TO BE FOUND

The more times I see the movie August Rush it is fast becoming one of my favorite movies of all time. Not only is the acting fantastic, but also the story is one of the most beautiful and human stories I've seen on screen. The main plot is that of an orphaned boy named August who longs to find his parents, who themselves never meant to abandon him but were told he was dead. The theme through the movie is that music is what brought the parents together and it is music that will bring him home to them and them to him. It's a climactic tear jerking drama about love, grace, mercy and perseverance, and most of all hope. I can't help but get a much better glimpse of Christ constantly beckoning us to him with His perfect melody that the scripture says (Zep 3:17) He sings and dances over each one of us individually. His singing and rejoicing is harmonic and contagious, freeing, and redemptive....can you hear it? Will you follow it? One of the lines from the movie was so relatable to our Christian journey here on earth and to those who are in need of Christ's salvation..."if you could be anything in the whole world August, what would you be?" August replies confidently..."Found!". Amen!!

We all want to be found, truly found and God wants us all to be found. Until we are truly found there cannot be a sincere, honest, gospel impact. A gospel impact in our actions, with our spouses, with our children, in our communities, and in the world. The disciples are a great example of this for us. They knew Jesus loved them, and they loved him and fully committed to following him. It wasn't till after the death and resurrection though did they realize they had been found from their lost and hopeless state. Prior to that they believed who Jesus said he was the Son of God, but they didn't understand what Jesus would do for them and humanity, and most importantly the price he would pay in doing it. This lack of understanding and embracing the cross made them want to horde Jesus and keep him as close as possible, very much like a child would hold onto a possession. After the cross and the upper room the Holy Spirit brought to life the understanding that they had been found. That is when their true gospel impact happened and changed the world, as we know it.

What was the impact of the gospel when they realized they had been found finally? They gave it (Jesus) away! Unafraid and unashamed and with urgency they gave it away! Acts 3 was a great revelation of this fact for me. Peter as one of the key disciples before the cross would guard and follow Jesus out of performance time and time again but yet also showed that he was trying to measure up in a way. This led to his eventual denial, but what needs to be seen is that he did not know the cross was going to happen and what it would mean to how Jesus truly saw him. Peter already measured up because of Christ, but it would be in Christ's death that he would finally understand it....just like with all of us. In Acts chapter 3 though Peter says to a crippled man with confidence this time, "Money we don't have but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth get up and walk." When we know we have been truly found the impact is that we will give that gift away, and with urgency! Let's go give it away....today!