Are we doing anything that really matters?
Have you ever thought about how the gospel message got out of the small geographic area that Jesus worked in to become know all across the globe? After His three years of ministry, Jesus hadn't traveled very far from home, if they had television back then the events of His life would have been on the local nightly news but the major networks would have never covered Him.
The only reason that the gospel got away from Jerusalem and spread around the world is the result of men that loved their job, they were passionate about what they experienced with Jesus, they were glad to work for Jesus and his church.
Colossians 1:24-29 I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you.
This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.
So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.
Despite a lot of hardship and physical abuse the Apostle Paul was willing to be busy spreading the gospel, he could have stayed home in Jerusalem after his conversion, he could have had a lot more comfortable life if he told his friends and neighbors that he changed his mind about Jesus and then settled down. He could of got busy with a career, focus on losing weight, buying a home and finding a wife.
Instead Paul had to be a radical about this Jesus stuff, his life would be much more difficult and all of the normal cares of this world would have to be set aside. Instead of being busy pursuing the cares of this world he would be busy following the call that God has placed on his life.
John 12:26 Anyone who wants to be My disciple must follow Me, because My servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves Me.
Paul believed Jesus words about following and serving. We are busy people and we are probably seldom as thrilled to serve others as we should be. This idea of serving is so important that Jesus gave us the greatest example of it just hours before he was crucified.
Right after the crowds cheered Him on His way into Jerusalem, what we call the Triumphant Entry, he told them about serving and then again he told his disciples during the Lord's Supper when he washed their feet.
Jesus stepped down from the highest position and humbled himself, he made the greatest leap in condescension, we will probably never understand why he loves us so much that he would make this giant step from greatness to the lowliest servant.
John 13:14-15 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.
It is difficult to imagine that Jesus had authority over absolutely everything, we can't even comprehend what that means, and yet he sat that aside and became our servant. And then he challenged us to serve the people around them as a symbol of our love.
I am a busy guy and I have to be careful that I am not too busy to serve. All of our work and our pursuits are usually focused on ourselves. It takes a deliberate effort to move our focus away from ourselves and think about serving God and other people. I need to have a passion to serve my Savior and my neighbor so that the gospel will be contagious to the world around me.
