Timing

It has been speculated that the ministry of Jesus Christ spanned three years, culminating with his death around the age of thirty-three.  We know that Christ started his public ministry with his baptism by John the Baptist; following this he began teaching and healing in Capernaum.  Around the same time, Christ chose twelve specific disciples who in time would lead, teach and train others for future ministry and leadership.

That said, have you ever wondered what the life of Jesus consisted of before age thirty?  We have some scriptural evidence, but not much.  What we do know is that Christ submitted to his Father's will and timing.  In the right “season” Jesus began his ministry, called his disciples, taught the crowds, healed people, and challenged the surface religiosity of the Jewish leaders.  During Holy Week, at just the right time, he clearly revealed himself to be the Son of God.  He rebuked and confronted the corruption in the Temple and no longer side-stepped full-disclosure regarding his Messianic position and mission.  At just the right time he died, rose again, and ascended to the right hand of the Father.  God's timing is always perfect, but it often makes little sense to us.

In Acts chapter one, the soon-to-be-born Jewish Church had some clear direction.  They were to prioritize bringing the gospel and thus, the church to their local fellow Jews.  After this they were to continue to bring the good news into regional areas (even among the Samaritans who these Apostles had been reared to despise) and finally to the end of the world.

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:6-8)

As a church we are called to have a concern for our local, regional, and global world.  It is our desire to support brothers and sisters in Christ anywhere they are located, and it is our desire to be a part of reaching people with the gospel wherever humanity is found.  However, the Scriptures are not clear on when, what, or how the church should go about this.  Like everything else in the Kingdom of God, submitting to God's timing and “seasons” is an important part of discerning his will.

In this season of Lent, where we open our hearts to those things that may hinder us from loving our God and loving our neighbor, will you pray with me about what the Lord would have for us as we faithfully seek to reach others for Christ? As we begin our 12^th year as a church, please pray with me regarding this time in our church’s history.  Pray that we might have the discernment to see where God is going before us to use us as light and salt.  Pray that he will bring just the right people to come alongside of us, and to minister with us.  Pray that we would have a soft heart to his Word and Spirit, and that we will truly be led to follow “his Kingdom come, his will be done”.  Pray that we would have the wisdom to see his clear leading, and the courage and power to follow him.

As we looked at in a recent sermon, let us claim the promise that “they that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar with the wings as eagles. They will run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint”.

-Father Tom