By Shannon Marshall

Have you ever done the hand demonstration that involves the phrase, “here is the church, here is the steeple, open the door and here are the people?” We usually are taught that while we are young. But what if you could open up the church and look inside, who are the people under the steeple? Many see our churches from the outside, but how do the people on the outside know what is going on with the people on the inside. We have a great opportunity to open up the church and show who are the people under the steeple. How do we do that?

First, we need to know who people are looking for. Notice I didn’t say “what they are looking for.” In Luke 19 we are introduced to a tax collector named Zaccheus. Jesus was passing through and word had been spread about Jesus, so Zaccheus wanted to see Jesus. Being a “wee little man” Zaccheus had to climb up in a tree to see Jesus. People on the outside of church desire to see Jesus.

Second, we need to know who Jesus is looking for. When Jesus came where Zaccheus was in the tree, Jesus looked up at him and said, “hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” (Luke 19: 5) Jesus had the desire to see Zaccheus. Jesus is looking for people that need to be found.

Third, we need to know how to find those looking. We have a great opportunity. The greatest opportunity for the church is today and tomorrow, not yesterday. Jesus said, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6: 21) We need to value those looking for Jesus and those Jesus is looking for. We look in our community. We are who we hang out with. We need to be around those who are both inside the church and outside the church. The Lord sends us an interruption so we will notice the opportunity to bless someone by helping them see Jesus. Nothing solves problems in a church like leading people to find Jesus.