Luke 4.42-43 42 Early
the next morning Jesus went out to an isolated place. The crowds searched
everywhere for him, and when they finally found him, they begged him not to
leave them. 43 But he replied, “I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom
of God in other towns, too, because that is why I was sent.”
At the end of His earthly ministry Jesus told His men He
was leaving. They were bummed out over the news. He reassured them that when He
left, He would leave His Spirit with them, but I’m not real sure if they
understood what that meant. The lesson is a lesson of faith. They wanted: Stay
Jesus stay! He said, I will; but just not in the way you think…
Jesus did ascend. He left them physically, but He said He
stay with them by His Spirit. He left, but He stayed. Jesus did what He said
and His Spirit is here ever since.
The people in Luke’s gospel were looking for someone to
care for them and meet their needs. Funny, that is the very business God is in.
Those people in Luke, wanted someone to be their benevolent king. They weren’t
looking for a Savior they were looking for a welfare check. And an endless one
at that. No work, just preaching, teaching, and partying. Sounds like a cool
gig. Sounds like a lot of people in church…
Our lives were not made for ease, we were made for work.
Now that’s not that we were made to be machines, but we were made to work and
produce and conduct ourselves in this world in a manner befitting our calling
and our God. We were made for work and we were made for worship, but we confuse
the two. We worship when we should be working and we work when we should be
humble at God’s feet.
I think the Father prefers we worship in our work, and we
work at our worship. I think life would be easier if we could keep the two in
proper perspective, but not mutually exclusive. Jesus came to set us free, not
to build dependency: He does all the work, and we party.
Yes, we are to be dependent
upon Him (apart from Him we can do nothing) but we are also to do our part and
that is cooperate with Him. Cooperating
with Jesus is both work and worship. I don’t need another Jesus-led feeding of
the five thousand, what I need is Jesus, in me, leading me to do the same;
trusting He is with me and in me, and expressing His heart of love to others
through me. When people look at me they ought to see Jesus.
Jesus wasn’t sent as a babysitter to a small group of
people; He was sent as a Savior to all people. And He was sent as an Equipper
to all who would receive Him. And He was sent as a Freer teaching all of us, that in all we do, He is with us. And
that ought to be evident to others around us.
Lord Jesus, it’s
not about me. Help me to quit thinking that way and learn to cooperate with You
in what You are doing in the whole wide world, not just my little sphere. Like
You Lord, may I know why I was sent, and then may I go and do because I am
sent. In You, with You, and for You, amen
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