Friday, July 8, 2011

Sermon: "Kingdom Perspective (Matthew)"

*Matthew 8:3
Jesus  reached out and touched him...( a leper)

So basically back in that time, lepers were not supposed to be touched because everyone was scared of getting the disease. But Jesus healed the man with leprosy. He had enough love and compassion to heal the leper. Jesus always did His healing one on one, never in a huge setting so he could show each individual how much they were to Him.
 If Jesus had the faith to heal anyone, then as Christians we shouldn't be scared to reach out to others like the homeless for example. Just as Jesus reached out to that leper, we should be able to reach out to others no matter what they look or act like. We really need to just reach out to them with love and compassion. Then my view of compassion would be: giving a taste of God to unsuspecting people..anyone, anytime, in YOUR area of influence. Really though.. Who are you reaching? Who is in YOUR area of influence? (family friends?) It might be easier for us to look at people as a "soul" than as a person. God showed me a few days ago and spoke to me, "that it doesn't matter what the person looks like or how smart they are. But it's about there soul." That said to me that everyone has value, there like a hidden gem and that we all need and deserve to enter the kingdom. It kind of reminded me of the verse "the kingdom of God is like a treasure hidden in the field" but that there souls are the hidden treasures that we need to reach! That really put a new perspective for me, and now I look at people completely different. "with a kingdom perspective."
 Then if we go back and look at the verse in Matthew "Jesus reached out and touched him and he was healed." It made me think about the homeless.. That we just don't give them a second though and just look beyond them. And I compare the leper and a homeless person because they are alot alike. All they are looking for is that loving hand to reach out and touch them, so they can encounter Gods love and His healing power. But still do we pass them by? In John 14:12 it says, "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works that I have done or even GREATER! So if Jesus said right there in that verse that we can go out and do greater works, then why aren't we doing them?! It takes faith and desire to take a step out in faith, and as I said before there are only certain people you can reach in YOUR life. God is looking for people that want to serve HIM and would do anything bodly for His kingdom, no matter the cost. People are FRESH and waiting for some JESUS. The harvest is ripe. Next time the Holy Spirit tells you to go talk to someone, please go do it. It could be your last chance seeing them or the possibility of there last day of being able to enter the kingdom. Be bold and step out in faith, there is nothing to lose if you obey the Holy SPirit. God will give you so much more if you continue to follow His ways he will show you much more you could never dream or imagine of..
 Lastly but not least in James 1:27 it says " real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father is this: reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight and guard against corruptive of the Godless world." God blesses those who reach out to the homeless and protects them. God sure does love the homeless just as much as the leper. So my point being know matter if it's a leper or a homeless person or someone that needs to be reached.. I challenge you to step out in and reach that person know matter how hard it is. God will bless you. If Jesus is Love, we can show His love to other and be the salt and light in the world!

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