Why Getting Closer to Jesus Matters
Preacher: The Rev. Andrew Van Kirk
Scripture: Luke 6:17-26
In Luke’s Gospel, we see crowds pressing in on Jesus, desperate for healing, for grace, for his power to touch their lives. Some people knew their need for him, while others stood back, watching, detached, self-sufficient. Jesus’ words that follow—blessings and woes—are not about simple reversals, but about what truly brings us to him.
The blessed are those who know their need for Jesus. They are the poor, the hungry, the grieving, the outcast—the ones who press in, unashamed of their desperation. The woes come to those who feel satisfied, who have insulated themselves with comfort and security, unaware of their deeper need for God’s mercy.
If we are honest, most of us live somewhere between blessing and woe. We experience struggles that remind us of our need for Christ, but we also cling to comforts that dull our urgency to seek him. Jesus invites us to get closer, to step into the crowd, to recognize our own need and to see him at work among those who press in.
So if you feel distant, press in. If life feels overwhelming, press in. If you are unsure of what Jesus is doing in your life, press in. He is there, in the middle of it all, waiting for you to draw near.
Reflection Questions:
Where in your life do you feel your need for Jesus most deeply?
How might comfort or self-sufficiency be keeping you from pressing in closer to Christ?
Who around you is in need, and how can you draw near to them as Jesus does?
What does it look like for you to press in and seek Jesus more intentionally this week?
How has Jesus already met you in your need, and how can you respond in gratitude?
