"The average American family has $300
In unused gift cards in their household
Between the years of 2007 and 2012
There was as much as $41 Billion
In gift cards that went unredeemed!
It’s one thing to be given a resource
It’s another thing to redeem it
One of the hardest parts of this job
We issue gifts of grace
Gifts of peace
Gifts of mercy every day
And so many of them go unclaimed!
I have been frustrated at times
Remembered something that happen to me
I hold doors for people – it’s one of the things I do
Insulted one year around Christmas
Lady told me thank you
And went on to tell me how she LOVED Christmas
That at Christmas people did nice stuff like this
Sharing this with a friend –
Told me – if you get one in ten to say thanks
That is as good as Jesus
Two in ten – you out perform Him
Don’t do what I do for the thanks
But started keeping track
He was right – about 1 in 10 is the average
So Jesus asked about the other nine – right?
But He didn’t lose any sleep over them
How’d He do that?
Jesus set a bar – given by God
The bar NEVER moved
Even when they didn’t thank him (blind men)
Or receive his healing (home town)
Or receive his teaching (birds have nest…)
But it wasn’t a PERSONAL rejection for Jesus
He was JUST doing the will of the One who sent Him
He knew Who He was and Who’s He was – baptism
It’s tempting for me to “lower the bar”
To run after – to negotiate with
You will NEVER find Jesus doing this
When the rich young ruler walked away –
Jesus let him
When the multitudes left –
Jesus let them
When His home town rejected Him
Jesus let them
When the crowds turned on Him
Jesus forgave them
HOW?
They had NO influence over Him
They had NO control over Him
They had NO vote in what He did or didn’t do
His job – His mission – His purpose in life
Was to do the will of the One who sent Him
And when God was happy –
It didn’t matter what anybody else thought
So today, we will issue more “gift cards””
We will love the unloveable
We will speak life
We will speak the truth
We will speak the name that is above every name
That at His name –
Every knee will bow
Every tongue will confess
In heaven – on earth and below the earth
And some will never cash them in
They will put them in their pocket
They may not even be that respectful
They may throw them away
Or back at us
And we will smile and offer them another and another
At the end of the day –
We won’t be judged on who ACCEPTED our “gift cards”
But on the fact we issued them!" - Pastor Greg Spink
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