians 1:6 (as we did in this weekend's service): "The same good news that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your life from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God's wonderful grace." (NLT)
The Gospel is going out all over the world. Can you imagine the awe that Paul or those first apostles would have felt if they knew that 2000 years from now there would be millions of people worshiping Jesus thousands of miles away from where they began the work? Jesus said to them in Acts 1:8 that they were to be his witnesses to Jerusalem, Judea, and to the ends of the earth...well, in their minds I'm sure that it doesn't get much more "ends of the earth" than Lincoln, NE. It really is astounding - Jesus impact is incredible, to say the least.
So where does that leave us today? What does that mean for us, his followers, in Lincoln?
{one} I think the first step is to cultivate a deeper sense of awe for Jesus in my own life. I know that there have been multiple times where I have listened to someone more awed by Jesus than myself and I leave with a longing to love and admire Jesus the way that they do. Consider this quote by Dallas Willard:
Paying careful attention to how Jesus made use of logical thinking can strengthen our confidence in Jesus as master of the centers of intellect and creativity, and can encourage us to accept him as master in all of the areas of intellectual life in which we may participate.
Have you ever thought about Jesus as a "master of the centers of intellect and creativity?" John Piper routinely says that missions doesn't happen because worship doesn't happen. The point he's making is that if we really admired Jesus, if we really worshiped him, then there would be constant inclination to tell others about him.
{two} Refer back to point #1. Because...is there anything else?
One of my mentors in college used to say to me that "the only thing I have to offer anyone is the fruit of my own discipleship." I think it's a great thought and it has application in terms of missions - whether it be across an ocean or across an apartment hallway, or across the street - what I have to offer others is directly related to my relationship with Jesus. And, likewise, my inclination to tell others will be directly related to my own admiration of Jesus.
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