Sometimes we can be really good at saying the right things. But Jesus reminds us that our actions matter most. The vineyard in Jesus' story needed people to help it grow. And that gives us something important to think about. Our church needs people who are willing to help it grow, too. At Crossroads, we all have something we can contribute… we can give of our time, talents and monies. And of course we can share what we discover about Jesus with anyone who will listen. There are lots of ways to participate in the life of a church. An important question to ask ourselves is… Am I just saying that I am part of God's family, or am I actually helping God's family?
Here's something I discovered about about the first son. He didn't get everything right the first time. He said no. But then he thought about it. He changed his mind. And he went. That's called repentance. Repentance means recognizing that we've gone the wrong way and we turn away from doing that thing that we’ve done wrong. And guess what? We don't only need repentance once. Following Jesus is a lifelong journey… and so is repentance. Sometimes we will realize…
“I wasn't very kind.”
“I should have told the truth.”
“I need to forgive someone.”
“I haven't been listening to God.”
“I need to change.”
And that's okay. God doesn't ask us to pretend that we're perfect. Grace gives us the freedom to be honest and say… “God, I need Your help. Please change my heart.”
Saying the right words is important, but Jesus invites us to take the next step… Live it. Our lives can tell an even bigger story. This week, try something simple. Choose one thing Jesus teaches us and put it into action.
Remember, you don't have to be perfect. You don't have to know every Bible verse. You don't have to have all the answers. Following Jesus means learning, growing, changing, and choosing to follow Him again and again.
One last thing… Our faith isn't supposed to live only in a church building. It belongs at school. At home. On the playground. With our friends. With people who are different from us. And even when nobody is watching. Because when we really believe something, it begins to show up in the way we live. Beautiful words matter. But God's love is meant to become a way of life.
Hope you’ll join me on the livestream!
Your friend Melissa
