Irvin Wasswa- Tylertown Campus Pastor LHBC
Ephesians 2:19
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God
One of the toughest moments of my life was having to move from my childhood home in the 4th grade. I remember the heartache in leaving all my friends behind, and the struggle to find new friends where my family moved to. All I desired to do was to find a group to fit into. It wasn’t until 7th grade where I was invited to church by some family friends that I connected with my best friend Daniel. He and his family had been a part of the church for a long time and even though I was the new kid on the block and new to church in large, Daniel welcomed me into his life. As a matter of fact he connected me with other friends in the youth group, and for the first time in a long time I felt like I was a part of a team.
One of my favorite passages in the scriptures is Ephesians 2:11-22 where Paul discusses the reality of the Gentile believers in Ephesus after coming to know the Lord. At the time the Gentile people were looked down upon because they were not Jewish by heritage . The thought was that because of their heritage they could not be made holy; because they were Gentiles they could not enter into a relationship with the God of the universe. Paul spells out that because of the Ephesian Christians receiving the Gospel (Ephesians 2:8-9) they are now a part of the family! They belong to TEAM JESUS.
Hey, that good news applies to us here today. No matter how broken your life was prior to knowing Christ, no matter what color your skin, or what side of the tracks you are from, if you have repented and trusted in Jesus Christ you are part of His team. We are no longer foreigners or strangers to God, we are His children. Isn’t that awesome? Hey, though you don’t fit in with a certain group here on earth, you are part of the Lord’s group. Listen, though you’ve never been a part of an actual team here on earth, you are a part of #teamJesus. Though you feel as though you have no family here on earth, listen you have a spiritual family of folks from all walks of life that you belong to! Hallelujah!
The finished work of Jesus on the cross brings people from all walks of life together to be a part of the Lord’s team! The beauty of the Christian faith is that even though the team is diverse in nature, we are united under the banner of our Savior! So today let’s choose to rejoice in the fact that we are a part of the Lord’s team! Let us choose to love our fellow teammates/family members in Jesus name. Lastly, let us choose to share the greatest news ever with those who do not know Christ so they can receive Him as Lord and Savior and become a part of the family as well!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Dear Heavenly Father Lord, thank you for saving me! Help me to rejoice in the fact that I am a part of your family! I am a part of the team! Help me to love my fellow teammates well in the days ahead, along with sharing the good news with those around me who do not know you so that they may respond and join the team as well. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
MEMORY VERSE FOR THE WEEK:
Colossians 3:15
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.