He Is Christ in You

Do you have Sunday School memories from way back?  I know I do!  I remember flannel-graph, sticker-boards and stacks of Bibles in the middle of the table. You wanted to bring your own Bible, not just because you got a sticker on the board, but if you didn’t, and it was your time to read out loud, you’d have to muscle your way through a King James Version!  I remember watching those flannel-graph disciples walking with Jesus remember the white robe and blue sash?) and thinking Man!  Everything would be easier if Jesus were physically walking with me today!  The irony of that didn’t dawn on me until years later, and only after I became a vocational youth minister.

Now, I am about to refer often to ministering to people, and before any reader declares to his or herself, “Thank … GOD … I am not a minister!” remember that all who are in Christ Jesus are called to be His ministers of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18).  We all share in this burden and blessing. 

Ministry is difficult because we don’t do people well.  Some of us run from them and some of us throw in completely with little or no regard for our own convictions and priorities.  Jesus prays that we find the right balance in John 17:16-18 which says, “They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.”  There are countless verses that show us that our purpose is people.  Ephesians 1:12 also shows us that we are to be for the praise of God’s glory, but, we see in scripture that we love others in our effort to love the Lord.  It’s all for the praise of His glory, but specifically, we are ministers to people, and that purpose is our definition, our reason to be. 

For many, it is easier to be among people than it is to connect with them.  This is a problem for many, if not most people.  Some declare that they “love” people out of a sense of duty to God, not a care for     others.  Yes, that’s right, they infer that a person can love people out of an indifference to people … no!  Others do a very similar thing.  They believe that they can love people at arm’s length out of a distrust for people.  It makes sense from the place of self-defense, but the problem in both views is this common   issue: how can we feel close to people if we push or keep them away?  For this reason, and so many more in our ministry to people, we need the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit to counsel us!

This brings up the second rub.  We don’t do the Holy Spirit well.  For some of us, the Holy Spirit is a    concept, a personification of an idea, a way to explain warm fuzzies and strange miracles.  For some of us, we wouldn’t recognize the voice of the Spirit if he were to speak directly into our ears.  Scripture tells us that we need to submit to the Holy Spirit (John 16:13) for He is God (2 Corinthians 3:18).  Let’s ask ourselves these questions, how can we submit to the Holy Spirit of whom we don’t know, and if we don’t submit, how can we feel His presence in us?  Is it any wonder, in those times that we reject his leadership, we feel absent from His presence?

We must surrender to the Spirit who will teach us how to live up to our purpose on this earth!  Christ tells us from John 14-16 that the Holy Spirit is Christ in us.  He is what we always wished.  He is the God who is always in us and with us.  We shouldn’t ignore Him … but we do.  Let’s get to know Him more.  Let’s pray through the Spirit.  Let’s read scripture under the discipleship of the Spirit.  Let’s do ministry under the direction of the Spirit. Let’s allow the presence of Him to shape us into loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled (Galatians 5:22-23) ministers of the reconciliation of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen,
In His Grip,
BJ