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Followers of Jesus Pursuing Joy in Jesus That's our mission. What does it mean? It's all About Jesus. Never in human history has there been anyone like Jesus. No one has ever lived like Jesus -- healing the sick, feeding the hungry, rebuking the hypocrites, encouraging the struggling. No one has ever loved like Jesus -- caring for the widows, praying for children, accepting outcasts, welcoming the broken. No one has ever taught like Jesus -- about the joy of God, the true condition of people, and what we need to do to connect with God. The reason Jesus is unique is because Jesus was no ordinary human being. Jesus was -- and is -- the Son of God. And yet He was willing to become a man Ð to live among us so we could see God in the flesh. But he didnÕt just live among us. He also died Ð died on the cross to pay for our wrongs so we could be forgiven and changed and brought into the greatest joy of all -- relationship with God. We are Seeking to be Followers of Jesus By dying on the cross Jesus broke the power of sin so that we could enter into a whole new kind of life -- the life of trusting Jesus. This means we find our security in the promises of Jesus. We seek our identity in the love of Jesus. We discover our joy in the presence of Jesus. We pursue our purpose in the mission of Jesus. In other words, Jesus has not called us just to go to church or believe doctrines or obey commands. No -- Jesus calls us to a whole new way of life -- a life centered in the joy of trusting Him -- a life of loving and serving others -- a life of helping others come into the joy of knowing Him. And Jesus does not call us to do this by ourselves. He calls His followers to love one another, which means having real, authentic relationships. Not pretending to be fine when your heart is broken. Not just seeing each other on Sundays. But being part of a group of friends who love each other deeply as they seek to follow Jesus together. Lots of this takes place in our [Home Groups.] We are Pursuing Joy in Jesus Jesus doesn't have any problem with people who seek joy. In fact, He taught that our problem is not that we pursue joy too much. Our problem is that we settle for too little. Our problem is that we settle for the shallow, temporary joys of gossip and money and lust. And we don't lift our eyes to the massive, awesome joy of knowing God through Jesus. Everything Jesus calls us to do is for our joy Ð our joy in knowing Him. So everything we do -- whether it is worshiping or studying the Scriptures or praying for the sick or feeding the homeless -- we do because as we do these Jesus gives us more of the joy of knowing Him. He is the greatest joy the human heart can know. Join us in pursuing joy in Jesus. © 2007 Mercy Hill Church of San Jose Offices: 6455 Almaden Expressway Suite 207, San Jose, CA 95120 Phone: 408.997.9387 Fax: 408.997.6248 Email: Contact Form |
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