part of the best family

What's your family like? Now before you answer that question, I'm guessing you are thinking about the family that you grew up with....the one who you call "Mom and Dad....and your siblings...if you have any." But the family I was thinking about is a new family, the family of God.

Just again this weekend I have been struck by the incredible gift of a large, diverse and unique family all brought together by the love of God, through Jesus. Where the climax of getting to heaven is not that we get to have a place with angels and clouds, but the biggest deal will be that we can be the "people of God, that we can be with God, we can be with Him."

In that family of believers there will be people from all nations (it hit me this week too how most likely there will be more people from China & Africa than from North America)...and that somehow we will all worship in the same language.

So, for the new family that we can be part of once we say "yes" to following Jesus - there is an amazing party awaiting us in heaven, but also a wild adventure of loving and caring for those who are being added to our spiritual family all the time!

Crossover

So, as the year of 2011 has begun...so has a new series that we are sharing together at Gateway called, "Crossover." No, we're not talking about vehicles....sorry car buffs, but we are talking about how people choose to follow Jesus & the role of followers of Jesus in sharing their faith.

Now when talking about this topic, it comes across a bit redundant, as I am preaching messages to people who, like myself, who are supposed to believe that Jesus is "good news of great joy." If you get engaged, no one had to tell you to share the good news. If you get a promotion, you will tell those around you that will share in this joy....so here's the weird thing, that so often sharing about Jesus is like Oreo cookies, it's actually really tough to share.

So often we are so afraid of getting the words just right or not making a bad impression. I remember going to high school and thinking everyone must've known why I didn't go to the last party at the "pit" or where I went every Sunday....but to my surprise, as one friend asked me a few years later in college, "What, you are a Christian, I never knew?"

I am reminded of the words of St. Francis of Assisi:

"Preach the gospel always, If necessary use words." What a challenge, as followers of Jesus are the living example of Jesus in this world. If someone thinks of Christian, what do our actions show them - are we loving, patient, just, kind, encouraging, forgiving....for we are the real evidence of God in their world.

To follow up the quote of Assisi, there is a time to share words, as we are called to explain the difference Jesus makes in our life. I like watching the show Biggest Loser (and yes I often shed a tear), as this show shares the radical life change that happens - the before and after. We are all called to be people who are seeing and experiencing change in our life. For sure the change comes in spurts, and trials and struggles will come, but we get to share with others how and why we keep going.

So in this next month, my prayer is that our faith in Jesus to call lost people to a relationship with him will grow. We will see conversations started, and we will see questions asked, and we will hear of friends turning to God. Looking forward to an incredible January!