Invitation to Living

The tree right outside our front door was not special…it looked like every other tree in our little farm town of Lynn Indiana. It was not big around in fact as a little boy I could easily wrap my arms around it without my body touching any part of the tree it had decent height, it was full of green leaves in the summer…however the most important feature was there was one branch just low enough for a little boy to gain easy access to climb the rest of the tree.

There was also a spot about half way up that was a perfect place to stop and watch the world…and that is exactly what I did. I watched the world go by hidden in leaves above the worn dirt spot I could so often be found playing on.

I watched my neighbor cutting his lawn…I watched people take walks on the sub par cracked sidewalks, I even watched my mom come out from time to time to look for me with no idea I was right above her....but I also watched a big white school bus with blues striping and big blue letters that said Lynn Ind First Church of the Nazarene.

I saw friends get on before church and I watched as my friends were excited to get on the bus and I observed them get off the bus just as happy as they got on…

Then one day while I was standing underneath that tree the invitation come that I did not even know I wanted....My friends asked me if I wanted to go with them? They then let me know that if they got a certain number of kids they would have a pizza party on the bus. I though I hit the jackpot, ride a bus, hang out with my friends and eat pizza! I could not wait to say yes.

I know I have told this story before but what I want to drive home is that this was more than an invitation to church. I was an invitation to go on a journey with Christ that I am still on today.

God does not invite us to a place (Church) or even heaven. God invites us into a never ending journey.

Our Spiritual Journey is more important than the destination.

John 1:35-43

John 1:35–43 NLT

35 The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. 36 As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” 37 When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them. They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” 39 “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day. 40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. 41 Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”). 42 Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”). 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.”

Isn’t it interesting how John’s disciples, Andrew and Simon started following Jesus right away? They not only stopped what they were doing to listen to Jesus speak but the followed Jesus on His travels for the rest of their lives.

They had no idea of the trouble they were going to face. Nor did they know just how wild this adventure was going to get…but they knew the Journey would be worth it if Jesus was in fact the Messiah.

Jesus does not promise anything…Jesus only invites them (us) to come and see.

Jesus does not promise everything will be easy in fact he tells us that in this life there will be trouble…but take heart I will overcome the world.

The journey is difficult but must be taken together to fully experience God’s Grace. In the passage it starts with come and see but at some point it moves to follow me.

Iin following Jesus the disciples were committing to not only be spectators of what God was doing but recipients and practitioners of His Amazing Grace.

This journey that we along with the disciples are called to develops us into a NEW CREATION!

Not just a rehashed version of ourselves. Our values, perspective, and priorities will be completely changed. It is often said that

Jesus loves us enough to meet us where we are—but he also loves us too much to leave us there.

I got on google maps to see if that tree was still in front of my childhood home. When I found it and looked at it I could hardly recognize it. It was the same tree but it had grown…there were no branches low enough for me to grasp hold of, it was so big around I do not think I can wrap my arms around it and the canopy of the tree now reaches out over the sidewalk over into the tree.

I was a little sad but I then realized that all healthy things grow and change on a regular basis. The journey of come see that I accepted at the foot of that tree quickly changed to a follow me.

This change resulted in my complete transformation as God showed me that Grace is not a singular concept but a multifaceted life in Christ does not disappoint.

So my invitation to you is to not only come see and hopefully this will be enough for you to follow Jesus Together.

Small group Schedule.....

Communion....Dismissed