Embracing Jesus: Transformation Through Faith and Community

Wally was nine that year. And in the second grade, though he should have been in the fourth, most people in town knew that he had difficulty in keeping up. He was big and clumsy, slow in movement and mind. Still, Wally was well liked by the other children in his class, all of whom were smaller than he, though the boys had trouble hiding their irritation when Wally would ask to play ball with them or any game for that matter in which winning was important. [00:33:43] (26 seconds)


Joseph sadly placed his arm around Mary and laid her head upon her husband's shoulder, and the two of them started to move away. The innkeeper did not return inside his inn, however. Wally stood there in the doorway watching the forlorn couple. His mouth was open, his brow creased with concern, his eyes filling unmistakably with tears. [00:36:26] (24 seconds)


And suddenly, this Christmas pageant became different from all the others. He said, don't go, Joseph. While he called out, bring Mary back. And Wallace Perling's face grew into a big, bright smile. You can have my room. Some people in town thought that the pageant had been ruined. Yet there were others, many, many others, who considered it the most Christmas of Christmases pageants they had ever seen. [00:36:50] (33 seconds)


And just overall, this idea of discipleship has permeated his life. Right? For me, the idea of Jesus being with his disciples and becoming one of, we'll touch on this here in a second, of being with us, right, it really transformed the way that I view scripture. The way I view my relationship with God. But it being informs doing. It also began to inform how I do life and how I do relationships. [00:41:43] (33 seconds)


And so as a nurturing presence, I was like, well, so let's play that out. I was like, what is your identity? What is your identity in this world? You know, what is your identity at this company? He's like, honestly? He's like, I'm a refuge. He's like, I'm a refuge. And he landed on that word all by himself. [00:44:30] (15 seconds)


And I was like, yes, yes, this is good. We're getting there. Right? He's like, I'm a refuge. And I was like, David, I was like, and we've been doing this coaching work for about a year now. So I know about David. And I'm like, David, I was like, do you ever run out of yourself? And I know he does. Right? He's like, absolutely. He's like, I'm a refuge. I'm created to be a refuge in this world. And yet, I'm so tired. I'm so tired. Right? He's investing financially and physically and time in his people. [00:44:56] (32 seconds)


And so Jesus, and this is probably the hardest phrase for me. This is probably the toughest phrase, I think, that Jesus says while he is making a point, but man, is it a hard point to make, right? Kind of like Wally going, no, there's no room at the end, right? It isn't right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs. [01:01:44] (28 seconds)


Like at first he's like, I didn't, I came for the lost sheep, but only of Israel and now he's like, well, there are my children. Let me say it a different way. If you didn't understand it, Sarah, Phoenician woman, these are my children, the Israelites. You are not my child. She's like, whatever identity you have for me, Jesus, I'm here to receive for you. [01:02:09] (30 seconds)


And in this story, in Acts 3 .3, we'll just go straight through Acts 3 .3. It says, one day, I'll wait for you. Yeah, one day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer at three in the afternoon. Now, a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple. The temple courts. [01:07:52] (27 seconds)


Then Peter said, silver or gold, I do not have, but what I do have, I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. Walk. Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping and praising God. [01:08:55] (27 seconds)


I wonder how many things you desire this year, whether it's professionally or physically, in your personal health, whether it's to lose a few pounds, or run a marathon, whether it's to have more money, or have more influence, or have a new home, or have a new, you know, a new relationship, right? I was going to say new spouse, but I was like, you don't need a new spouse. You need the spouse you got right now. Okay? [01:11:57] (39 seconds)


Jesus is inviting you into something very specific, and your desires, your desires inform that, and your life informs that, and your spouse informs that, your work informs that, your schooling informs that, the season of life you're in informs it, the amount of money you have in the bank informs it. It all informs it. Everything informs it right now. But Jesus is inviting you into something. [01:14:07] (28 seconds)