Memorial Day Weekend -
Text: Luke 10 (Good Samaritan Parable)
Great sermon - I listened on the radio because I will not feeling well enough to come in to services. To get the full sermon, just to go our website (fbc-bc.org) and click on sermons -
Sitting at home and listening has its issues - like, no powerpoint on the screen - but sometimes I think it is a little easier to focus when at home and "glued" to the radio. Anyway, I was touched with the ending of his pastoral prayer: "We dedicate this worship hour to You."
I'm not certain why that sentence had such an effect on me - it is simple...and yet maybe profoundly simple. I wonder how it would look if we, as an entire congregation, stood and said that sentence together - really meaning it, "Father, we dedicate this whole hour to Your worship...music, reading, offering, prayer, message - all to You..."
The choir sang, "Jesus Paid it All," and I kept recalling those verses in Isaiah 55: "Come, all you who are thirsty; come to the waters; and you who have no money, come by and eat!" And from Revelation 21: "To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life."
Yes, without cost...that is, cost to us...but not without the highest cost to our Savior who "for the joy set before Him" paid the full price. Jesus Paid It ALL!
Anyway, the sermon was about being Kingdom-minded, and the introductory question was: Is there anything important outside your family and your agenda? Are we Kingdom-minded?
I. People who are Kingdom-minded notice what God cares about
II. People who are Kingdom-minded are not selfish with their time
III. People who are Kingdom-minded could be accused of being overboard, or fanatical
I. Samaritans in the first century were detested by Jews, who did not bless, help, or even acknowledge Samaritans. Jewish midwives were not to even assist in the birth of Samaritans. Here Jesus was depicting Samaritans in a good light.
This would have greatly offended his audience. We see that easily in the answer of the legal expert, when Jesus asked him who the real neighbor was. He said, "The one who showed mercy." He couldn't even use the word "Samaritan."
People who are Kingdom-minded think things are important that are firmly and obviously outside their own realm.
II. America is a land of self. People are in a hurry taking care of their own affairs and their own agenda. The priest was likely on his way to the temple to provide his services. There were hundreds of priests and they took turns serving. It was a coveted position. He didn't want to be delayed. And he should have known better than to travel that dangerous road to Jericho!
And if the man were dead, the priest would be defiled and couldn't serve anyway!
III. The poor around us. Many come to FBC for help. We don't give them lie-detector tests. Do they deserve help? Do they really need it? Are they "faking it"?
Americans are known for their work ethic - work hard, be independent, use your ingenuity, take care of yourself and your family...very deep in our national psyche and part of our national pride. Do we go out of our way to help people, even those who perhaps do not deserve it? (And how would we even know for sure?)
The homeless or vagrants living under the overpasses - are they for real? Are we wasting our time and money when we help them?
Are we going overboard?
Verse 37: Jesus said, "Go and do likewise."
Bro Mike urged us to think about being Kingdom-minded this week. Step out to obey God. Look for what He cares about. Live out what we believe.
Are we Kingdom-minded enough to know when God is prompting us to act?
These are just sketchy notes. Hear the whole sermon, if you missed it, or listen again. fbc-bc.org.
No comments:
Post a Comment