Front Row Seats

In Matthew 15:29-39, we see a familiar passage of Jesus feeding the four thousand. Many know this story well. I want to focus on the first part. It all started when Jesus was walking along the Sea of Galilee. He sat down on a mountainside and people began to gather around Him. Jesus’ popularity began to grow and people started to bring the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them before Jesus. The Bible says that He healed them. They were there for three days. It was like this extended revival. People were getting help and they didn’t want to leave. That is why there was a big meal. They were out in the middle of nowhere and it was time to eat. When Jesus is the center of attention and He has His way, lost and needy people will show up to find purpose, fulfillment, and healing. Actually, there were over 10,000 people there. People are doing things they had never done before. The blind are seeing, the lame are walking, the deaf are hearing, and the crippled made well. It was an incredible three days. But that isn’t the only miracle that happened.

Jesus gives the disciples baskets of food to disperse among the crowds. They were nervous because Jesus only had seven loaves of bread and a few small fish to work with. They ended up having more than enough. When Jesus is the source of the food, you always have more than enough.

I believe people are in need of Jesus to be the center point of their life. The enemy has done a good job in getting people to settle for second best and give up hope to ever find the peace of Christ. There are addictions that people need to be freed from, some have been blinded by the ways of the world, some are crippled with the weight of sin that has a hold of them, and some do not think they can ever live a life pleasing to God any longer. Yes, there are people in Findlay, Ohio, just surviving. We need to be a church that passionately offers Jesus to this lost world. I don’t want to grow as a church because it is the thing to do. I want to grow because Jesus is Lord and that He is moving in this place. The Bible says that when people feast on Jesus, they get filled. Our prayer ought to be that no one leaves Findlay First Naz empty. We can look at it this way: Jesus is the Chef and we are the waiters serving people. We are serving up Jesus and people are filled to completeness. Our church can be on the front seat of what God is doing in our community.

While we are out sharing with and serving people, we need people willing to be devoted in prayer to make all of our efforts saturated with power from on high.

Have you ever attended a sporting event or a play, and you could only afford the cheap seats? Perhaps you were late in getting a ticket and you had to settle for the seats in the back. Whatever the case, when you sit in the nose bleed section of an arena, you only see people the size of ants performing on a stage or playing a sport in an arena. I have sat so far away from the action that I felt like I needed to call someone sitting closer to find out the score.

Now if you ever have a friend give you tickets for a game and they just so happened to be on the front row, then you are ruined for life. You can actually see the game and hear the noise from all of the action. When you experience the front row, you are never satisfied with the back row again. Did you know that they have waiters and waitresses near the front row? It’s a different world down there. Average people like you and I don’t get to experience that very often. A premium view costs a premium price.

So often in life, we are willing to pay cheap seat prices but expect premium price results. In marriage, if you settle for paying a cheap price, you will get cheap results. I want a front row view of what God is doing so I want to pay the price to live in the front row. I owe that to my wife and kids. I want a front row seat with what God is doing around the world and in our community. I owe my life to God, so paying a high price is the least I can do. When I get out of my comfort zone and routine, then God is unleashed to do miracles.

We just started a front row ministry on Wednesday at 6:30 a.m. Would you join us and expect God to show us how to be involved in the front row of what He is doing all around us? Once you get a taste of front row ministry, then you will never want to go back to the back row of compromise and convenience in life. God is calling us to the front row on Wednesday from 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m. to unite in prayer for our nation, our community, our church, and our families. Would you join me?

Joy in Jesus!

Pastor Mike

www.findlayfirstnaz.org