Hello Vineyard Fam!

Last Sunday, we saw something we shouldn’t unsee. Jesus does not avoid pain and messy brokenness; He moves toward it. We watched Him step into stories most people had already written off:  A man no one could control, a woman no one could heal, and a father no one could help. In each case, Jesus didn’t manage the situation; He met the person. This is what compassion does; It interrupts, it notices, and it moves closer. But here’s the question that lingers if we’re paying attention:

What happens after compassion?

It’s one thing to feel something in the room on a Sunday morning. It’s another thing entirely to live differently on a Wednesday afternoon. Compassion that stays internal eventually fades. Compassion that moves outward becomes the way of Jesus. This is where we’re headed this week.

If last week taught us to see, this week is going to teach us to make space. Jesus doesn’t just heal people and send them on their way; He brings them near. He restores them to community. He eats with them. He includes them. The Kingdom doesn’t just relieve suffering; it restores belonging. For me, this is where things get uncomfortable. It’s one thing to care about people in theory; it’s another thing to rearrange my life to include them.
 

To slow down. To invite. To share a table. To not be affected by the mess. To make space for someone who doesn’t quite fit your rhythm, your background, or your expectations. This is where the Gospel gets tangible because following Jesus is not just about what we believe or what we feel, it’s about who we make room for.

There’s a version of church life that lets us stay just close enough to feel spiritual… but not close enough to be changed. We can attend. We can agree. We can even feel compassion. This version of churchy allows us to do those things and still keep our lives structured in a way that avoids real interruption. It might be comfortable, but Jesus doesn’t build His Kingdom that way. He touches the unclean. He eats with sinners. He calls outsiders friends. Then He looks at His followers and says, in effect, “Now you do the same.”

Not as a program. Not as a project. But as a way of life.

As we move closer to Holy Week, this becomes even more important. The cross is not just something Jesus endures; it is something He walks toward. He walks toward it surrounded by people who misunderstand Him, fail Him, and even betray Him. Still, He keeps making space. Still, He keeps loving. Still, He keeps moving toward. If we’re going to understand the cross when we get there, we have to start learning this now:

The way of Jesus is a way of open-handed, inconvenient, costly love.

Instead of adding more to your week, try shifting how you move through it.

1. Notice One Person

Ask the Spirit each day: “Who am I overlooking?”

Pay attention to:

  • the person who lingers on the edge of conversation

  • the coworker who seems off

  • the neighbor you wave to but don’t know

Don’t fix. Just notice.

2. Move One Step Closer

Compassion becomes real when it moves.

  • Start a conversation

  • Send a text

  • Ask a question and actually listen

  • Sit longer than is convenient

Not dramatic. Just intentional.

3. Open Your Table (Literally or Figuratively)

This doesn’t have to be a big dinner party. It might be:

  • Coffee with someone unexpected

  • Inviting someone into your normal routine

  • Making space in a conversation instead of controlling it

The table is where the Kingdom becomes visible.

Stay Churchy (The Jesusy Way)

This is where staying rooted together matters. If we’re honest, this kind of life doesn’t come naturally. We drift toward comfort. We default to convenience. We protect our time and space.

So, we need:

  • Worship that softens us

  • Scripture that reorients us

  • Community that stretches us

  • Shared rhythms that keep us moving toward Jesus

This is why we stay churchy. Not out of habit, but because this kind of formation doesn’t happen alone.

A Simple Prayer for the Week

Jesus, give me eyes to see what I usually miss. Give me the courage to move closer instead of pulling back. And teach me to make room in my life the way You have made room for me. Amen.

This Sunday, we’re going to see that the Kingdom of God often looks like a table with unexpected people sitting around it. And if we’re paying attention, we might realize: There’s a seat there with our name on it, too.

Stay Churchy My Friends!

Adam Greenwell
Lead Pastor
Vineyard Church
www.billingsvineyard.org