So we’ll be as honest as possible about this. Only Jesus can make your guys into a new creation. Only He can change their hearts. Only He can change their marriages, relationships, self-image, practices, and desires. But you know what’s cool? That’s what the gospel is and that’s what Jesus came to do (“seek and save the lost”). God knew we were so dirty that only His Son’s blood could wash us clean. And so we can look at the Cross and see how terribly filthy all of us really are, and then we can look at His resurrection and see the promise of God upon all of our lives.
For the next few weeks, you get to partner with Jesus in these guys lives.
But what’s your part? Teach your guys how to be in light.
You’re not perfect, it’s important that you don’t pretend like you are. The more your guys see how you expose your weakness before Jesus, the more they’ll open up and find the freedom that Jesus offers. That freedom starts with taking off the chains of fear — the fear of light, rejection, and hopelessness.
Jesus shows us that it is safe to come into light, He sees us completely and still wants us, and he offers us the hope of total redemption. Your job is to show your guys how to believe that.
Here are some passages that will help you live this out.
Luke 12:1-3
“Jesus began to say to his disciples first, ‘Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.’”
The Pharisees were those who hid their faults. They were pretenders. Liars. Jesus is warning the people from becoming these kinds of people. The warning is this, ‘either you can come clean in this life, or you can have it declared before the cosmos in the next. Your call.’ Judgment will be terrifying because there won’t be a shadow to hide in, there will only be light, as we stand before all of creation and before the Author of Life, facing our true self before our true Creator.
Teach your men, through your example, that being “fixed” isn’t the point. The point is to be broken in the right direction. Show them a freedom that knows healing through their pain, not a pseudo-healing that only hides from pain.
Ephesians 5:8
“For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light.”
Pretty cool picture, isn’t it? When we live in darkness, we are darkness. But when we live in light, we become light. The nature of transparency is that you can see through it, it takes on the identity of whatever it’s reflecting. Your guys will not know how to stop hiding unless you show them that they don’t need to. Your guys will not know that light is safe, unless you walk into it first. Your not perfect, don’t hide that. Show them how imperfect you are, but how perfectly accepted by Jesus you are. That’s how light will come into your group, and that’s how your group will become light.
Jesus invites us not to step into light and find shame, but to step into light and find his embrace: lead them into light so that Jesus can give true hope.
1 John 1:7
“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.“
Just by someone communicating sin or weakness, Jesus’ blood begins to heal all those present.
True community, true fellowship, only happens in true light. There’s a sacred beauty when people stop hiding, stop pretending, and start rejoicing that they don’t need to fear anymore. Our eternal hope and celebration is that Jesus is strong enough to carry us forever. When we can know this kind of weakness and this kind of hope together, Jesus is working salvation into our lives and into our very souls.
Pratically
Your men need to know what abandonment before Jesus looks like, and Jesus has chosen you to show them. It’s not hard, but it is intentional. It’s choosing to pray when any need arises. It’s being honest with your own past. It’s being honest with your current fears and weaknesses. It’s apologizing first. It’s rejoicing at the smallest victories. It’s saying, “I don’t know,” when you really don’t know.
Transparency breed’s transparency, and vulnerability will lead to vulnerability. A Kingdom culture is one that lives in the light and becomes light. If you let Jesus touch your soul before these men, then over time, these men will follow your leadership and know for themselves Jesus’ transforming trust.
By: Shane James O’Neill