Weekend Sermon -- The Way of Jesus -- Part 6

      Welcome to the Weekend Sermon. I hope everyone is having a good week. Thank you for taking the time to read the sermon this week. 

     As you probably know by now, we are in the midst of a series of messages I've entitled the way of Jesus. These messages are intended to show the way that Jesus taught us to live. They are to show what it means to live as a follower of Jesus in this world. 

     In today's message, I want us to see that following the way of Jesus means helping the least among us as we have been taught to do by Jesus. We find Jesus' teaching about this specifically in Matthew 25. 

     In this chapter, Jesus tells us that there will be a great judgment of the nations when He returns to earth at His Second Coming. Jesus will separate the nations as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Jesus brings judgment against one group. He tells them that when He was sick, they did not come to visit Him. When He was hungry, they did not feed Him. When He was naked, they did not clothe Him. This group asks when they might have seen Jesus in this way. Jesus tells them that when they did not do good unto the least among them, they did not do it unto Him. On the other hand, Jesus tells the other group that they had clothed Him when they saw Him naked. They had visited Him when He was sick. They feed Him when they saw Him hungry. Jesus said that when they had done it unto the least of these, they had done it unto Him. 

     Following the way of Jesus means helping those who are considered to be the least among us. We have many people in many nations around the world that need those of us who follow the Lord Jesus to help them. In my country, there are many people who suffer from what is called food insecurity. This means that they don't know from one week to the next if they will have enough money to buy the food that they need for themselves and for their families. Many people in the US are reliant on food banks in order to have enough to get by from week to week. Without the free school lunches that many students receive, they wouldn't get a proper meal. Some schools even send food home for the children on the weekends so that they will have enough to eat. In my country, there are many homeless people who have virtually nothing. 

     Following the way of Jesus and helping the least of these means that we have to do all that we can to help people get enough to eat. There are people all over the world without enough, and the church of Jesus Christ needs to be the solution to the problem. One way that we do this is by feeding the hungry. We also have to be strong advocates for the governmental programs that will help those who need help. 

     Hunger is not the only need. There are many people who can't afford to go to the doctor. Many die of treatable diseases all over this world every day. This shouldn't be. Christians must follow the way of Jesus and work to bring healthcare to the nations so the everyone can have a bright future. We cannot just walk by on the other side of the road. We must be like the Good Samaritan who helped the man who needed aid. 

     I could go on and on, but there are two more things that I would like to mention. Many in my nation and around the world are exploited. They aren't paid enough to live properly. Rich corporations exploit people and don't treat their workers properly. Christians must be at the forefront of paying decent living wages and being advocates to end exploitation and seeing justice for workers around the world. 

    Now, some may find this controversial, but I believe that the least among us can refer to animals as well. So many animals suffer from abuse and neglect. It is abhorrent. Let us help these who are the least among us too that they might have the life that God intended for them. A life that is free from fear and harm. 

     None of us can do everything, but Jesus calls us to do what we can to serve the least of these who are among us. Let us all try to find a way to make a positive difference in this world and please the Lord who we claim to serve. Amen. 

 Prayer Requests

     I am having a lot of health problems right now. Please pray that I will get to feeling better. 

     Continue to pray for an end to the coronavirus pandemic. Pray that the sick will recover. 

     Pray that those in Tonga will continue to receive the aid that they need. 

     We must keep praying for peace in Ukraine. Pray for an end to the violence against the civilian population and pray for the refugees. Also, be in prayer for peace in Syria, Yemen and the other troubled areas of this world. 

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those who live in the nations of  Iran and Vietnam. Pray that many will come to know Jesus. 

     Next week, I will continue with our current series. I will post the verses on Monday. I will try to post a review midweek. May God bless you all.