This week we’re exploring this idea of “people of peace”.  Jesus sent his followers to various towns, and asked them find people of peace and go deeply in relationship with them, and not to go from house to house.  This was selective by design, and Jesus is okay with that.  Jesus focused on his 12 disciples, and sometimes even smaller groups, through much of his ministry.  Here he sends 72, not 72000.

Jesus sends them to focus on one family in each town.  Go deep into relationship with them.  He even says, if things don’t work out, move on.

But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. (Luke 10:10-12)

There can be all sorts of reasons why someone doesn’t want a close relationship with a follower of Jesus.  The authors of “The Art of Neighbouring” suggest they may be:

  • Too busy
  • Wary of certain people
  • Already relationally full
  • At a different stage of life
  • Afraid of exposure

They may not be your person of peace.  Not now, or ever.  They may be someone else’s person of peace!   But if they welcome you, are hospitable and friendly, invest in them, and they will invest in you.

Sometimes it’s obvious, but if it is not obvious, pray, and just dive in, meet people, see who pops up as generous, caring, patient, and hospitable.

Question: Who do you think might be a person of peace in your neighbourhood?

Ryan Sim - May 14, 2014

Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Spirit

What was the meaning of all this about Jesus’ followers speaking different languages or “tongues”? It was a sign that the impossible mission they’d been sent to accomplish was actually possible. I love to rock climb, and I used to pride myself on never needing chalk. I considered myself a good climber with just my hands, and sweat never seemed to make me slip off holds. One day, as I struggled on what felt like an impossible climb, a friend insisted I put some chalk on my fingers. I immediately realize what I’d been missing – I could actually do what seemed impossible if I put down my pride and got a little extra help from some chalk. If Jesus’ followers try to spread the good news on their own, they will flail about like me on a difficult climb. They simply don’t have the skills, the numbers, the power to reach the entire world with this message. Think of the number of languages spoken, the various cultural norms to learn, the geography to consider. But with the Spirit of Jesus living in them, speaking through them, acting through them, they could and they did. There are 2 billion people in the world now claiming to be Christians. One web site offers a film about Jesus in 1200 languages. This was all evident in how the disciples began to speak in other languages, they never even knew. People remarked that this was unlikely, since they were Galileans – not considered refined and educated people - with an accent that made it difficult to speak other languages. One of those big barriers, language, was already being dismantled by the Spirit of God speaking through them. In a world with lots of barriers, how refreshing is it to see the Spirit of God taking some down? His good news about Jesus is for everyone, who speaks every language, from every nation. Christianity is not meant to divide people, but rather it’s good news God uses to transform each and every culture, each and every nation, each and every individual. Question: Luke never says what the people were saying as they spoke these other languages – what do you think the Holy Spirit would have said through them?

Related Topics: Ascension, Early Church, Jesus, Pioneer | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio

From Series: "Pioneer Story"

We read through the Book of Acts as a Pioneer Story for the church.

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