Spiritual Disciplines for my walk in the world
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Sharing & Caring
Sharing & Caring
Sharing - Evangelism
Matthew 28:19-20
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
We are kind of going full circle for where we started Bible Study so many months ago.
There are times that we can think that telling someone about Jesus is enough, but what does it mean? What did the early church do.
Maybe you’ve heard it said this way, “Our actions speak so loud that people can’t hear our words. We’ll get more into the caring shortly, but how can we witness in a world that seems so far from God?
Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
What message do we have to share?
Romans 10:11-17
As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”
Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.
For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?”
So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
Canada is becoming more and more a non-Christian or even a Godless culture.
It won’t be long and it will be 100 years since the Scopes/Monkey trial in the United States, where they endeavoured to make Christians look silly.
The Theory of Evolution is taught in our schools as though it were a fact, and even mention of Jesus Christ can bring much ridicule, and even persecution to those who believe. Persecution shouldn’t alarm us because Jesus promised that the world would hate us because of Him. Even the early church endured persecution.
Matthew 5:11-12
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 16:18
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
What do you believe is an effective way to lead people to Christ?
In the past, there were crusades or tent meetings and in some countries, that is still very effective. That’s how Reinhardt Bonke started his ministry in Africa.
But how do you believe that God wants to use us? What does that look like for Lanigan?
Caring
To some caring might come more naturally than to others. That doesn’t cut us loose from being a part of this. Galatians 6:2
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
In Matthew 25, Jesus used a parable to symbolize how we will be held accountable for the things that we do.
Matthew 25:31-40
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.
All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Isaiah 58:1-12
“Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.
‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.
Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.
Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
Last week we talked about Moderation and how that speaks to our testimony. Our sharing also speaks to our testimony. How can we be witnesses of the goodness of God in our lives if we close our hearts to those struggling.
James 2:15-17
Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing,
and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
Proverbs 19:17
If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord— and he will repay you!
What are some ways that we can care for people within our circle influence?
Missions has been very effective and well supported. We need to give to missions, but what about here.
I do understand that the left-hand shouldn’t know what the right-hand is doing, but how can we work together to reach out to our community, inside and outside of the church?
As we reach out God moves...
Let’s pray and ask God to move in us and work through us. We need His wisdom and His power working in and through us as He builds His church.