I remember sitting in Dr. Majeski’s Christian Ministry class my sophomore year of college at Anderson University, absolutely devastated by what I was hearing. She said, “The world will tell you to be comfortable. The world will tell you to live in a Western mindset. A mindset that encourages stability and safety; pleasure and wealth. A lifestyle that will tell you to put your needs first. That is not the Jesus model. Jesus got messy.”
Jesus.
Got.
Messy.
Three words that shattered my view of following Jesus. I began processing these statements over and over again in my head. Questions were bombarding my brain from every direction.
What does it mean to get messy?
How do I risk my safety and still stay… safe?
How do I Love everyone and still have energy for myself?
During Revolution we have been talking about the new that Jesus came to establish.
1) A New Covenant
2) A New Command
3) A New Movement
This past weekend we focused on the New Command that Jesus proclaimed for all the world to hear. This command is found in John 13:34-35 (NIV translation used).
" 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Love. Everyone.
In Christ's final moments, He shares a meal with His closest friends and implements a new way of remembering Him and Loving others.
While breaking the bread and holding the cup of wine at the dinner table, He explains that He came to put forth a New Covenant making the Old one obsolete.
The old way of pursuing the law is finished.
The old way of excluding others is finished.
This new method requires that we invite everyone to share a meal with us.
That's what love is. Creating space at the table for the least, the lost, the lonely, and the forgotten. Jesus consistently ate with messy eaters. In Luke's account alone, there are 10 examples of Jesus sharing a meal with people that society hated.
So what is Jesus truly saying when quoted in John 13:34-35?
Our turn.
Our turn to love everyone. Our turn to share a meal with the castaways. Our turn to invite others into relationship with us. Our turn to heal the sick and pursue the lonely.
Our Turn.
Take these three next steps this week to prepare your heart for the teaching on Sunday:
Next Steps:
1) Invite someone you aren't fond of to share a meal with you this week. Engage in conversation and start building a relationship with them.
2) Spend five minutes praying for all of our groups and classes that are happening right now at C3
3) Read Mark 14 in preparation for Sunday