Why didn’t Jesus just do it?
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Surely Jesus could have set the world right and restored not only power to Israel but also the full redeption of kingdom of God throughout the world. He could have done it. But he didn’t, and instead he said, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” Jesus is talking to his first century followers, but he is also talking to us. We will be his witnesses in our city, throughout our region, and to the ends of the earth.
How are we living into this? as a church? as individuals?
I talked to a man at church on Sunday that stopped me after worship and offered his house to the church as a resource to help someone in need. I was awestruck in the moment. His family is moving, and instead of selling their current house, they are going to hang on to it and would like to work with someone in our church that is trying to get back on their feet and needs an interim place to live. This family’s compassion and generosity is a witness to God’s love.
I noticed that one of our high school girls has been using her facebook status to point to God’s love. Instead of telling everyone how practice was or how she is sick of math homework, she’s writing things like, “the day will come when every tongue will confess and every knee will bow,” and “Lord empty me of me, so I can be filled with You.” She’s being one of Jesus’ witnesses.
So, Jesus doesn’t make restoring the kingdom his final grand act on earth… he uses us. He thinks you are talented and valuable and worthy of being his witness. That seems like a big task… and it is, but the Holy Spirit gives us power.
In the little things and the big things… how are you, as one of God’s followers, involved in making our corner of the world a better place?
~Molly Simpson is the Campus Pastor of Resurrection West and can be reached at molly.simpson@rezwest.org.
