Welcoming Jesus

“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.”

Jesus in Matthew 10:40

When we think about our lives, our church, and the world we live in, everything changes when we realize that Jesus is with us. Jesus keeps showing up. This, of course, is a mystery, but a mystery in the ancient sense, one that fills us with wonder and hope. 

Jesus continues to be at work in the feeble, humble, often frail community that goes by the name “church.” Jesus continues to be with us. Jesus continues to call us outward into the unknown. And Jesus continues to surprise us. It may have been a surprise to his disciples when Jesus told them, "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me.” It is natural to see ourselves as the disciples being sent out by Jesus; it's who we strive to be. It is good to understand ourselves in this way. But in order to be disciples, we ourselves must welcome Jesus into our midst. 

And through our acts of welcoming others, we come to trust that we are welcoming the presence of Jesus. Matthew chapter 10 concludes with Jesus telling his disciples:

“…whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.” Welcoming the presence of God may look more like giving a cup of cold water to a child rather than some apparently grand and obviously spiritual gesture. These everyday acts of welcoming keep us near to the heart of God. The church is the one community in the entire world that gets to practice these acts of welcoming over and over again. 

Welcoming is not always easy. Human beings are complex creatures, and there are always ways that community can become strained. But over the long term, welcoming is one way God keeps using you and me. 

Miriam and I have been delighted to be your pastors for the past year. This year went by fast! One of the gifts of Faith UMC is the gift of welcoming. Thank you for welcoming us. May we continue to be a community that welcomes Christ in our welcoming of others. 

-Pastor Justin