Francis Chan of
Cornerstone Church (Simi Valley, CA) discussed taking Jesus literally during Verge Conference’s 1st session (This was reposeted directly from
Kent Shaffer and churchrelevance). Here is what he said:
In Exodus 33:15, Moses tells God how much he needs God’s presence to be with him in every moment. If God’s presence wasn’t in it, Moses did not want to be a part of it. The more things God entrusts you with, the harder it gets to focus wanting the presence of God in everything. We get sidetracked by details and our own motives. We get distracted by what others are doing.
If I planned a church based on Scripture, I wouldn’t even think about the gathering. I’d think about the mission. I would look at the Great Commission literally.
It is so weird how we change everything in church. We don’t take Jesus’ words literally. We act like if Jesus says it, we don’t have to actually do it but just memorize it. How many churches are actually making disciples?
If I tell my daughter to go clean her room, she knows better than to come back later with her room still messy and say:
"
I memorized what you said.
I can say it in Greek.
A group of friends and I are going to get together and study what you said."
We need to take Jesus literally and do what He says.
I am like a Lego piece. There is nothing great about me, but together we catch people’s attention. No one has ever seen God, but if we as the Body of Christ love each other then people will catch a glimpse of it. It is by our unity and the way we love one another that we will reach people.
I think about the power of Jesus that I would believe in if I just read the Scriptures. Are you sure that you have experienced the Holy Spirit this past year? The early church wasn’t a plan by the disciples. It was the Holy Spirit.
What are the things that Jesus wants? These are the things that we should be confident about. What does it take for us to make disciples and love others? Go on mission. Live like mission.
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