“At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,”
Jesus cared deeply for all he met. It was because of his love for all mankind that he came to be one of us.
Creator became creature. God became man. The divine became mortal. Fully God and fully man.
And so, he sent out his disciples and gave them the power to proclaim, heal, and banish demons.
Any small business man will tell you, until you shift from working in the business to working on the business your business cannot grow. It is limited to your personal actions which like all of us are limited in time and physical action. We have to start thinking about and spending our time on the bigger picture. So we go through the difficult task of hiring and training and sending out to hopefully do what we did well. Hopefully.
So you find the best you can find. With experience and training and trustworthiness and commitment. Someone who won’t let you down.
But Jesus is well, Jesus, and his way was God’s way, not man’s. He took fishermen and tax collectors and none it seemed had a particular knack for preaching or healing and dealing with demons. They had no particular aptitude for the work. Their resume was blank for the most part.
Even Peter, the leader he had chosen, wasn’t going to be faithful in the face of danger. At least not in the beginning and of course Judas would commit the ultimate betrayal. But he chose those who would fulfill the plan he had for us and his strategy.
We should all take heart and be encouraged by this method of expansion and building the kingdom Jesus used. He can and does use all men and women who will say yes to his offer and yes to his Word. All have a part in building his kingdom and specific role and a light that he expects to shine forth for others.
We come to Jesus where we are with all our baggage and lack of talent and lack of aptitude and he says, perfect! You are exactly who I need where I need you. Say yes to my way and Word and live the life I created you for from the beginning.
Many don’t know how to do this. Or what part they should play. They have to learned to listen to Jesus yet. They are still striving to be part of the world that is not the path Jesus had for us. They don’t quite see how they would fit.
Most aren’t sure where they belong but where they are at and what they are doing seems less than fulfilling and lacks the meaning that their heart seeks.
Don’t feel like you belong? join his crew of believers and pray for faith and understanding. Look for ways to be involved. There is so much work to do in the church Jesus started. But there are still so many people who tell themselves I don’t know how to do anything useful. Or I don’t have the education or training to work with others. But neither did the disciples.
All we have to do to start, is say yes and ask how we can help. Every church has a need because the kingdom of God has a need. So
Many people who were given a light to shine for others haven’t said yes to Jesus and there is a darkness because of it.
Those who volunteer at their church or help feed the hungry or aid the poor, those who are there for others needs … no longer feel like they don’t belong, for they now know there is always people who need help. There is always those need someone who has a small share of the love Jesus had.
We will know our value and know His love more deeply when we share what love we have with others.
Want more love, love others. Want more joy, help others. Want more peace, give your life to Christ and once committed to serve and help, things will fall into place. You see our mission is to live out the plan Jesus created for us. To love God and others deeply. The more we pray to God and the more we help others the more this love grows. And the more it grows the more our life will reflect the will of God.
We will know where we belong and who we are and whose we are. Then all other relationships and our own doubts of what we are doing here will make sense.
Meaning and true joy will grow inside us. Which makes sense as Jesus has a plan for all his disciples from Peter and John back then. all the all the way to you and me today.
Deacon Tony Pynes 
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