This is a time to restore our sense of Jesus with us
++ Any preparation for Jesus’ imminent return must put the focus back on His presence with us as we gather with Him ++
by IAN GREIG writing in FAITH FRAGMENTS
As we focus on the return of Jesus for all of the various expressions of His believing and spiritual church, there is a ‘now’ dimension to consider.
Do we magnify the MEMORY of Jesus the Galilean baby, who grew up, received His call and anointing for ministry, and shared His life with the first disciples until condemned to death and crucified?
Or do we gather to say, “Come, Holy Spirit” with faith believing beyond what we can see?
Faith recognises Jesus’ spiritual presence with us NOW and worships God with Him.
A lack of faith falls back on ritual words and actions to remember the Lord.
So preparation for Jesus’ imminent return is a rekindling of faith to discern Jesus present and speaking to us now!
In the more formal traditions which use set forms of worship, the words and actions may not need to change very much. They come alive with faith.
The change is that fewer words and a less scripted approach creates more space for Jesus to minister.
And the thrust of the sermon changes from “try harder and do more good” to the gentle spiritual encouragement of the Lord inviting His people to join Him in ministry and experience His empowering.
The few loaves and fishes were multiplied to feed thousands of hungry people in the hillside EVEN AS the disciples obeyed the instruction to share it out.
That pattern is unchanged today as we invite Jesus to be present and transformative in His church.
And that’s the prelude to Jesus returning in glory at the end of the age. It is either an event we have feared and tried to insure against, in a religious way. Or it is something we have prepared for and exercised regularly.
Jesus is Lord of His church — to the extent that we let Him. And that means honouring Him in His church, and not putting Him under restrictions in ours.
Jesus will return in glory. We can prepare and experience some of that glory now, by welcoming Him by our heartfelt worship in Spirit and in reality.
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