Prayer meeting Mar 23
Notes
Transcript
pray
After a few months of the team we led in Lesotho to take the gospel to the marginalised, and economically enslaved herd boys -our team of 5 men were demoralised.
They had to give up everything for 3 weeks at a time to live in probably the most basic of lifestyles known to the world. Only ground maize to eat, not washing or cleaning themselves, no toilet, no electricity, no personal belongings, no change of cloths, no water tight roof, no bed, poor sleep, no entertainment, no personal space, no family - you get the idea.
Even very experienced missionaries who helped Leanna and I plan and prepare for the teams arrival questioned if they could do it at all.
Our team wanted to take snacks up to the mountains for energy (but they’d have to hide them and not share with the shepherds or they’d be gone in an hour,
They wanted to give up,
they wanted better living options.
So when they were down with us at our comfortable house - we looked at this passage.
Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last for ever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
If we are truely recipientf of the grace of Jesus - freed from the law of sin and judgement,
Bought at a price by the blood of Christ to now live according to his law , v21,
Then it stands to reason that we can give our all for Him.
He gave up His all to become a man like you and I.
He gave up his bread of heaven to eat like you and I.
He gave up his throne to sleep in the dust like you and I.
He gave up his very life - so that you and I don’t have to.
It follows that his grace and love will enable and inspire - and expect us
to become all things to all people - so that some might be saved - v22
2 of that team are still in Lesotho - we’ll be praying for them tonights, and by God’s grace they now have about 5 bible study groups of herd boys meeting week by week to discover what sacrifice and service looks like for them as herd boys - now they have been saved.
What does it look like to run the race according to the rules of Jesus,
How do they strike a blow of training and discipline upon themselves v27, to better understand the love of Jesus and his call to them to reach others.
It was worth that team becoming stinky, enslaved, herd boys of Lesotho - for it opened the gospel of Jesus to those who had not heard - so that some might be saved.
Tonight, along side a focus on Mission parteners on every table - we also have a table dedicated to a theology of evangelism.
In other words - reminding us through bible verses of our call, duty and desire to share the Gospel with those around us.
Pray tonight that we would give our time and effort to those we would rather not - so that some might be saved,
That we associate with those with whom we find it hard - so that some might be saved,
That we would actually engage in relationships and time with our neighbours, shop keepers, waiters, class teachers, other parents
- all who have very different reasons and thinking about life when compared to us as servants of Christ.
Pray we will be come all things to all men,
just as Jesus did for us - despite our differences - so that some might be saved.