Читать книгу The mission remains! - Johannes Sieber - Страница 5

Imagine that you lived 2000 years ago and you were one of the disciples who went around with Jesus. You can choose which of these disciples you want to be. Let me take Andrew. Andrew was a passionate guy who was hungry for God. The message from John the Baptist went straight into his heart. After that, he met Jesus and had an incredible encounter with Him that he never forgot. Andrew was there from the beginning, he quickly realized that Jesus was the promised Messiah. He experienced the miracles and signs that Jesus did. There was, for example, the healing of a man born blind, the multiplication of food, or the thousands of paralytics and lepers he healed. Jesus also raised the dead Lazarus. A highlight was when they went to the villages without Jesus and experienced the same things. Then they captured Jesus and mistreated him in the cruelest way and nailed him to a cross. Andrew was there and couldn’t believe what was happening. Was this to be the end?

On the first day of the new week, Jesus was alive again, because he was raised from the dead. One event chased the other: sorrow, grief, joy, overwhelming emotions. Finally, Jesus says to the disciples: Go and do the same as I have done. Make disciples of all nations, heal them, and cast out demons from them! A few days after Jesus said this, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples. At the latest, no one could stop Andrew now. Everyone must hear and experience this! Such power now lived in him that whole cities were turned upside down. Andrew did what Jesus had told him to do. He did not deviate an inch from it. Even when they persecuted, tortured and finally nailed him to a cross, he held fast to what Jesus had said. As he hung on the cross, he lived two more days preaching to his tormentors until he died.3

Let’s assume Andrew is beamed into our time, into the 2020s. He walks through a modern city with all the unknown. But here, too, he has only one passion. He wants people to know Jesus and become his followers. He approaches people and heals the sick. Suddenly he meets someone who is already following Jesus. Andrew is gripped by an incredible joy and curiosity. He has met someone who is already following Jesus. Andrew immediately wants to know where this guy is meeting with other believers today. The answer irritates him, because he tells him that he will not have another small group until four days from now and that it is not really meant for strangers. Andrew is disappointed but doesn’t give up. As a result, he is invited to the service on Sunday at 11 o’clock. Andrew asks if he can come to the prayer service when the sun rises. No, is the answer. Because they will be setting up first, and the band still had to sound check. Andrew thinks to himself that this is probably something new that he doesn’t have to understand.

So Andrew shows up at this modern building a few minutes before the service. He actually likes it, it looks appealing, and the colors and the high rooms are beautiful. Already at the entrance he is greeted friendly. Since he is obviously recognized as a visitor, he receives some documents about the church and a voucher for a free coffee. He does not know what a coffee is, but he thinks it is nice. Now he is really looking forward to sharing with the believers what they are experiencing in this age with his Master Jesus and how the revival is progressing, and he is looking forward to praying and praising God with them. He is jolted out of his thoughts as someone wants to show him his seat to sit on. But he does not want to sit at all! He is disconcerted by the fact that all the chairs are facing the same direction and he cannot look into the faces of the faithful. Suddenly music resounds from everywhere – a great experience. Andrew suspects that this is the new way of praising God. He gets fully involved. The Holy Spirit is so strongly present that he praises God with strong tears and praises Him in foreign languages. Great! Now things are really going to take off! Andrew is looking forward to how people will be healed and delivered and how they will want to repent. He is looking forward like a little child to what will happen now.

All of a sudden, everyone in the room sits down on their chairs. Andrew is confused but does what the others do. He waits eagerly for the total eruption of the working of the spirit, as he has experienced so many times. Now a good-looking young woman comes on stage and announces various events. Andrew finds this alienating and inappropriate, but perhaps it has to be that way in modern times. Finally, another good-looking man comes on stage and tells stories about his life with his children and his wife. The man urges the people in the room to take control of one area in their lives in three steps and to love their neighbors more. Andrew is irritated; he can remember Jesus’ life-changing and confrontational sermons. He himself preached countless sermons, but none of them were so focused on people’s well-being. After the service, he walks out a little sad, thinking that he can now pray with the faithful. Instead, sipping free coffee, people talk about his special clothes, sports, and working. Quite sadly, he leaves the building and never returns there. Andrew has a burning question: How on earth does one get from what Jesus told and exemplified to what he saw here?

For Andrew, church is a community of radical followers of Jesus who are willing to lay down their lives for their Master. This community is powerful, loving, and the ultimate goal is that people become followers who in turn are able to share the good news.

For someone who has experienced the book of Acts themselves, it would probably be difficult to comprehend what we are doing in our churches today. I think many things that are done in churches are amazing. I know some churches and have been part of such a movement myself, where people regularly come to faith and signs and wonders happen. The commitment some are making to the kingdom of God is impressive and worthy of emulation. But I also think that we should find our way back to this simple and powerful life of Jesus. At least this is true for me. A change is also needed if the next generations are to be reached. More about that later. That is why I ask the question here: Who is my role model? After whom do I align my life and thus my actions? Do I look to the original or do I look to the copy from the copy of the copy? Personally, I want to follow the original. I want to follow Jesus. I want to live like Andrew. I want to change something today.

Do you feel the same way? Then you have come to the right place! In this book you will find answers to what Jesus, the original, can look like today. Prepare for this book to make you think and want to change certain things in your life. Welcome to the adventure.