Hey everyone,  it’s been a few weeks,  life happened on the home front.  That’s the way it goes through so allow me to apologize.  Here we go.

What kind of people do you associate with?  I’m not talking about those we interact with.  I’m talking about those we keep close to us.  For most Americans it’s pretty much the same type of person.  For Christians it’s generally Christians.  For the office guys it’s other office guys.  For teachers, other teachers and the list generally goes on like that.  Of course these aren’t always the case, there are always exceptions.  For the most part though it stands true.

Ok Colby?  So I hang out with the people I like.  Those that think like me.  Those that share my values.  What’s wrong with that?  It keeps me safe.  It keeps my stuff safe.  I don’t have to worry.

Well the short answer is that there’s nothing wrong with it.  If that’s your goal and if following Christ isn’t important to you.  We talked about this in my Sunday School class this week.  Our world has come to a point where we have put our priorities in the wrong spots.  We place stuff in front of Importance, in front of Jesus every day.  I’m guilty of it.  I had to repent just the other day for this very thing.  My wife was swatting a fly with a fly swatter on the TV screen.  We live on a farm so yeah, flies are an annoyance.  My first thoughts were please don’t hit the $500 TV.  Not what they should have been.

(Hands in the air)

My Lord!  My GOD!  You are Glorious.  May you be made Great on the earth!  Thank you for the many  spiritual blessings that you’ve given me.  The blessings of dominion over the earth, for fly swatters and even TV’s.  Help me to make proper use of them, and remind me daily that all blessings are from you both physical and eternal.  Being so they are all spiritual blessings.  Help me to maintain the proper priorities in my life.  Help me to never end this prayer.  In the matchless name of Jesus, I pray.

Matthew 6:19 CSB
[19] “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.

I mean, after all, it would be weird to be like that, right?  But still…  Hmm…  What if…

We were ok with being weird compared to this world?

Romans 12:2 CSB
[2] Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

What if… When we hear someone chanting death to Christians… Instead of being angry or upset, maybe even retaliating with our own verbal slashing or worse.  We said, what’s your name?  I’ll pray for you.  Has anyone ever told you about Jesus?  I’m willing to tell you about Him and what He’s done for me and you.

Hebrews 10:32-34 CSB
[32] Remember the earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings. [33] Sometimes you were publicly exposed to taunts and afflictions, and at other times you were companions of those who were treated that way. [34] For you sympathized with the prisoners and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, because you know that you yourselves have a better and enduring possession.

What if I changed my treasure here, in for let’s say, someone’s soul for the Kingdom of heaven?

Ok Colby.  I get it.  Be different.  Be like Jesus.  We hear that all the time, from Church, from you.  But how do we get there?  What’s it got to do with the people I hang out with?  You even said you’re not there.

Good question and you’re right.  I did say that.  It’s a journey.  Come on, Jesus tells us how to get there in today’s text from Mark.  Let’s take a look.

Mark 3:13-19 CSB
[13] Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those he wanted, and they came to him. [14] He appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, to send them out to preach, [15] and to have authority to drive out demons. [16] He appointed the Twelve: To Simon, he gave the name Peter; [17] and to James the son of Zebedee, and to his brother John, he gave the name “Boanerges” (that is, “Sons of Thunder”); [18] Andrew; Philip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, [19] and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

Look at how Jesus did it.  He gets away from the bustle of crowds.  Calls 12 guys to come and

Be with Him.

But it wasn’t just any 12.  He went out of His way to pick one of the most diverse set of guys that quite possibly might, under different circumstances, have been at each other’s throats.  You got Simon to whom Jesus gave the name Peter.  Peter means rock.  We see him become quite a leader later in the Bible.  Then there were James and John whom Jesus called Boanerges (that is, “Son’s of thunder”).  Maybe they had spunk or attitude. Andrew; Phillip and Bartholomew; Matthew and Thomas; James and Thaddeus; Simon the zealot and Judas Iscariot.  So let’s recap.  There’s a leader, some attitude, a tax collector (everyone’s best friend), a zealot that might strangle a tax collector, oh and Judas the betrayer.

That’s an eclectic group to say the least.  Maybe even a volatile one.  Jesus called this crazy group together, poured Himself into them to send them out to show how He came to save the world.  We are some of the results of that work.  We have the same mission.  To show the world how Jesus came to save all of us.

What if…  We did that for a change?

What if…  We lived Life, we lived Light, we lived Jesus every minute of every day?

What if… We showed an eclectic mix of people how to have Jesus pour himself into them too?  Not just the ones we agree with.

What if…  We do it the way it’s supposed to be done.  Running to Jesus sitting and letting Him pour Himself into us and then going out and preaching.  Maybe we can even cast out a demon or two along the way.

It’s a 2 step plan that will change the world, has changed the world.

Step 1:  Run and sit at the feet of Jesus.  Learn and get to know him more.  Read His word and be with His people, helping each other in love.

Step 2.  Go! Preach! Cast out demons if you have too!

What if… Hmm…

Love in Christ,

Colby