Living Together – Being Disciples

Note: This is an excerpt from this week's church newsletter.

We live today in a world of growing isolation, frantic activity, and desperate violence, where paradoxically, we find ourselves longing for both solitude and companionship, intimacy and community. Some of us may look back to times when life seemed to make sense and relationships were more certain. Whether or not such times ever existed, we nevertheless long today for relationships that acknowledge who we are and who we want to be. We want someone to hear us, to hear our hearts beating, to hear our deepest longings—even longings of which we dare not speak. - Sondra Higgins Matthaes, Faith Matters

I am proud of you as a congregation.

This weekend, I mentioned to you by email that there was a couple who had visited our church a few times who had had a death in the family, and that it would be an extension of hospitality to let them know that we were grieving with them, as they had no church family.

Many of you went to the funeral home. Some stayed for the funeral. I want you to know as your pastor, I am very proud. More importantly, your Lord is pleased. The only warning I will give you is that disciples often beget disciples. Never underestimate the power of even small actions.

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matthew 28:18-20

As I shared with you Sunday, the Greek word for disciple is mathetes, and a good definition would be this one: “an adherent, a learner, a pupil, a follower, someone who pays close attention to and attempts to implement what they have been taught from their teacher.”

So you see – a disciple isn’t just a convert or someone who puts their name on a membership roll. A disciple is a devoted follower of Jesus. If Jesus comforted those who mourn – then so should we.

Again… I am very proud of you.

Sky+