SECRET #60 OF FOLLOWING JESUS
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We've been discussing how the intent of Jesus was to launch a movement around Him and His teachings. What's interesting about the Jesus movement is that it is really the presence of the King and His Kingdom. This is why it's so viral, irresistible and irreversible. It can't be stopped and Jesus, the King, is at work all over the world.
A sad rumor that permeates so many faith groups is that Jesus has limited Himself to a given group of believers to do all the work of reaching out to the entire world only through their efforts. This is not only sad, but laughable. There is no way God is waiting on Christians or your sub-brand of Christianity to reach the entire world for Him. King Jesus and His Kingdom are at work in every culture of the world.
When Paul spoke in the marketplace in Athens, he expressed some revolutionary ideas about what God is up to in the many cultures of the world: So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, "Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD ' Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.' Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man." (Acts 17:22-29)
God is at work in every nation or culture, making Himself available so that all men might seek Him and find Him. Note this work of God is not dependent upon any specific religious group or mission. God is at work in these cultures. He cares more about these cultures than any other person or religious organization on the earth. God did set "eternity in the hearts" of men and women everywhere.
Our responsibility is to be aware of what God is up to around us and get there as soon as possible. This is just the opposite of what we usually are thinking. We usually go places to stir things up, start new ministries or promote new projects and then ask God to come along and join us. This is bass-ackwards, in my opinion. Instead of advising God where He should direct His attention toward our initiatives, we must seek what God is doing and where it is He is doing it. This is essential to what we are to be all about. Following Jesus is learning to follow His lead. This is SECRET #60: The follower of Jesus sees where his Master is at work and goes there immediately.
Jesus is at work on things that are on His heart. Jesus loves to see His followers live out a genuine Kingdom lifestyle. Jesus loves to see followers love their enemies. He loves to see followers love one another. Jesus loves to see His followers be diligent to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, shelter the homeless and clothe the naked.
Also, Jesus is at work among non-believers and non-religious people everywhere as well as among non-Christian, religious people everywhere. This is why Jesus is so attractive within the Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish and even agnostic cultures. This summer a friend of mine told me he had met two Buddhist monks who had studied the scriptures of all of the major religions and came to the conclusion that Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of every one of these religious systems. Just yesterday I received word that there are more and more Buddhist monks genuinely following Jesus.
Why is this happening? It's because God is already at work in the hearts of men and women of the cultures of the world. You want to learn some of the most fresh and dynamic perspectives you'll ever hear about Jesus? Learn about Jesus from your non-Christian friends. You will see Jesus in a whole new way. Practice SECRET #60: The follower of Jesus sees where his Master is at work and goes there immediately.
