IMPACT Mexico

Last night I found myself at the YMC here at the church joining 24 students & 6 top-notch leaders in one of their final IMPACT Team meetings. Mainly just there to answer questions, I got to observe firsthand how things are coming together for this trip.

I've never been down to the greater Juarez area, but the stories that I've heard come out of it are incredible! God is up to something in the lives of the people down there! And the amazing part is, that these 24 students & 6 leaders get to go and be a part of that!

As I watched the students "rehearse" their stories, songs, & crafts for VBS, I pictured that room filled with kids from 4-14 engaged & listening to the stories of Jesus...straight from God's Word! For many of them, this could be their first encounter with the living God! These students & leaders may very well be the first picture of Jesus they have ever seen! Wow...pressure's on team!!!

What an incredible thing to be a part of! This is the kind of stuff that gets me really pumped up...to see students stepping out into a world completely different than their own & having the opportunity to just love & serve others through simply loving & serving God.

But you know, you don't have to go to the greater Juarez area down in Mexico to really begin living your faith out in a radical way. It starts when you hop, roll, or fall out of bed in the morning. It starts as you're getting ready for school, for work, or for a day off. It starts when you walk out your front door. This radical lifestyle that we've been called to isn't something we attain by going to the foreign mission field...it isn't something set aside for those "special" people who've been called to be pastors, youth leaders, small group leaders, worship leaders, or missionaries.

See...there's this question that has been burning on my mind this morning (inspired out of a message I heard from Louie Giglio, great speaker & author). "How can I glorify God & live this thing out in a massive way today?" How do you, how do I, how do we do it? How does the IMPACT Team do it not just from June 14-25, but today, tomorrow, Friday, Saturday, next Tuesday? How do we do it?

Paul has something to say about that in Colossians 1:24-27...

"Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

English translation?

Paul is telling the Colossians about something incredible. There's this great mystery that has been kept hidden for ages. There's this mystery that the prophets, teachers, kings, & everyone in between back in the Old Testament never knew about. Moses didn't know it, David didn't know it, Abraham didn't know it, Joshua didn't know it, Isaac didn't know it, Rahab didn't know it, Gideon didn't know it. And Paul is saying to the people of Colosse, you get to know what this great mystery is! They didn't get to, but I'm telling you right now! He's getting ready to share with them the Word of God in its fullness!

What is this mystery?

"God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

So...How can I glorify God & live this thing out in a massive way today? How do you, how do I, how do we do it? How does the IMPACT Team do it not just from June 14-25, but today, tomorrow, Friday, Saturday, next Tuesday? How do we do it? By recognizing Christ in us. This thing is not about Christ AND us, it's not my strength + God's strength = victory & success. It's Christ in you, Christ as the victory already won IN you & IN me.

You want to change this world, impact the people around you, and live to give God the glory? Start by recognizing Christ in you...not Christ and you. We are not, but He is. We cannot, but He can. We will always fail, but He has already won.

I can't wait for this IMPACT Team to head down to Mexico & have the opporutnity to serve and love others & share with them God's love. But if it doesn't start until June 14th & then ends on June 25th, or 26th, or 30th...then I think we've missed it.

IMPACT Team and anyone else who might read this...Christ IN you...start there.