“Leave it all behind” came across my mind as I studied from Luke chapter 5 about Levi the tax collector (AKA - Matthew, disciple, gospel writer, and Christian martyr) who was invited by our Lord to faithfully follow Him.  In Luke 5:28 it simply states, “So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.”  

Luke would later share a parable (5:36-39) that I reflects Levi and his commitment to “leave it all behind” and follow Jesus. The parable is quite simple in that it states that you don’t take the “new” and put it in with the “old” (cloth and wine) because it will not work and will eventually fall apart.  

That is exactly what Levi did with his life.  He left the “old” life of power, cheating, and taking advantage and embraced the “new” way of truth, life, and covenant of Christ.  He lived this life of hope, love, and faith with diligence even to the end of his life. Tradition has it that Levi was killed for his faith in Christ in Ethiopia. It would have been so easy for him to deny his faith in Christ and live and go back to the “old” but when it was all said and done for Levi, the benefits were out of this world.

The lesson for you and me is this: embrace the new and don’t try to do patchwork with your life by trying to put the new life in Christ back into your old way of sinful living.  Embrace the “New Covenant” and don’t go back to the “Old Testament” because under the “New Testament” what we have enjoy is so much better! So LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND even if it kills you!  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” - THE APOSTLE PAUL (2 Corinthians 5:17)

How much do you value FELLOWSHIP with your spiritual family at Westpark?

In April of 1945, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a preacher, was executed by special order at a Nazi camp.  He was arrested two years before, and had been transferred from prison to prison. Moving from place to place, he lost all contact with everyone he knew, the outside world, and according to his own testimony, the most precious possession he had: FELLOWSHIP.

Years before his imprisonment Bonhoeffer wrote of the richness of fellowship in the following statements from his book, “LIFE TOGETHER,” based on Psalm 1:33.  “The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.  A physical sign of the gracious presence of the triune God. How inexhaustible are the riches that open up for those who, by God’s will, are privileged to live in the daily fellowship of life with other Christians.”  “Let him who has such a privilege thank God on his knees and declare. It is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in fellowship with Christian brothers.”

We experience many blessings in Christ, but one of our greatest blessings is the FELLOWSHIP we share together at Westpark.  We must make sure we never neglect this wonderful blessing!

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."   -- Jesus Christ

By going into our world we are….

* Gaining an important perspective that we are not the same but have the same need - Jesus Christ!  

* Proclaiming that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God.

* Declaring  to our community that “WE CARE!”

* Honoring the commission of our Lord.

* Serving something and someone greater.

We must pray, encourage, support, and unite our efforts.

We should be extremely proud of our Westpark Family because we have members, deacons, and elders, who are united, committed, and convicted in serving Jesus Christ (and His world) as loyal subjects and willing to carry out His will.

Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”  -- Jesus Christ

God longs for eternal relationships.  He wanted an intimate, lasting relationship with the first couple Adam and Eve.  God experienced this intimacy in The Garden when He would enjoy the benefits of a relationship free of distraction and sin. However this intimacy, closeness, and fellowship would be short lived because of their personal sin. This couple was ashamed, afraid, deceived, and now separated from the relationship that was meant to be eternal.

God continues His pursuit for relationships built for eternity.  He implements His eternal plan for relationships for all of humanity ultimately fulfilled in Christ (Genesis 3:15 - The First Gospel Message).  The Hebrews writer shares insight into this idea in Hebrews 2:14-18 by sharing the message of Jesus who brings us back into an eternal relationship with the Father and connects the prophecy made in (Genesis 3:15,12:1-3, Galatians 3:15-18).Jesus came, lived and died so that we could experience a relationship with God built for eternity. Again, “And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” - Hebrews 5:9

You and I get to play a BIG part in this awesome experience of intimacy with our Heavenly Father, His Glorious Son, and amazing Spirit. We first and foremost get to enjoy forgiveness through the precious blood of Jesus. Then we get to partner with God by sharing the message of Jesus and help reconcile people to Him and build RELATIONSHIPS BUILT FOR ETERNITY.  How awesome is that!?

Our purpose, responsibility, and goal is coined beautifully in the word of the apostle Paul, “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.” - 2 Corinthians 5:20

Have you ever wondered why the Lord's Supper (1 Cor 11:20) or "the breaking of bread" (Acts 2:42) is so important?  It is such a simple act that has great meaning!  Having an understanding of its meaning and importance is beneficial for its observance.  We certainly wouldn't want to be guilty of "sharing" this meal in a meaningless way. Consider..

1. The Supper is a MEMORIAL for the family of Christ (1 Cor 11:23-25). We remember His death.

2. The Supper is a PROCLAMATION by the family of Christ (1 Cor 11:26). We preach He is coming again to claim His own.

3. The Supper is SHARING with the family of Christ (1 Cor 10:16). We are ONE body sharing life, love and communion together.

4. The Supper is shared in REVERENCE with the family of Christ (1 Cor 11:27,29). Respecting His will, way, and word as the Author of eternal life.

5. The Supper is shared with INTROSPECTION (1 Cor 11:28). Taking personal assessment of our heart as we reflect on His sacrifice for sin.

6. The Supper is shared on the LORD'S DAY (Acts 20:7). It is His supper to be observed on His day by His people to honor His sacrifice of love for our sins.

This is such an important part of what we do when we meet together!  The Lord wanted us to remember Him (Matt 26:28) in His Kingdom (Mark 14:25) on His day.  Our meeting together should be all about Him, what He did on the cross, and what He established with His blood, until He returns to take us Home!!