I became a Christian in Oct. 1995 in my early twenties. Immediately I was passionate about telling anyone who would listen about Jesus. I had found the true God that forgave me of my sinful past and I wanted to shout it from the rooftops. The leaders of my church probably didn't know what to do with this exuberant new believer that would preach to anyone who would listen. Their gracious response was to funnel that passion and so they assigned me to my very first Sunday school class as a teacher. I had been a Christian for three months. I had no clue what I was doing as I led this group of boys and girls in Gr. 3 and 4. I got my curriculum and studied every word of it as I prepared and got ready. I was so pumped to tell the kids in my class about Jesus. I went to the first Sunday school class that day and was blown away by the knowledge, the faith, the encouragement of the kids in my class. They already knew Jesus. They taught me. Discipled me. I was the adult, but they were certainly the teachers. I tried to catch up to their faith, and went and bought a kids Bible and read it quickly to try figure out this God thing. Here I was called to make disciples.... To lead this group of kids and they were discipling me.
A couple years later I started pastoring at a church and had the opportunity to lead and encourage faith in others. I never forgot the simplicity of how my Gr. 3 and 4 kids taught me how easy it was to follow Jesus. Sometimes we over complicate it. God's plan is simple. The cross equals love. Perfect love. There's no hidden formula or ritual you need to perform. With God, what you see is what you get. He wants to adopt you into His family and is waiting for you to say Yes. You see that is the thing with adoption, God our Father initiates it with each of us. He wants us in His family.
This Easter weekend I pray you encounter God's perfect love for you. Find a church service. I pray you open your heart to the One that knows you and wants you to know that you belong in His family. The power of Jesus life, death and resurrection is life giving to you. I pray you become Jesus disciple and chase after getting to know Him more and more each day. Happy Easter!
