Change The World
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For many followers of Jesus, there’s a moment when faith becomes personal. A moment when belief moves from something we’ve heard about to something we embrace for ourselves.
For one pastor, that moment came at 17 years old in 1973—right in the middle of what was known as the Jesus Movement. Young people all across the country were turning to Jesus with passion and enthusiasm. They wore tie-dyed shirts with crosses, started rock bands that sang about Jesus, and openly talked about their faith. Some people even called them “Jesus freaks.”
But one of the defining characteristics of that movement was a deep conviction: Jesus could return at any moment.
Many believed in what theologians call the imminent return of Christ. Passages like Revelation 21 fueled that expectation—the promise of a new heaven and a new earth, where God would dwell with His people, wipe away every tear, and remove death, mourning, and pain forever.
People waited expectantly. Some even sold their possessions and moved to mountaintops, hoping to be among the first to see Jesus appear in the clouds.
But the years passed.
Fifty years later, the question still lingers:
Where is He?
When Waiting Feels Long
As time passes, it’s easy to grow impatient.
We look around the world and see division, violence, suffering, and injustice. We pray for Jesus to return and make things right. Many of us have prayed something like:
“God, what are You waiting for?”
But when we bring that frustration to God, the response we often hear is something like this:
“When have I not been faithful to you?”
It’s a powerful question.
God has never broken a promise. His plan has never failed. And His timing has always been perfect.
So if Jesus hasn’t returned yet, the question becomes:
What are we supposed to be doing while we wait?
The Mission of the “Now”
The Bible gives a surprisingly clear answer.
In Ephesians 2, the apostle Paul reminds believers that salvation is a gift of grace. We aren’t saved by our good works.
But then Paul says something crucial:
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
— Ephesians 2:10
That verse reveals something profound:
We weren’t just saved from something.
We were saved for something.
God created each of us with a purpose—good works that He prepared in advance for us to do.
While we wait for Jesus to return, our calling is to participate in God’s work of changing the world.
The Danger of “Bellyaching”
Instead of serving the world, Christians sometimes fall into a different pattern: complaining about it.
The sermon humorously called this “bellyaching.”
A bellyacher is someone who constantly complains but avoids responsibility. They complain about the world, the church, their neighbors, their circumstances—everything.
But Paul’s words in Ephesians challenge that mindset.
Christians were never meant to sit on the sidelines criticizing the world.
We were meant to change it.
What Do “Good Works” Actually Look Like?
Jesus made this very simple.
When religious leaders once asked Him which commandment mattered most, He responded:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Everything else flows from those two commands.
And practically speaking, that love looks like serving others.
Good works are sacrificial acts of service done in Jesus’ name.
They are tangible expressions of God’s love in everyday life.
Imagine If Christians Lived This Way
There are about 2.4 billion people worldwide who identify as Christians.
Imagine if even a fraction of them truly lived out Jesus’ command to love God and serve their neighbors.
Imagine if believers consistently used their time, talents, and resources to help people, feed the hungry, mentor the lonely, care for the sick, and support those in need.
The world would look radically different.
And that’s exactly God’s plan.
While evil continues to exist until Jesus returns, God has placed His people in the world as agents of His goodness.
Real People Living This Out
This kind of life isn’t theoretical. It’s happening all around us.
One man started a food pantry out of the trunk of his car. Today it feeds hundreds of families.
A woman created a tattoo removal ministry, helping former gang members and trafficking survivors reclaim their lives.
A man who once said he hated teenagers became a mentor to a struggling young boy, investing years into his life.
A doctor and his wife travel internationally providing free medical care to people who could never afford it.
Another woman started a nonprofit in Cambodia that rescues women from trafficking and provides jobs and education for their children.
But perhaps the most powerful example was a woman named Miriam.
Miriam had severe cerebral palsy her entire life. She couldn’t feed herself, dress herself, or move without assistance. Yet she faithfully prayed for people and used her financial resources to support ministries around the world.
One day she decided to bless the staff at her retirement home by handing out candy every week—a small act that brought joy to countless caregivers.
Her body was limited, but her impact was not.
Serving Isn’t Optional
In Matthew 25, Jesus describes the final judgment.
He separates people into two groups: the sheep and the goats.
To the sheep He says:
“I was hungry and you fed me.”
“I was thirsty and you gave me drink.”
“I was sick and you cared for me.”
Confused, they ask when they ever did those things.
Jesus responds:
“Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me.”
Serving others is not just charity.
It’s serving Jesus Himself.
Your Part in God’s Plan
Serving doesn’t look the same for everyone.
For some, it may be volunteering.
For others, mentoring.
For others, giving generously.
For others, praying faithfully.
But everyone has something to offer.
In the Old Testament, when God called Moses to lead Israel out of slavery, Moses felt completely inadequate.
He protested:
“I can’t speak well. I’m not a leader. I’m the wrong person.”
God responded with a simple question:
“What’s in your hand?”
Moses was holding a shepherd’s staff. That ordinary object became the instrument through which God performed miracles.
The lesson is simple:
God starts with what you already have.
Your abilities.
Your experiences.
Your resources.
Your relationships.
When surrendered to Him, they become tools for changing the world.
The Invitation
We live in the tension between the “now” and the “not yet.”
Jesus has not returned yet—but He will.
Until that day, God’s plan is clear:
His people are called to love Him, love others, and serve the world through good works prepared in advance for them.
And through those acts of love, people may encounter Jesus.
The question isn’t whether God has work to do.
The question is:
Will we join Him?