Dear Friends,
New Connections – Part 3
I shared in Part 1 that 54% of our Springfield community’s residents do not consider themselves “religious.” I said this is the demographic we are truly seeking to reach out to; we want to share the hope, healing, and peace of Christ with them. I explained in Part 2 that we also desire to make New Connections with the 46% who consider themselves “religious.” These connections will largely be to partner together in God’s work.
Religious or not religious, most people want the world to be a better place. Millennials, for example, often give very selflessly when they know their contributions are making a positive difference in the lives of people, even complete strangers. As we work alongside our neighbors and bear witness to the good God has done in our lives, the Holy Spirit just may stir faith in the hearts of those around us.
In Part 1, I said we would explore Luke 10 in this series. In this chapter, Jesus sends seventy of his followers into the surrounding communities to do the work he himself was doing. To better understand Luke 10, we must look at the context, which is really exciting!
It starts in Luke 8:1 where we find Jesus and some of his disciples going “through cities and villages,
proclaiming
and
bringing
the good news of the kingdom of God.” Jesus tells the parable of the seeds that are scattered everywhere, some on rocky ground, some among thorns, and some in good soil. He
proclaims
, through this parable, that God, the sower, sows everywhere! God’s word is to be
proclaimed
not selectively but to all people.
Then Jesus performs a series of miracles. In these, he
brings
the good news in very tangible ways. He demonstrates that the kingdom of God is near through his power over creation (calms a storm), over evil spirits (heals a demoniac), over illness (stops a woman’s thirteen-year hemorrhage), and even over death (raises a dead girl to life).
Having taught his disciples through the miracles that the kingdom of God has truly come near, Jesus then calls his twelve apostles together and sends them out “to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.” We will pick up our reading of Luke here next time. In the meantime, it would be helpful for each of us to reflect on how we have experienced
God’s kingdom coming near
in our own lives. How have you personally experienced God’s hope, healing, and peace in your life?
Your story is part of God’s salvation message for the world; it is the Gospel—literally Good News—that God has to share with people around
you
. Just as the twelve apostles were encouraged in their faith by witnessing the power of Jesus, God has also stirred faith in your life through miracles, both big and small. Because of these, you also know in your heart and mind that the kingdom of God has truly come near. You can say in all sincerity, because you know it to be true, the kingdom of God has come near.
God loves you and so do I,
+ Pastor Albert
