So. Yeah. This past Tuesday night I became a Pastor. Officially voted in. Some emotions include: humbled, joyful, numb, scared, excited, anxious, ready-to-get-going, did I mention humbled? I have a blurred memory that night of people asking me how I was feeling (perhaps I looked shocked or sick?) and my response was “Um…kinda numb right now. Thanks.” As the numbness has started to dissipate, it’s time to get back to normal with blogging/journaling. (The treadmill can wait…)
My focus will be discipleship and worship. On the discipleship side, I’ll be working first with the youth groups who are fresh off of a trip to WOL Snow Camp where many professed faith in Jesus for new life and reconciliation with God.
How fitting that I was in Matthew 28 today on the reading plan. This is the crux of our task in discipleship:
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)
Jesus is the authority over all. We are commanded to submit to him, making disciples of all nations. How do we do that? We use the word of God – teaching them to obey all that he has commanded us. The whole word of God, all of it, Old and New Testaments is one story – the plan of redemption. God’s plan to redeem us sinful humans back to him, thru His Son – Jesus. We boldly proclaim and “hold fast” to the word of life (Phil 1:16) – it is our tool for making disciples, his all sufficient perfect word.
May we dig deeply into it today and have the courage to trust that what God has commanded us in it is far better than anything this world offers us.
Mike Ruel 