Helping Others - What Did Jesus Say?Written by David Hopkins
Helping others was something Jesus did on a daily basis. He was constantly approached by people, but He always found time to stop what He was doing to help those in need. This is a lesson we must learn if we want to be anything like Jesus, our savior.THE GOOD SAMARITAN While Jesus was teaching one day, a man in crowd tried to test him to see if he would give a wrong answer. He asked Jesus, what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus, who knew man was a lawyer, told him to follow law, which says to love God and love your neighbor. In order to justify himself, lawyer asked who his neighbor was. Jesus then responded with this parable. Luke 10:30-37 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at place, came and looked on him, and passed by on other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. To Jews of Jesus' time there was no such thing as a "good Samaritan." Jews and Samaritans hated each other for religious and political reasons. The fact that it was a Samaritan who helped Jewish man shows we are all neighbors. It also shows that God is interested in showing mercy rather than maintaining prejudice. Not to mention fact that Jewish priest and Levite who are temple assistants, and are usually recognized as servants of God didn't lift a finger to help man who was badly beaten.
| | Christians in Peril Written by Rev.Anthony Smith
Christians in Peril Romans 7:8-7:25 Christians in Peril The Christian today has become a people without a vision. The Lord has said that, with out a vision my people perish. We work and cannot obtain, we save and spend more, we fight and loose ground, we obtain and have less, we learn and understand little, we pray and little is accomplished. I wish to share with you a letter some friends of mine sent to me from India. “Dear Reverend Smith. I can’t forget story I heard a few months ago from one of our missionaries serving Lord in North India. With scars on his face and back, his body literally bore marks of persecution. “They asked me to deny Christ,” he told me. “They said they would kill me and cut my tongue out if I didn’t deny Him.” “Stop preaching Gospel,” they demanded, “or we will take away your bicycle and burn you alive.” This sermon is offered as a lesson to all of us in Humility. Mat 5:13 Ye are salt of earth: but if salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 1Co 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy wisdom of wise, and will bring to nothing understanding of prudent. {Ref, Isa_29:14} 1Co 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. 1Co 13:2 And though I have gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. Contrary to popular belief, a Christian’s duty is not to become involved in politics nor rhetoric that comes with it, for as I have said before, The Powers that be are ordained by God. Politics has no business in House of God, but a Christian’s duty is to, 1. Love God. 2. Seek out Lost and 3. Preach Gospel, to be instant in season and out of Season. Lets look at, 1 Corinthians 1:19 for a moment. For it is written, I will destroy wisdom of wise, and will bring to nothing understanding of prudent. “I will destroy” Who will destroy? [God] What will He do? [Destroy,] What will He Destroy? [The wisdom of wise] Why will He destroy? [Men’s words and actions and wisdom are foolish] 1Co 1:20 Where is wise? where is scribe? where is disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish wisdom of this world? [Destroy,] In general, to put an end to; to annihilate a thing or form in which it exists. To ruin; to bring to naught; to annihilate; as, to destroy a theory or scheme; to destroy a government; to destroy influence. Man has disputed with God from beginning and will continue to do so until end. Wisdom only comes from God. The lost or sinners are always looking at Christian to see if we are who we say we are and anything that they find wrong is always at top of their conversation. Paul warns us about this very fact in, 2Co 6:3 Giving no offence in any thing, that ministry be not blamed: Article after article have come forth from many of news papers, condemning Christian faith because of politics, because of Christian remarks and even condemning Scripture itself for giving Christian his belief. The damage has been done but question is now, “How do we repair damage and return to service that we were commissioned for, preaching of acceptable year of Lord?” My answer, As Paul stated in 2Co 6:3, Giving no offence in any thing, that ministry be not blamed: by putting blame where it belongs, with us. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is pure and without error. Assuring lost that Gospel had no part in past mistakes of man. Letting them know what was said in, Mat 5:13 Ye are salt of earth: but if salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 1John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with Father, Jesus Christ righteous:
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