I wonder, "How do we reclaim our story?"  How do we become a person of influence when often our life and voices have been marginalized because somehow our stories are filled with imperfections?  I look at the life of Jesus, and I want to very quickly today tell you about five simple observations that I have that characterize the life of Jesus and help me reclaim my story.  First of all,

· He [Jesus] challenged the status quo:  Innovator

I love this strong-will.  Even though I imagine Jesus to be a very calm person at times, there were other times that Jesus was very forceful and focused.  Even at twelve, when His parents scolded Him for leaving the family and not being part of the caravan, He says, “I was doing my Father’s business.”  I love this sense that “I’m going to be resilient and focused.  I’m not going to let life distract me from the purposes and plans God has for me.”  Become a person who’s not willing to yield to just the average; challenge the status quo.  Secondly,

· Jesus never gave up on anyone: Compassionate

Jesus doesn’t give up on people.  Jonah was an evangelist who was told to go to Nineveh, but instead he goes to Tarshish.  You’d think God would give up on him.  No.  He pursued him.  He sent a storm, sent a whale and caused him to be coughed up on the shores of Nineveh.  However, God doesn’t pursue you to pay you back.  He pursues you to bring you back.  He’s a God that never gives up on us.  God wants to take your entire story, not just the good part of it, and make it a story of redemption.  The third thing I discovered about the Lord is,

· He refused to live with offense:  Secure

I’m intrigued by the fact that at the Passover meal, which we call the Last Supper, Jesus makes a statement to His disciples when He said, “One of you will betray Me.”  Isn’t it interesting that they don’t know who it is.  He never lived life by throwing people under the bus or trying to assign blame.  He never exposed Judas because He has this heart of compassion that always gives people the opportunity to make the right choices.  The thing that the enemy meant for the bad, God has used for your good.  Think about that in your own life.  The purposes and plans the enemy has meant for bad, God will turn them for His good as only He can.  The fourth characteristic of Jesus is,

· He left people better than He found them: Solutionist

People who encountered Him were left better than when He found them.  Think about blind Bartemus, Zacheus, and the woman at the well.  Everybody who met Jesus was left better than when He found them.  When I think about reclaiming our story, it isn’t just about me reclaiming my story.  Part of the benefit of me reclaiming my story is that I can help others reclaim their story.  That’s the purpose of ministry.  In fact, Corinthians says it like this, “We’ve all been given the ministry of reconciliation, taking things that have been torn apart and putting them back together.”  The last thing I want to share with you has to do with the fact that,

· His actions matched His words:  Integrous

Jesus had integrity.  I love that our life would cause others to move out of a place that would seem to be a retreat and instead advance.  My challenge to you today is that you have a story to tell.  You have a story that other people need to hear; a story of redemption.  Often, the enemy or the world wants to marginalize your life and bring some sense of reticence and shame because there are places in your life where you say, “I don’t know if I want to tell that part of my story.”  Often it has held you back; when God not only already has forgiven it, but has given you grace to tell it.

How many of you would say, “I want God to write the final chapter in my life?  I want Him to reclaim my story so that my story can be a blessing to others.”  Some of you have been in a holding pattern, and God is saying to not be that way and He wants to reclaim your story.  Would you let Him? Amen.

Discussion Questions:

1.   What is holding you back from letting God reclaim your story?

2.   What is the reason God wants you to tell others your story?

3.   With what people in your sphere of influence do you need to share your story?

4.   What did Jesus challenge?

5.   Why did Jesus not expose Judas?