What Now?

What now? Easter is over, and for the disciples of Jesus’ time, Christ still does not sit on a golden throne in Jerusalem. You know the disciples still had to be waiting for and wanting that to happen. “So, what do we do now Jesus?” While we don’t have that actual question in the Scriptures, you know it had to have been asked by somebody!  They probably even thought, “This will be SO much easier now. The people will flock to us beyond counting!”

But, Jesus didn’t call for a revolution, at least not the kind the disciples might have been expecting. The revolution he called for was one within themselves. “You want to change the world?” he asked. “Start with the part closest to home, the part you have the most control over, the place where the revolution can take root right now, yourself.”

The message of Jesus up until the crucifixion was one of the arriving Kingdom of God. The message of Jesus and, by extension, his disciples after the resurrection was about the arrival of the Kingdom of God. Yes, it was wonderful news for those who were in need of forgiveness and salvation from sin but it was also a challenge to those who had been his disciples and those who were becoming his disciples to live differently. Folks, it is time to change your life, and it is time for me to change mine as well.

We do a pretty good job living as forgiven people. It involves several additional steps to live as righteous people, or even as people seeking righteousness. The good news is that we are God’s people. The call now is for us to live in ways the rest of the world will know that we are God’s people.

Remember, the call is not to perfection. It is simply a call to struggle towards that goal and comes as close as we can to being like Jesus, to have that same kind of love, forgiveness, compassion, sense of justice, and spirit of encouragement.

It is after the resurrection and the disciples, you and me disciples, have been born again. We are not the people we were before. The Holy Spirit lives within us now. We are the people of God, bearers of the word of God to those who will become people of God as the Holy Spirit leads them from our words and work. It’s an intimidating task, isn’t it?

I saw this very process in action this morning. I walked into the donut shop downtown here and found the owner taking time to pray with and witness to someone in need. I don’t know the person’s need that brought them through the door, but they left with a word of encouragement and a prayer that was offered to brighten their day. This is the new life that goes from “I hope you feel better” to “I know someone who can help. Let me tell you about Him!”

 Pastor Craig