From the desk of Pastor Jim

There are moments in life when you can almost hear someone saying, “Okay… now what?” Graduation ceremonies, retirement parties, moving days, and even Monday mornings can leave us standing there wondering what comes next.

The disciples probably felt a little like that in Matthew 28:16–20. They had seen Jesus die, rise again, and now meet them on a mountain in Galilee. Scripture tells us that some worshiped… and some doubted. Honestly, that may be one of the most comforting lines in the Bible. Even standing face-to-face with the risen Christ, some of them still had questions.

And Jesus doesn’t scold them for it. Instead, he gives them a mission.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…”

Notice Jesus did not say, “Go when you feel completely confident,” or “Go once you have every answer.” He simply said, “Go.” Faith is often less about having everything figured out and more about trusting the One who walks with us.

The good news is that sharing the love of Christ does not always require a microphone, a seminary degree, or a dramatic movie soundtrack playing in the background. Sometimes it looks like kindness in the grocery store checkout line. Sometimes it sounds like encouragement to a struggling friend. Sometimes it is simply showing up for worship, praying for others, or offering grace when it would be easier to offer criticism.

In other words, discipleship usually happens in ordinary places with ordinary people who are trying their best to follow an extraordinary Savior.

And then comes one of the greatest promises in Scripture:

“And remember, I am with you always…”

Not occasionally. Not only on good days. Always.

That means Christ is with us in the joyful moments and the stressful ones, in the celebrations and the awkward family dinners, in the times we feel brave and the times we feel like hiding under the blankets with coffee and snacks.

The disciples walked down that mountain carrying hope into the world, and we are invited to do the same. We may not always feel ready, but thankfully Jesus never asked us to go alone.

So this week, go share kindness. Go share grace. Go share hope. And if you happen to stumble along the way, remember: even the disciples had their uncertain moments.

God still used them anyway.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Jim