Love is Alive: Still Calling Us

And over time, we begin to notice that something is shifting within us, that we are growing, that we are being shaped, that we are being called forward in ways that are meaningful and real. We're being called forward in the name of Jesus, in the ways in which we are called to show and share and spread god's love all throughout our mission field. And so we hold this moment with Peter as something that continues to speak into our own lives, reminding us that Christ meets us with presence, that Christ meets us and speaks into our lives with care, and Christ forms something new within us that allows us to step forward into what is still being unfolded in our hearts and our lives because we trust and we claim love is alive. [01:00:54] (68 seconds)  #CalledForwardByLove

And we can understand it in natural ways, in scientific ways, in medical ways, in important ways because now we understand that our brains continue to grow. And they change over time and that new pathways can be formed. This is neuroplasticity of our brains. With careful intention, we can rewire our brains. Neuro pathways to focus on the new, to focus on the future, to focus on starting over. Spiritually speaking, grace can be a spiritual plasticity because the same can happen in our relationship with Jesus. [00:57:06] (37 seconds)  #NeuroplasticGrace

We all have parts of our story that continue to influence how we move forward. And in the middle of all of that, Christ continues to meet us in ways that are personal, that are real, speaking into those places with care, inviting us into a new way of living, reflecting on who we are becoming. And often often that calling unfolds in ways that are quiet and steady, and they take shape in the ways that we care for one another, in the ways that we listen to one another, in the ways that we show up for one another, in the ways that we live out love in our everyday moments of our lives. [01:00:03] (51 seconds)  #QuietSteadyCalling

For others, we hold the steady rhythm of responsibilities, of expectations, of simply holding everything together as best that we can. In the middle of all of that, right there, in the middle of our actual everyday lives, I want you to hear we are met by love. The love of Jesus Christ because love is alive. We are met in the middle, whatever our middle is. We're met by the presence of Christ who knows us, who calls us by name, who stays with us in the moments that matter, who continues to form something new within us even when we cannot yet see what will become. [01:02:54] (52 seconds)  #MetInTheMiddle

Because when someone says our name like that, our full name, and intentionally, it brings us into the present. It lets us know that this is a moment that we need to pay attention to. This is a moment that will carry weight in our life, and then Jesus asks the question, do you love me? And Peter answers with all sincerity, yes, Lord. You know that I love you. And then Jesus asks again, and then he asks a third time. [00:52:53] (37 seconds)  #CalledByName

And as we take that next step, knowing that even the next chapter might still look a little murky as we move forward because we know we can, because we are held, and because we are known by our god, because love is alive. Love is alive in the way Christ restores. Love is alive in the way Christ remains present. Love is alive in the way Christ calls us forward. And so people, people of the Mooresville First United Methodist Church, I want you to hear this good news. You are not alone. You are loved from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet, and you are still being called. [01:03:46] (59 seconds)  #HeldAndKnown

And what we begin to see is that this moment carries, yes, restoration. His denials are not going to be held against him. In fact, now Jesus is calling him, shaping something within Peter that allows him to step into a life that is still ahead of him, a life that still holds purpose, a life that is still unfolding in meaningful ways. Jesus is calling him. And this is where something from our understanding, our life now in 2026, the things that we understand, it connects us. [00:56:27] (39 seconds)  #RestorationAndPurpose

And what is especially meaningful is how Jesus remains present in that moment, how he stays with Peter all throughout that conversation, how he allows it to unfold without rushing it, creating space for something lasting to take shape in its place. And when we bring this into our own lives, we begin to recognize how real this is for us too because we all carry moments that stay with us. We have experiences that shape how we see ourselves, the good, the bad, maybe the ugly from time to time throughout our lives. We're human beings. Right? [00:59:17] (46 seconds)  #PresenceThatHeals