Hi, everyone. My name is Renee Evans and I am the Senior Leader of Bethel Church in Austin, Texas. I want to welcome you to God Today. Today I want to talk about showing up. In Matthew 3:1, we learn about John the Baptist, and it says this, “In those days, John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea. And saying, ‘Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.’”
We further follow this scripture to know that John was the one who had the honor and privilege of baptizing the Son of God. I love John the Baptist and I think we all admire John the Baptist. But, I think we can just assume that he showed up to the Jordan River one day and along came Jesus, and John stepped into the fullness of his call and baptized the Son of God.
That is not exactly the way it played out. John actually showed up day after day and month after month. I am certain in rain and shine. He showed up. It was believed that John the Baptist not only baptized 100s of people but 1,000s. He actually baptized people continuously for 11 months. He showed up on the days when he wanted to show up. He showed up on the days when he didn’t. He showed up when he was being praised and he showed up when he was being persecuted.
The enemy will try and tell you that showing up is a waste of time, not good stewardship of your time. Can I encourage you? Don’t listen to him. Can you imagine if John had listened to his haters? He would have missed out on baptizing the Messiah, the one the whole world had been waiting for.
I want to encourage you today to show up without an agenda. Show up where God Has asked you, even if you don’t understand it.
I had a lightbulb moment a few weeks ago when a friend said that our areas of service are preparation for our call. I thought back to the days when I was a new believer and I served on the parking team. I showed up early and I stayed late. I directed traffic in the blazing heat and the wettest winter days. I just showed up. I asked God, I said, “Why did you have me serving on the parking team and how did it prepare for my call?” He said, “I taught you how to welcome people into the House of God, so that now as you are walking in your call as a senior pastor, you are doing the same thing, but on a different scale. You are welcoming people into the House of God.
I still serve on the parking team today and it is one of my greatest privileges to be one of the first faces people see when they come to church. I love that God doesn’t waste a single season. If we can learn to show up in every season, then our faithfulness will create a path for us into our calls and our destiny.
I want to encourage you today to simply just show up. Let’s pray. Lord, I thank you that you have plans for us. Plans to prosper us and not to harm us. Plans to give us hope and a future. We want to honor you with our lives and we want to show up in every single season and every single moment. I ask you would highlight the giftings that you have given to each of us and show us where you want us to be planted and where you want us to show up. Help us to show up when we want to and help us to show up when we don’t. We ask you to give us grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.