As our relationship with God grows, so does our desire to please him. The simplest way to begin is with the word of God. His word helps us to understand who He is and what His desires are. Jesus is living proof that one of God’s greatest desires is to have a deeply personal relationship with us.
The closest worldly explanation for His desire is the love between a parent and their child. God created each one of us individually; and like a father He desires to guide us, teach us, and know us. His love is so great He sent His only begotten son, Jesus, to make that possible.
As Christians we experience the fullness of God’s love and grace every day. The most amazing thing about God is his unlimited love. It is not limited to Christians or the Jews, who are his favored people. His love is for all man on Earth. We are called to spread the good news about the Gospel and who Jesus is. In this calling God will make sure we encounter hungry people who need the message of love and hope as much as we do. In John 4 Jesus tells us this,
“…“My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike!”
John 4:34-36 NLT
Jesus uses the parable of planting good seeds. In our calling to spread the Gospel we plant seeds in people’s hearts and mind. Even if we never see a seed come to fruit personally, there will be others behind us to water and nurture that seed. In some cases, as Jesus explained, there are already people ready for harvest. To harvest is to bring a person to salvation.
God is Good: Real World Example
This past Sunday August 22, 2021 the pastor was reviewing Acts 8:26-40. This story beautifully outlines the Christian calling to spread the Gospel. In the story Philip is called by God to walk down a desert road towards Gaza. He comes across a eunuch in a carriage and God calls him again to approach this person.
Philip didn’t know it at the time, but God was leading him to someone ripe for the harvest. This man was headed to Jerusalem to worship. He joins the eunuch who is studying the book of Isaiah; which prophesied Jesus and his death. Philip was given the opportunity to share the good news about Jesus with the eunuch.
As they spoke they came across water on a desert road. The eunuch was so moved by the story of the Gospel he joyfully asked to be baptized!
“As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.”
Acts 8:36-38
Just like the eunuch in the story, a stranger had come to our church that morning. That man was hungry to know more God. He was ripe for harvest. God brought him to the right place at the right time to hear about the Gospel and baptism. I’m excited to tell you, next Sunday will be a baptism Sunday!
Purpose Walk 