09/29/08

Good Monday afternoon!

In the book of Luke there is a story about Jesus that goes like this. . .

“As Jesus approached Jericho , a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him.”

This week I want to point some things out to you in the Scripture.

1.      When you follow Jesus He will take you past hurting people. One thing that I have noticed the longer that I follow Jesus is that He takes me by people who are hurting all the time if only I will have eyes that see. We think that we have to put on an outreach event, or go to special places in order to reach hurting people, and those things are truly helpful in helping people, however Jesus takes you by hurting people in your work place, where you practice your hobbies at, in the grocery store, the bank and many other places. People everywhere are hurting.

2.      When you follow Jesus He will take you past hurting people who don’t look like you. What I have found to be true in my walk with Christ, the people that He wants me to reach are people that don’t look, smell or talk like me. Now I am not talking about at the church, I am talking about in every day life. The people that I normally struggle to talk to are the very ones that I have to take Jesus to. Remember the woman at the well? Jesus went way out side of what culture said was normal to reach out to a woman who needed to be healed.

3.      When you follow Jesus He will ask you to bring these hurting people who don’t look like you to Him. It is not enough just to serve people, we must also bring them to Jesus. Jesus wants all people no matter what they look like or where they have come from to know Him and to have a relationship with Him. And it is my job and your job to bring them.

So what do we do with all that? First of all pray that God will give you the eyes to see people who are hurting, and when you see them to give you the strength to tell them how they can be healed. And when you tell them follow through. Invite them to church, pick them up and take them, be Jesus to them. Buy them a meal, do what it takes to let them see Jesus working in you.

I hope this was helpful to you guys. I love you all.

Pastor Jason Lyle 
The Open Range Church of Henry County 
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.