Watching my new grandson learn to control his facial muscles is precious and comical, but if some of his scrunchy faces were on an adult or adolescent, they may not be endearing or amusing. Body language accompanied by facial expression can be inviting or off-putting.
I teach teenagers in Bible study and my main goal is to point them to Jesus by sharing with them what God is teaching me in His Word. In order to earn the privilege of being heard, I show up early and stay late to engage them in conversation. I ask questions, I share stories, and as I do, I find we have things in common. A lesson I learned long ago is not to let their obvious body language dissuade me. Otherwise I would have zero relationship and zero credibility with any of them.
Jesus sent His disciples to do the work of ministry, to pave the way for His arrival in the towns and cities He would visit during His earthly ministry without His physical presence accompanying them even before the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost. He told them upfront what to expect and how to respond to rejection. He sent them out fearful but they returned full of joy.
””Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me.
And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me.
And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”
When the seventy missionaries returned to Jesus, they were ecstatic with joy, telling him, “Lord, even the demons obeyed us when we commanded them in your name!”
Jesus replied, “While you were ministering, I watched Satan topple until he fell suddenly from heaven like lightning to the ground.
Now you understand that I have imparted to you my authority to trample over his kingdom.
You will trample upon every demon before you and overcome every power Satan possesses. Absolutely nothing will harm you as you walk in this authority.
However, your real source of joy isn’t merely that these spirits submit to your authority, but that your names are written in the journals of heaven and that you belong to God’s kingdom.
This is the true source of your authority.”
Then Jesus, overflowing with the Holy Spirit’s joy, exclaimed, “Father, thank you, for you are Lord Supreme over heaven and earth!
You have hidden the great revelation of this authority from those who are proud, those wise in their own eyes, and you have shared it with these who humbled themselves.
Yes, Father. This is what pleases your heart: to give these things to those who are like trusting children.
Father, you have entrusted me with all that you have. No one fully knows the Son except the Father. And no one fully knows the Father except the Son. But the Son is able to reveal the Father to anyone he chooses.”“
Luke 10:16-22 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/luk.10.16-22.TPT
”My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine.
I, the Lord, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.“
Isaiah 66:2 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.66.2.NLT
Jesus sent the seventy out with his authority, in His power, with His message. They were able to heal and do miracles that only Jesus had done, but Jesus warned them not to focus on the miracles, the outcomes, or whether they were accepted or rejected. He reminded them that they were each chosen, pursued, and invited by Him into the kingdom of God. Their rejoicing should be that their names were recorded in heaven. From this awareness, God’s power could be put on display, but they must completely rely on Him.
”You won’t need to take anything with you—trust in God alone. And don’t get distracted from my purpose by anyone you might meet along the way.“
Luke 10:4 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/luk.10.4.TPT
”For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure.
This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.“
2 Corinthians 4:6-7 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/2co.4.7.NLT
You are chosen, pursued, and invited by Jesus into the kingdom of God. Once you receive His gift of salvation, your rejoicing should be that your name is recorded in heaven. From this awareness, God’s power can be put on display in your life as you go, but don’t get distracted from His purpose by anyone you might meet along the way.
”Then Jesus came close to them and said, “All authority of the universe has been given to me.
Now wherever you go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you.
And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.”“
Matthew 28:18-20 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/mat.28.18-20.TPT
”Throughout the coming ages we will be the visible display of the infinite riches of his grace and kindness, which was showered upon us in Jesus Christ.
For by grace you have been saved by faith. Nothing you did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the love gift from God that brought us to Christ! So no one will ever be able to boast, for salvation is never a reward for good works or human striving.
We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One.
Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!“
Ephesians 2:7-10 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/eph.2.10.TPT
”God will continually revitalize you, implanting within you the passion to do what pleases him.
Live a cheerful life, without complaining or division among yourselves. For then you will be seen as innocent, faultless, and pure children of God, even though you live in the midst of a brutal and perverse culture.
For you will appear among them as shining lights in the universe, holding out the words of eternal life.“
Philippians 2:13-16 TPT
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