It’s been a pretty rough week.  The news stories (here, here, here, etc.) are enough to cause even the most optimistic person to lose hope.  So what can we do?

• When tempers erupt…
• When violence destroys lives and families…
• When senseless tragedies lurk around every corner…
• When no one seems to know how to behave…
• When fear replaces security and confidence…

I hear people throwing up their hands in disbelief and disillusionment.  But there’s something we can do.  As the church, as followers of Jesus, we can use the power of HOPE to bring transformation to people, families, communities and more.

This isn’t pie-in-the-sky thinking.  It’s pragmatic and powerful actions that embody the heart of the gospel.  We’ve been exploring this in our weekend series, “The Power of HOPE.”  And just last weekend we spent time learning about how to engage with our world by living out one key component of the gospel.

We begin with a simple question.  It’s a question that’s at home in casual conversations among friends, and also with random strangers.  It’s a question that fits whether the mood is dark and somber or light and optimistic.  In those moments when you’re at a loss for words, this question is all the words you need.  It goes like this:

How may I serve you?

And it’s straight out of Jesus’ playbook.  (Mk 10:45)

So if you are discouraged or disheartened about what’s happening in your world, may I encourage you to start to change things.  Start to bring genuine HOPE into your situation.  Start to harness the power of the gospel to transform lives.  Don’t go to sleep at night until you’ve asked at least one person this question:  How may I serve you?

Then watch as God begins to do his work.  In you.  And through you.

One simple question.  Will you try it?

-Pastor Mark