Our Message delivered to Zambia in March 2008 continued....... from Wednesday, March 19, 2008.
§ Now, what does this action look like for many of us………? What have we done to advance the kingdom lately? Could it look like us here today, you reading this now? Certainly this does take some type of action. What does love look like for you this week? Are your acts of love self-serving, or are you simply trying your best to serve others? Certainly we’re glad you are here today, and that you are taking the time to read this, but these are the cheap seats. Though effort, I don't think that this could be defined as action, hardly.
§ You might strengthen your knowledge, you might be encouraged, you might be challenged –but is the action the word is speaking about -no.
§ Now I know many of you had to walk here, you have made sacrifices, your visit here today required effort……
§ This action can look a lot like Love in many instances can’t it. You have heard, “they will know that we are Christians by our love”. Is that true in the church today….. ya, but often times it is contained within these four walls isn’t it, and the world can’t see this Love.
§ God is wanting us to do something, he is wanting you to do something, we need to demonstrate our faith, through action, loving one another……. outside of our safe little churches, we need to get into the world.
§ I John 3: 11-24
11This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. 13Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.
16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
§ So, God is looking for action, looking for you to do something! Christ first command can be summarized, “Come, follow-me”. Pretty simple huh, but maybe not. If we really consider what is required to Follow Him we realized that we need to surrender all, pick-up your cross and die to ourselves daily. There are many that have died for the Faith. As noted in the scripture above warns us that the world my hate us! He didn’t say, “follow-me to the land of happiness” -not that he doesn't want us to be happy, or “Follow-me, and let the good times roll”, no He clearly stated that “you will be persecuted, ridiculed in my name”.
Are you ready to sign-up for this?
To be Continued............
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment