We consume over 3 million gallons of oil a day in North America. We have no choice but to drill a mile below the Gulf Of Mexico. Consumption typifies most areas of our life. Even our life at church.
But Jesus had a different vision for us when he said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” He has called us to be witnesses, his apprentices, givers…wherever we are.
In his book, Exponential, my friend Dave Ferguson explains that the word “witness” in the original language of the New Testament is marturious. If you say it slowly you can hear the word martyr. When Jesus tells his followers that they will be His witnesses, he is not saying that they will simply talk about Him to others. Witnesses were frequently tortured and killed. Jesus was saying that we must be ready to trade our lives. That’s quite different than consuming church services for an hour each Sunday.
The important question to ask is, “when was the last time we took a risk and trusted God?”
When was the last time we courageously followed Jesus and did something that was clearly beyond our ability?
When was the last time we followed Jesus so closely that it was uncomfortable…maybe even scary?
