what matters to jesus | inclusion

Photo: Sam Williams

John 3:16, NIV
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

There is always a crowd. There are always onlookers. People who watch our lives. We may not know it but who we are can speak louder than what we say. Our values have a voice even when we’re silent.

Jesus knew this. He was always aware of the crowd. He ministered to the person in front of him, but he knew there were onlookers. And he lived and gave voice to the values of the Kingdom so everyone could understand more about the Father, more about themselves, and more about Jesus’ own purpose. And I think if something matters to Jesus, it should matter to me, too. So we're looking at five values Jesus shares with the crowd. We looked at love last time and today, inclusion.

No-one is excluded from God’s saving plan. 

I follow a nun on Twitter called Sister Helen Prejean. She takes the gospel to death row prisoners and at the same time works with the families of murder victims. She must be so full of grace and compassion. Sister Helen believes everyone deserves wise counsel, everyone needs forgiveness, and everyone should be offered the opportunity to embrace eternal life. Everyone. She challenges me.
But, Jesus challenges me more because one of the last things he does is pray for me and you. And he does it from the cross. Knowing we will live at least some of our lives far from him, dead in sin[1], enemies of the Father.[2] At the point at which Jesus experiences excruciating pain and suffering he prays for people who may never choose to embrace the salvation he offers.

The crowd around us is included in God’s saving plan. Lord help us not to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ.[3] Help us to be generous in who we share it with and point people to Jesus.

Until next time.

L x

[1] Colossians 2:13
[2] Colossians 1:21
[3] Romans 1:16 NKJV