Read 2 Corinthians 5:17–21, Matthew 9:35-38, and John 20:19–23.
When Jesus saw people who were lost, burdened, and caught in sin, He moved toward them. He entered their towns, sat at their tables, and stepped into their brokenness. He saw sheep without a shepherd and had compassion. He came announcing that God’s kingdom was near. In Jesus, God himself had come near—with forgiveness, healing, and life.
Jesus SEEKS and SPEAKS.
That is how Jesus meets us, too. He comes to us; people who cannot repair themselves or make their own way back to God. He carries our sin to the cross and rises again to restore us to the Father. Paul calls this reconciliation: bringing us back into a relationship with God that sin had broken. Jesus seeks us and speaks the good news that we need. “You are forgiven. You are redeemed. Welcome back home.”
Then he sends us. In John 20, the risen Jesus steps into a room of fearful disciples and speaks peace. He gives them the Holy Spirit and sends them with His authority to proclaim forgiveness. The mercy they receive becomes the message they carry.
We are sent to SEEK and SPEAK.
Reconciliation is deeply interpersonal. Yet when someone’s life is messy, we often keep our distance or run away from them. We talk about them instead of talking with or to them. We offer an invitation and wait for them to come to us rather than continually pursuing them and leaning in. Jesus’ compassion should move us toward them—to listen, name what is broken with gentleness, and speak his grace into the hurt. We go as fellow sinners who have a Savior to share.
That conversation might be awkward to start! But it also might begin with, “You don’t have to carry this alone. Jesus came for you, too. Let’s talk about what is going on.” It might include an honest apology, a word of forgiveness, or patient help as people seek to repair a broken relationship. We cannot force reconciliation or rush healing, but we can bring Christ’s promises into places where guilt, shame, and hostility have taken hold.
This is “Bringing Jesus to People.” Bringing Jesus to People is not simply serving one another or meeting a need when it arises. It’s bringing the GOOD NEWS to broken situations. It’s speaking that very same forgiveness that Jesus speaks to you to another person.
We can bring His GOOD NEWS to a kitchen table, a workplace, a hospital room, our families, friends, or a conversation with neighbors across the fence. This week, consider who needs someone to move toward them with compassion and God’s grace.
Go, listen, and speak the mercy of the Shepherd who came looking for you.
Prayer: Jesus, give us your compassion for people who are hurting and lost. Send us toward them with listening ears and courage to speak your forgiveness. Work through your Word to reconcile, heal, and give life. Amen.
Say it simply: “You are forgiven. You are redeemed. Jesus loves you and so do I.”
Written by Pastor Daniel Brummet
