In the previous post, I said that in Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus was thinking correctly when he said that he was going to leave his disciples. Why?
First of all, he has given them plenty of opportunities to learn from him over the past three years. He trained them. He discipled them. He pushed them out of the comfort zones multiple times already. They might not feel like it, but they are ready for what comes next because Jesus got them ready.
Second, he points out that he has authority, and by that authority, he gives them a mission: make disciples wherever they go. They will not flounder, wondering “What do we do now?” after he leaves. He has given them a specific mission. They are to make disciples of as many people as possible, teaching the new disciples to obey everything Jesus taught the original disciples. That’s pretty clear. Do what Jesus did, follow him, which will take them out of their comfort zone.
Third, he is not leaving them high and dry. He says he will be with them always. We know that means he will send his Spirit to be with them, to live in them, to empower them and guide them. The Spirit arrives, as we read in Acts 2, and fills the disciples.
So Jesus is pushing the disciples out of the nest, and he is giving them plenty of tools to learn how to fly. What we see through this study is how to grow in faith together. Just like the disciples, we step out of our comfort zone together, entering new territory that requires us to trust in God.
I love how I have seen this at work in recent months in the life of my church family. We have started a Church World Service (CWS) Welcome Team, a Lancaster County Prison Worship Team, and through Conestoga Valley SEEDS we host English Language Development (ELD) classes. The CWS Welcome Team is helping a former refugee family from Congo get settled in Lancaster. The prison worship team holds worship services in the prison about once per month. SEEDS ELD classes involve teaching people from all over the world who live in the CV School District, and who have varying levels of English ability.
Some participants told me that when they first started serving on those teams, they felt way out of their comfort zones. But that was a good thing! Participating on those teams meant they willingly chose to step out of their comfort zone, growing their faith in God together with others. It felt risky, scary, awkward, uncomfortable, and they sensed they needed God to come through for them. And he did.
Whenever we interact with new people, we feel this. When we interact with people who speak other languages, or come from other cultures, or live in a prison, we can feel out of our comfort zone, out of control, and that is a very good thing. When we are in that place of discomfort, we are in perhaps the best place we can be, a place where we pray “Jesus we are following you into the great unknown, will you please come through for us as we share your love in word and deed together?”
So how about you? If you are not already following Jesus out of your comfort zone, what step towards him will you take? Where he is just might make you feel uncomfortable. But where is, is the place where we grow in faith together. Take that step, get connected to people who are stepping out of their comfort zones, growing faith together.
Photo by Loic Leray on Unsplash
Engaging Scripture 