My Story in a Sermon

As I was listening to the sermon this morning I was taken aback by one of the illustrations. It was me.

The theme of the sermon was coming to see Jesus- the invitation Jesus himself makes to the first disciples. "Come and see who I really am," he says. "Discover what it is I have to offer and why it makes sense to follow me." Well, he didn't use all those words. He might not have even used any of them. But he very simply said- "Come and see."

So the illustrations were about how people come to be in the presence of Jesus so they can come to meet him. And there was the family that invited me to go to church with them. Thus began the pilgrimage that continues to this day. Let's see, how long ago was that now? Well, it was early summer, 1963. That makes it almost 48 years.

Yet, there, in the sermon this morning was my story. And in one way or another, the story of every one who has ever come to Jesus or has discovered the grace of God in their lives. Which is what caught my attention as the illustration went past. All this religion stuff sounds so esoteric and disconnected with our daily lives so much of the time. We get caught up in the ins and outs of each day and miss how God is working in that day. We miss the people inviting us to see Jesus, if it is just by smiling at us, giving us a kind word, or stopping to help us.

And vice versa, as we do the same.