"Guilty by Association"

Are we guilty by association? 

If someone accused us of being followers of Jesus, would there be any evidence in our associations to convict us?  Would we be “guilty by association?”

As followers of Jesus, we can live like Jesus did, and that means associating with the same kind of people that Jesus associated with.

Recently, we watched a “Verge Network” video teaching by Hugh Halter, pastor of “Missio” Christian fellowship, and advocate of incarnational ministry and missional leadership. In this teaching, he offers this grace-filled challenge:  Are we guilty by association? Are we guilty of associating well with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit? Are we guilty of associating with friends that are truly on mission with us? And are we guilty by associating with those that we normally just have never even been on our radar? And I don't say this as a condemnation. Read the scripture and just listen to this. John 5:3 says, "This is how we love God: We obey His commands. But His commands are not burdensome."

In view of Halter’s message, here are three missional and practical ways we walk as followers of Jesus – three ways we can be “guilty by association.”

Associate with the Father

Are we learning to listen for the Father’s voice, and respond to his leading in our daily lives?

Jesus said, “…the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” (John 5.19)

If this is how Jesus lived, how much more will this apply to us!

We can live an adventurous and spiritually exciting life as we learn to live like Jesus, and do what we see the Father doing!

Associate with the disciples

Are we personally investing in relationships with others on mission with Jesus?

We journey as a community. We are not called to live as “Lone Rangers” which seems to be the American model for living. When we are saved by Christ, we are born again into a new community of Christ followers. Jesus said, “I have called you friends…” (John 15.15).  If that was how he related to his disciples, how much more is this how we can relate to others on mission. We are friends, on a journey together.

Associate with the last, the least, and the lost

Jesus’ accusers were angry that he frequently broke man-made religious rules by associating with those outside the Jewish community. They grumbled, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” (John 15.2) The leaders of their religion did not have a vision for association with the lost and least.

But Jesus lived his life in the open, for all to see and encounter. His mission (and our mission) is to seek the lost, and bring them home to the Father: For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. (Luke 19.10)

So, are we “guilty by association” just as Jesus was?

Let’s seek the fullness of life that Jesus promises us. Let’s associate personally with the Father, with his missional family, and with the ones he is seeking to save.