Speaking of Life 5035 | He is Already Here
Heber Ticas
In the Great Commission, Jesus commanded his followers to go into the world and make disciples. Few believers could argue against the idea that Christians are commissioned by Christ to engage in mission. However, our missional mindset matters. Do we believe we are taking Jesus somewhere? Or are we joining him where he already is? Many Christians have been taught that we need to take Jesus out of the four walls of the church – where he has made his home – and into our communities. Do we really believe we can “take” Jesus somewhere?
Scripture reveals that we don’t take Jesus, we join him. He is already at work in our neighborhoods. In Genesis 28, Jacob is given a vision of God’s activity on earth.
He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a stairway set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood beside him and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring, and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!”
Genesis 28:11-16 (NRSVUE)
The angels ascending and descending on the stairway symbolize God’s continual work on the earth. The promises God made to Jacob would come about by God’s effort not Jacob’s. Jacob thought he was sleeping in an ordinary place. However, he came to realize that God was already there and at work and he was unaware. Even before the creation of the Promised Land, God’s presence was already there.
The same is true for our neighborhoods. As we go and engage our neighbors, we should have the mindset of participating in the work of Jesus Christ. Instead of doing what we think is right, we should be looking to see what Jesus is already doing.
The truth is we cannot bring Jesus anywhere. He already fills all things and holds everything together. As Jacob learned, there are no ordinary places because God is everywhere. This should give us the confidence to love our neighbors and bear witness to the greatness of our Lord. As we go, not only is Jesus with us, he is already at work all around us.
Mi nombre es Heber Ticas, Hablando de Vida.
