Shepherd Notes October 2025
Faithful to the Great Commission
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Is your faith risky? When was the last time you explored the boundaries of your faith and trusted that God would catch you if you fell? During this month I would invite you to wonder about what true faith means for our lives. It’s quite easy to think of faith as some type of knowledge that we have gained over the course of our lives and not a gift from God.
Perhaps at times our faith lives feel unsure, – a constant roller coaster of having lots of faith and other times experiencing great doubts. Perhaps you’re afraid you don’t know the Bible well enough. Or that your neighbor seems to be more faithful than you do. But can we truly be faithful? I like to think of it this way: I know that our human self lacks the capability of fully trusting in God at all times. But I also know that through Jesus we have been reconciled to God no matter how little faith we may have! One quick glance at the Gospels shows us that the disciples were told constantly how little faith they had – and they followed Jesus 3 for years. So, it’s no wonder that we are challenged to be faithful to God or understand what God’s Kingdom looks like in this world. And that’s why faith is risky. It’s like walking blindly into the world and then being willing challenge that world and it’s fallen ideas. Yet we can do this because we’re not the ones affecting the change – Jesus is, through us. When we are able to leave our worries about our faithfulness at the door, we have the ability to step out into the world and be Christ in the world. Sometimes we won’t know what we’re doing – and that’s okay – but with Jesus and God’s word walking by our side we will have what is needed to change the lives of those we meet. I appreciate Theodore Roosevelt’s quote from his speech, “Citizenship in a Republic”. His words speak to our call as disciples of Christ to go out into the world: “The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.” What is faith but daring greatly? Daring greatly to trust in a God who sent his Son to redeem our lives. With that confidence we can move out into the world with the knowledge that wherever we go Christ is with us. And that even when words fail us, we show our love by simply walking as our Lord walked! I look forward to daring greatly with you!
Your Servant in Christ Pastor Brian