DISCIPLESHIP JOURNEY: THE LIST OF THESE

DISCIPLESHIP JOURNEY – THE LIST OF THESE

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

The following is from notes taken and thoughts provoked from Pastor Paul Marine’s Sunday sermon.

Matthew [MKJV] 25:31-45  But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He shall sit on the throne of His glory. 32 And all nations shall be gathered before Him. And He shall separate them from one another, as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. 33 And indeed He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats off the left. 34 Then the King shall say to those on His right hand, Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in; 36 I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. 37 Then the righteous shall answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, and fed You? Or thirsty, and gave You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger, and took You in? Or naked, and clothed You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and came to You? 40 And the King shall answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you have done it to Me. 41 Then He also shall say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry, and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in; I was naked, and you did not clothe Me; I was sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me. 44 Then they will also answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You? 45 Then He shall answer them, saying, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.

  For others shouldn’t be emotionally spelled “For me.”

  As it is Memorial Day, let us note that our military “serve” their country. That’s us! Let us not forget that soldiers are focused on the mission set before them. Paul explained this as recorded in 2Timothy 2:1-7. Dear Christian, that is us!!

  Jesus often used parables, stories containing important life lessons for His followers. Matthew records a number of these parables. In them and parables recorded elsewhere in Scripture, we also see a common thread; God does not judge by knowledge, but by our response to and within knowledge. Matthew 25:31-45 is perfect example of this.  Jesus gives list of how and what to, and why to.

  Many of us need instruction, self included, for uncomfortable areas of service don’t come natural to us.   

  This past week a man did something unnatural in response to last week’s challenge at the end of Sunday sermon. He was thinking “What can I do to serve in abnormal way without public conspicuous success?” Then he heard the trash truck roaring as it compressed waste. He quickly walked out and thanked them for serving the community and handed them 20 dollars to buy their lunch. (For some reason they don’t carry their lunch on the garbage truck.

  Another incident: One of our dear elderly women died this week. Eight ladies showed up and prepared food for the reception following her Celebration of Life. As it sometimes turns out, the crowd was not as large as expected. Consequently there was much food left over. What to do with the excess was discussed. Several ideas were presented but weren’t feasible at the moment. Then a battered old vehicle with a mom and children pulled up and the lady explained her husband had been out of work, finally got a job but had yet to receive his first paycheck and their cupboards were bare.

  But let’s not wait for opportunity to come to us. We know to serve. We have knowledge of how to serve. Let’s pray for specifics to initiate or involve in. Want to . . . and God will direct!

EBB4