The other day I picked up one of my old film cameras and immediately took a little journey back in time. All the great memories, the satisfying click and the feel of nostalgia in my hands. If I could only jump back in time for just a day. I had entered the trap... Nostalgia is a tricky thing, it pretends to be our friend but left unchecked it will steal your future. How often do you see old pictures of yourself and get caught up thinking of the good old days. Or perhaps you see an old friend and think about how much better things were back then. How many of us have witnessed this in our churches? I grew up in charismatic circles and have a generally fond memory of the early 90s. It was new, fresh and there was some excellent things going on. It felt like it was only ever going to get better, more revivals, more outpouring of the Holy Spirit, it was all headed up. You see moments of nostalgia help us remember the good, but are pretty good at making us forget all that was not so great. I held my camera, snapped a few shots and quickly remembered just how much work shooting film was. While it is satisfying, exciting, and feels cool, I am glad I can plug my digital camera to my computer and print a picture I just took. As we walk out or faith we must make sure we are not getting stuck on what was, or the last great move of God in our nations. We must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and moving towards what He has for us not just now but also in the future. In Hebrews 12 we see the writer talking about sin that so easily ensnares us. Can nostalgia also ensnare us, trip us up and get us stuck? Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Those of you familiar with photography will know that your aperture is essential to establish your depth of field, in other words how much of your image is in focus. Low aperture gives you lots of light but a shallow depth of field and high aperture gives you a lot less light to work with but a much wider depth of field. But you are not here for a photography lesson so what exactly am I getting at? Well if we stay at a shallow understanding of the word and our walk with God we will end up with a lot of light but not much depth of understanding. It is essential that as believers we don't stay at a surface understanding or we miss the whole picture. The writer of Hebrews addresses exactly this. Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. -Hebrews 6:1-6 NKJV You see as we encounter more of Holy Spirit it should draw us deeper and deeper, it should be what informs our conversations, desires and actions. Encounter also draws us deeper into scripture, placing a hunger for the deeper mysteries of God inside of us. Now it is time to grab those pictures. Take a look at the one you took of yourself this week and take a look at the depth of field. Is it shallow or is it deep? Now look at some of the pictures of your youth. Do you see the same depth or has it grown? Ask Holy Spirit what are the areas that are still out of focus or lacking in understanding. Let Him shine a little more light in so you can open up that aperture.

Jesus identifies Himself as the Sower, the world as the field, and His people as the good seed. This means our placement matters. God desires to use His people wherever He plants them. Because we belong to Christ, we are also connected to the promise given to Abraham. Like natural seeds, we are meant to carry life and produce fruit. Jesus says in John 15:8, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit.” Our purpose as Kingdom seed is clear: We aren't planted simply to occupy ground. We are planted with purpose, to carry the life of Christ and bear fruit wherever God places us.

Christ is not simply a seed. He is the promised Seed at the center of God’s redemptive plan. And because we belong to Christ, we are brought into His promise, His family, and His purpose in the earth. Throughout Scripture, God reveals Jesus Christ as the promised Seed through whom redemption and blessing would come to the earth. The promise begins in Genesis 3:15, when God speaks of the woman’s Seed who would ultimately crush the serpent. Genesis 22:18 NKJV “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” The New Testament clearly identifies this promised Seed: Galatians 3:16 NKJV