SPEAKER_00 0:01

Jesus says, I am the vine, you are the branches. If you abide in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Welcome to the Abide in Me podcast. This summer we will be hearing from different voices, each bringing you reflections, songs, and liturgy to help us stay connected to the vine. This week we are joined by our missions director, Luis Torres.

SPEAKER_02 0:29

Hear these words from the book that we love. Luke chapter nineteen, verse one through ten. Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short, he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore fig tree to see him since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today. So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, He has gone to be with the guest of a sinner. But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, Look, Lord, here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount. Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. One of the lines that has been sitting with me lately comes from Genesis 4. After Cain kills Abel. Scripture says that Cain settled in the land of Nod. The word nod means wandering. Cain settled in the land of wandering. And honestly, it feels like humanity has been wandering ever since. Not just physically wandering, but emotionally, spiritually, relationally. So many people today feel unseen, disconnected, and alone. But the good news of the gospel is this we do not wander alone. God chooses presence. Today I wanted to connect that idea to a story from Luke 19, the story of Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. He was wealthy, powerful, and deeply disliked. He lives surrounded by people, yet isolated from community. And when Jesus enters Jericho, Zacchaeus climbs the sycamore tree just to catch a glimpse of him. And then this incredible moment happens. Jesus stops, looks up, calls him by name. Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I'm a stay at your house today. I love that Jesus does not simply notice Zacchaeus, he moves towards him. In a crowd full of people, Jesus sees the person everyone else had already labeled, dismissed, or ignored. And maybe that's one of the most missional invitations for us in a wondering world to become people who truly see others. Because the wondering world trains us to move quickly past one another. We scroll quickly, we consume quickly, we multitask through conversations, we ask people how they're doing without slowing down long enough to hear the answer. But Jesus was never rushed around people. He noticed people, he listened, he lingered, he made room for interruptions. Jesus was present before he was productive. And maybe missions begins there too. Not with having all the answers, not with trying to fix everyone, but with learning how to notice people again. At Pillar, we often say that we want to be a church where your name is known, your story is heard, and your questions are honored. That kind of community only happens when ordinary people choose presence. Maybe it looks like learning the name of a cashier. Maybe it means staying after church to talk with someone sitting alone. Maybe it means asking for a second question instead of settling for small talk. Maybe it means putting your phone away long enough to fully honor the person in front of you. Because many people are not geographically lost, they are relationally lost. And in a wandering world, one of the most missional things we can do is refuse to let people wander unseen. This week, maybe ask yourself, who around me needs to be noticed? Who have I rushed past? Who might Jesus already be inviting me to see? Because Christ still meets wandering people. And often He does it through the quiet ministry of presence. So this week, may we become people who slow down enough to notice the wandering around us. May we become the kind of people who know names, hear stories, make room for others to be fully seen. Because every time we choose presence over distraction, every time we move towards someone instead of past them, we reflect the heart of Christ who still climbs into the wandering places of humanity to meet people there. And maybe that's where mission begins. Not in grand gestures, but in faithful presence. Grace and peace, friends, and may you experience the presence of Christ as you offer it to others this week.

SPEAKER_01 6:05

Thanks for joining us. If you have any questions, comments, or would like prayer, we would love to hear from you. Reach out to us at abide at pillarchurch.com. And for now, if you're willing, receive this blessing. May the grace of God freely given through Christ our Lord and sufficient for all our needs. And may the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, who testifies with our spirit that we are God's children guide and sustain us this day and forever. Amen.