Happy Thanksgiving!
November 24, 2021·Cruz Contreras
The holidays may look different for each person, but even in the midst of them, I want to let you know I’m thankful for you. You may say, “Pastor Cruz, you have no idea who I am, I’ve never even met you before.” While that may be true, you’re an important individual that has a special place in the Kingdom of God and a special place here at The Church On The Way… and I’m thankful for that. The Lord loves you, you have worth, and He isn’t done with you. To help show you what I mean, let’s look at John 21. To the disciples’ knowledge, Jesus is dead. What do they do? Well, they go fishing. Starting at verse 3:
“Simon Peter said, ‘I’m going fishing.’ ‘We’ll come too,’ they all said. So, they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.”
Clearly, it wasn’t going well. They had followed Jesus for the last three years, and when they lost Him, they went right back to their secular jobs. They dropped what they were doing when they were with Jesus and went back to how it was before. I’m not saying this is the most emotionally painful thing that could be done toward Jesus. I’m not saying this hurt Jesus’ feelings. But what I do know is that typically, actions from the people closest to us can sometimes hurt the most. OK, Pastor Cruz, what are you getting at? You said God isn’t done with me, but I don’t get it.
Well, considering the disciples’ response, Jesus shows up to them! Picking up at verse 12:
“’Now come and have some breakfast!’ Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask Him, ‘Who are You?’ They knew it was the Lord. Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. This was the third time Jesus had appeared to His disciples since He had been raised from the dead.”
When the disciples are off doing what they did before Jesus, He still shows up, cooks them breakfast, and reengages them. By all means, Jesus could have easily let them go back to their old jobs and go on with their lives. Their season was done, let’s go raise up some new leaders. In fact, for me, I know I would be hurt if the people I poured into and cared for the past three years just went back to their old life. Jesus doesn’t leave His disciples; He approaches them because He wasn’t done with them. It didn’t matter what was going on, because they were important to Jesus; He loved them, they had worth, and He was not done with them.
Whatever this season looks like for you, I want to acknowledge something with you, Church. You are loved, you have worth, and Jesus isn’t done with you. I might not know you, but I am thankful for you, because even if you might not see it, think it, or feel it, the Lord loves you and there are some exciting things in store for you.
Pastor Cruz Contreras
