Thank you for reading the Weekend Sermon this week. I hope that you have all had a good week. I just want to say that I am sorry about not posting a review on Wednesday. I had some things that I had to deal with, but I am doing fine now.
Today, I would like to focus on two passages of Scripture from the Gospel of Matthew. These are the words of Jesus from two different times during His ministry on the earth. These two passages deal with what I believe are our two missions as believers in Jesus on this earth. Let's look at these passages, and then see how they apply to us today.
The first passage is found in the Matthew 14:16. Jesus had just finished teaching a great multitude of people. The Bible says that there were at least 5,000 people present at this occasion. These people had been with Jesus for awhile, and they didn't have anything to eat.
The disciples wanted to sent the crowds away so that they could go into the surrounding towns and buy some food. Jesus told them that they didn't need to send the crowds away. Jesus said, "You give them something to eat."
After this, Jesus performed the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. There was so much food that everyone had enough to eat, and there was plenty of food left over.
Our second passage is found in Matthew 11:4-5. A contingent from John the Baptist had come to Jesus to ask Him if He was the Messiah or if they should wait and expect someone else. Jesus said the following, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see, the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor."
As I read these two passages of Scripture, it seemed to me that the Lord Jesus is giving to us today our mission as believers in Him. We are to do what He did in the world.
When Jesus answered the question of those sent by John the Baptist, Jesus expressed in His answer that through His ministry, people's lives were being transformed and changed in the here and now and for eternity. By healing people of their various diseases, Jesus was impacting their lives so that they could live in fullness and hope right now. By telling people that He was the Way, the Truth and Life, Jesus was allowing people to know that they could have forgiveness and new life through Him if they would believe in Him. Jesus was meeting both the physical and the spiritual needs of those whom He encountered.
This same thing is occurring with the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus calls on the disciples to give the people something to eat. I believe that He is telling them to do as He has done and is doing. Jesus once again met the people's physical and spiritual needs.
I believe that Jesus has given those of us who are His followers a mission to carry out in this world. We are to follow Him in meeting the spiritual and physical needs of this world while we are here.
We have been given the Great Commission by the Lord. We are to tell everyone that Jesus has come to take away the sins of the world. Whosoever will may come to Jesus and find rest for their souls. We are to teach those who come to faith in the Lord to follow the Lord in the path that He has laid out for those who believe in His name.
We have another mission as well. We have the mission to feed the hungry and to clothe the naked. We have the mission to speak for truth and justice. There are a multitude of people in this world who don't have what they need to make it in this world. They lack adequate nutrition, medical care and housing. They are being oppressed by governments and corporate powers. We as the followers of Jesus have the responsibility to help those who need help and to attempt to make this world a better place in the name of Jesus.
Let each of us this week consider how we can carry out the mission that has been given to us by the Lord Jesus to do what He did in this world. Try to tell others about what Jesus has done in your life. Speak to others about the life changing power of the Lord. Also, try this week, and in the week's to come, to help others to have a better life. Work for change, and work to bring others hope. Amen.
Prayer requests and other matters.
As I said, I am sorry about not getting a review posted on Wednesday. I had some bad things to deal with this week concerning work, writing, health etc. Thanks be to God that all is well, and I thank the Lord for His great help this week.
In prayer this week, please pray for those who are still recovering from the storms that have damaged many parts of the United States. Pray that they will receive the aid that they need.
Let us continue to pray for those who are dealing with the Ebola virus in Congo. Pray that this virus will stop spreading, and pray that those who are sick will get well.
Continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of this world. We need to keep praying for peace in Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and Libya. If you know of a place where there is warfare and unrest, pray that the Lord will bring peace to that place.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Guinea and Kyrgyzstan. Pray that many in these countries, and around the world, will hear and respond to the good news of the love of Jesus.
Next week, I will post the sermon on Saturday. I am not sure yet what I will post the message about. I am planning several different series, and I will tell you more about that in the weeks to come. I will post the verses on Monday. I will try to post a review on Wednesday this week. May God bless you all. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment