A Call to Change
Scripture – John 5:1-6: Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
Observation – (Write down what you see in the scripture.) Two things stand out to me here. One – in traveling to Jerusalem from Galilee, Jesus would have passed through Samaria again. I wonder if He saw any of the people from Sychar. What might they have talked about? Two – the simple question He asked this man still comes to me today. I could paraphrase it as, “Do you want to move beyond the limitations with which you’re now living?” As I look at the church and my role in it, that is the question before us. I’m pretty comfortable right now in what I’m doing. At the same time, Christ is calling me to a new experience of ministry and mission. We’ve been hanging around the pool long enough. Are we (am I) willing to do something new?
Application – (Write how you will be different today because of what you have just read.) Yes! I’m not sure just how we’re going to change. I just know we are being called quite clearly to make some adjustments as a church and as member s of the church. I will follow and lead in whatever direction Christ chooses.
Prayer – (Write out a brief prayer.) I’m a bit uneasy and a bit excited at the prospect of this new mission, Lord. All in all, I trust you to give us direction and to equip us fully. Thanks for your patience with me and us. We are yours this day.
An Invitation – If you’re interested in a face to face discussion about what we’ve been discovering in the Mini-Journal, join us at Tim Hortons (Dix and Northline in Southgate) this Sunday morning, 9:45 – 10:30am.
Observation – (Write down what you see in the scripture.) Two things stand out to me here. One – in traveling to Jerusalem from Galilee, Jesus would have passed through Samaria again. I wonder if He saw any of the people from Sychar. What might they have talked about? Two – the simple question He asked this man still comes to me today. I could paraphrase it as, “Do you want to move beyond the limitations with which you’re now living?” As I look at the church and my role in it, that is the question before us. I’m pretty comfortable right now in what I’m doing. At the same time, Christ is calling me to a new experience of ministry and mission. We’ve been hanging around the pool long enough. Are we (am I) willing to do something new?
Application – (Write how you will be different today because of what you have just read.) Yes! I’m not sure just how we’re going to change. I just know we are being called quite clearly to make some adjustments as a church and as member s of the church. I will follow and lead in whatever direction Christ chooses.
Prayer – (Write out a brief prayer.) I’m a bit uneasy and a bit excited at the prospect of this new mission, Lord. All in all, I trust you to give us direction and to equip us fully. Thanks for your patience with me and us. We are yours this day.
An Invitation – If you’re interested in a face to face discussion about what we’ve been discovering in the Mini-Journal, join us at Tim Hortons (Dix and Northline in Southgate) this Sunday morning, 9:45 – 10:30am.
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