Flashbacks from Elementary School that Plague Us All

Do you remember when you were in elementary/middle school and “the invitation” would start circulating among your classmates?

The “it” girl or guy would bring in their birthday party invites, and you’d be so excited to find one on your desk, OR you’d be so bummed that you were left out of the party.

Then, after the invites were given, as if all the chatter leading up to the big party wasn’t bad enough, afterward, you’d be privy to all the juicy gossip about how the party went.

Parties were (and still are) a big deal. It’s just that now hopefully, we (or at least I – I won’t lump you into my neurosis), have the emotional maturity to deal with not being included or invited.

After the followers of Jesus experienced their encounter with their resurrected Messiah, they were so excited!!!!! Their “insides” would want to send out invitations in bulk so that all could have that same joy.

Yet, they did not have that opportunity because they were afraid.

Think about it for a minute.

The leaders/government officials had already killed him once. Now he’s back?

And what about his followers? Would they want to kill them as well?

They had the ultimate invitation and not the ultimate opportunity to share it.

Now flash forward a few thousand years.

We have the ultimate invitation, and NOTHING stands in our way of sharing it.

We wrestle with how.

In today’s post-Christendom world, odds are we don’t want to do the “door-to-door” invite. Nor do we believe that handing out brochures or corner-street preaching is our best idea.

We have something even better.

We have what I believe, at least, to be THE BEST way to offer the invitation.

It’s available every single day.

No special time or place is needed.

In fact, it is through the mundane existence that it is often best offered.

It is by our example.

Merely by the way we live.

Are we content in and through all things?

Are we positive and encouraging?

Are we empowering and uplifting?

Are we excited and hopeful?

I’m not talking about “big things.”

I’m talking about everyday things.

Do those four questions above describe you in your day-to-day existence?

At some point, you’ll most likely have the opportunity to answer, “How can you be so ‘at peace’ or ‘hopeful’?”

Your answer can be, “I try to follow Jesus . . . And think through how he would be.”

Sunday, we will explore HOW we can make the crucifixion and resurrection worth it in our lives daily!

We will talk about shame and how we can now cancel that out because of what we live and believe.

I look forward to sharing this message with you on Sunday!

Until then . . .