Welcome to this edition of the Weekend Sermon. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I hope that everyone is doing well today.
On Monday, my brother invited me to spend Thanksgiving with him. I was thinking I was going to be spending Thanksgiving by myself, but he did invite me, and we had a very good time. We went to one restaurant, but they were so full, we went down the road to a buffet restaurant. It was really great.
I just wanted to thank the Lord for giving me a very good week in writing. I thought that with the holiday, writing would be a little down, but I've had a lot to do. Please pray that writing will continue to go well, and pray that I will get a part-time job to provide some additional income.
This past week, I hurt my leg while working on leaves in the yard. Please pray that that will get better. I always am thankful for your prayers.
Please be in prayer for those who suffered through the attack in Egypt. Pray that the injured will recover. Please pray for an end to terrorism.
Continue to pray for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands as they attempt to recover from the hurricane. There are still so many people in great need.
Let us continue to pray for peace in the world. Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan need our prayers. Pray for peace in Yemen, Libya and South Sudan.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us all pray for those in the United Arab Emirates and Thailand. Pray that many will hear the good news that Jesus loves them and wants them to come unto Him.
We've been in a series of messages on the book of Malachi for the past couple of weeks. Last week, we had a Thanksgiving day message, and I planned on resuming our study in Malachi this week, However, I felt as if the Lord has given me a different message that He wants me to bring today. Lord willing, we will resume with Malachi the next week.
I've been stating in my messages on this blog over and over again that Jesus loves everyone. I will keep saying that as long as the Lord allows me the privilege of being able to post these messages.
One of my favorite passages of Scripture is in Matthew 11:28 which states, "Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." Jesus clearly invited everyone to come to Him in this verse.
We clearly see that Jesus came to invite everyone to come unto Him in the way that He acted during His ministry here on earth. In Mark 1-33-38, we see one way that Jesus demonstrated that He came to invite everyone to come to Him.
Jesus had been preaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. He then went to Peter's house where He found Peter's mother-in-law very ill. Jesus healed her of her sickness. Then, Jesus noticed that a great crowd of people had gathered outside of Peter's house. The people had brought many people who were sick to Jesus so that Jesus could touch them and heal them. Jesus took the time to heal all the people and help them.
The next morning, Jesus got very early to go into a solitary place to pray. Peter and some of the other disciples went out to look for Jesus. When they found Him, they wanted Jesus to come back to town but Jesus said, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also; for therefore came I forth."
Jesus wanted to share His message of love and forgiveness to people everywhere. And that is what He did. Jesus went throughout the region teaching and healing people. He demonstrated His great love for everyone.
Jesus didn't limit His love and mercy to just one group of people. He didn't go to the rich and powerful and forget about the poor and the oppressed. He didn't just go unto His own people and forget about others.
Jesus was a friend to those who needed Him. He went to and included those that others despised and rejected. Even at His birth, the angels announced the good news to shepherds who were considered among the lowest of the low. Jesus wanted them around the manager. The message was also made known to wealthy, wise men from the east. All were welcome to come and see the king that was born in Bethlehem.
When Jesus chose His disciples, He went and included people from all walks of life. Many of the disciples were fisherman. Matthew was a tax collector, and Simon was a member of the Zealots.
Jesus provided healing to all who were sick including the poor and those who were noblemen. He healed the Roman soldier's servant and the lepers who were considered unclean and unworthy.
Jesus went to minister to those who were despised by His people. He went into Samaria and spoke to a woman at the well and brought His message to the woman's village. Jesus also went to Gentile places and healed a man that was possessed by many evil spirits.
When Jesus walked on this earth, He allowed women to listen to His teachings. He spoke to them, and treated them with courtesy and respect.
When the disciples tried to keep people from bringing their children to see Jesus, He didn't like it. He told them to let the children come to Him. Jesus laid hands on them and blessed them.
Jesus brought His message of love to those who the religious leaders of His day rejected. They despised Jesus as a friend of sinners. But Jesus said that He was like the shepherd who left the ninety-nine in the fold and went to find the sheep that had gone astray. When that lost sheep was found, He the Good Shepherd rejoiced as did all of the Heavens with Him.
The ones that Jesus had disputes with were those who thought that they were superior to other people. Jesus was opposed to those who tried to oppress others, and He was opposed to those who tried to limit God's love.
I know many people in this world who feel as if no one loves them or cares about them. They may have been rejected by their family or their friends. The holidays can be an especially hard time for people.
Sometimes, people can be made to feel very bad about themselves even when they get together with family and friends. They can be made to feel as if they are a disappointment to their family because of the type of job that they have, or because of some supposed failing that has occurred in their life.
I just want everyone who reads this to know that Jesus loves you, and He cares about you. He didn't come to exclude anyone. First of all, no one is excluded from salvation. Just as Jesus invited everyone to come unto Him while He was here on earth, He invites everyone to come to Him now. Hebrews 13:8 says that, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." He calls all people everywhere to come and receive His forgiveness. He died on the cross and rose again for people in every country, for people of all races and ethnic groups and for people of every socio-economic class.
I like the verses in Revelation 7:9-10 that say, "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'"
People from all over the world will be in Heaven praising the name of the Lord for He has redeemed them and called them His own.
I urge you today that if you have never called on Jesus for salvation and forgiveness that you will do so today. Jesus will receive whoever calls upon Him.
Now, I just want to speak to those who feel as if no one cares about them. Jesus loves you. He doesn't love you any less if you don't have a great job or you don't have much money. He loves you because He created you. You belong to Him. You are of great value to the Lord. You may be a subsistence farmer in a Third World country. Jesus loves you just as much as the person who is the leader of a country. You are just as important to Jesus.
During this holiday season, if you feel down, depressed or lonely, remember that Jesus loves you very much. He will never leave you or forsake you, and you are of great value to Him.
Next week, I plan to resume our series in Malachi. I will post the verses on Monday. I plan to post a review on Wednesday. The sermon will go back to being posted on Friday next week. May God bless you all. Amen.
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