Share
Culture and Neighborhood

by Jen Zug on Wednesday, September 26th, 2007 2:55 pm

Why I would duck and run if I saw you at the market.

I ran into a woman at Fred Meyer a couple months ago. We were both dropping off our kids at the while-you-shop daycare, and I said something to her about how nice it is to be able to shop without distraction. We talked for a few minutes, and then she commented on how I looked familiar to her. After rattling off a few places we might have met, she finally mentioned one of the parks within walking distance of my house, and I remembered her as a mom I chatted with on several occasions while our kids played last summer. We talked some more and then exchanged phone numbers for future play dates.

I’m not a person who willingly makes small talk with strangers, but on that day as I stood waiting in a line, I initiated: I smiled, I made a comment, and I connected.

This bold move by a shy girl was sparked by Pastor Mark’s teaching on Nehemiah 9, which I had just heard the previous Sunday. Folks gathered to read Scripture, the story of how God had initiated toward them, and the people had responses — worship, prayer, and confession. Scripture is how God speaks to us, he said, and prayer is how we speak to God.

We must first listen before we speak.

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world”
(John 17:17-18).

This idea of responding to Jesus’ initiation has been Mars Hill’s mantra since the dawn of time – it’s the reason we take communion every week and sing after the sermon instead of before. It’s gotten to be so ingrained in me, that when I visit other churches I feel a bit stunned when we are dismissed after the sermon, or it’s not the once-a-month week they serve communion.

But after this particular sermon I better understood my role in the equation – I began to understand it as a model for relating to the people God puts in front of me. Jesus initiates toward me, and calls me model his love by initiating toward others.

This is usually uncomfortable for me, because most of the time I would rather be left alone and avoid small talk. But Jesus is disruptive. He disrupts my comfort zone and he calls me to be disruptive in His name. He challenges me out of my excuse that I am a mere introvert.

So as Jesus initiates in my life, more and more I am responding to him by stepping out of myself to initiate relationship with others. And, as in the case of the woman I met at Fred Meyer, I find myself making new friends.

How has Jesus been challenging you to be an initiator?


TEACHING - March 10th, 2010

Centrality of the Cross in Counseling | A Bruised Heel

In Genesis 3:15, we see the first mention of the atonement where God proclaims of the seed of the woman, “he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” This is a contrast of the Cross of Christ and the suffering of Satan, ordained by God. In other words, Jesus crushed the head of Satan, as Satan bruised Christ’s heel. The bruised heel of Jesus happened at the Cross in contrast to the utter defeat of Satan at the Cross (1 John 3:8).


Continue...

MORE FROM TEACHING

Preparing for Easter

By Pastor Adam Sinnett, March 8, 2010

What I Learned in California | Part Three

By Pastor Adam Sinnett, March 5, 2010

Centrality of the Cross in Counseling | No Separation

By Pastor James Noriega, March 4, 2010
WEST SEATTLE CAMPUS LIFE - March 7th, 2010

West Seattle Campus | eWeekly March 07, 2010

Check out the eWeekly to see upcoming News & Events


Continue...

MORE FROM WEST SEATTLE CAMPUS LIFE

West Seattle Campus | eWeekly February 28, 2010

By Mars Hill Church, February 28, 2010

Church Planting in Ecuador

By Mars Hill Church, February 27, 2010

Financial Training Day Follow-up

By pparker, February 25, 2010