Friday: Further Thought – Jesus Ministered to Their Needs
Read Deuteronomy 15:11, Job 29:11-17, Proverbs 14:31, Proverbs 19:17, Acts 3:6, James 1:27-2:5; Ellen G. White, “Pioneering in Australia,” pp. 327-338, in Welfare Ministry. Paul, like Jesus, was involved in meeting the expressed needs of people. We can see this, for example, in the famous story of Paul at Mars Hill in Athens. In Acts 17:23, Paul, provoked by the idolatry that he saw in the city, engaged in lively discussions with the local intelligentsia and anyone in the marketplace who would talk with him.
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He became aware of their needs and issues. He discovered that they had an unknown-God-shaped hole in their lives and that they needed to know the true God and to stop worshiping useless idols. He then began to preach in the synagogue, where both Jews and “Gentile worshipers” (Acts 17:17, NKJV) were. In other words, he took advantage of the opportunity he had and reached out with the gospel. Paul sought to meet them where they were, as we can see by how he talked to the people when at the synagogue and in the street. The masses believed in some kind of deity, because they had built an altar to “the unknown God” (Acts 17:23). Working from that premise, Paul sought to point them to the God “ ‘whom you worship without knowing’ ” (Acts 17:23, NKJV). He even later quoted one of their own poets, who happened to have written something true: “ ‘ “We are also His offspring” ’ ” (Acts 17:28, NKJV). Starting from where the people were, he wanted to lead them away from their idols to the living God and Jesus, raised from the dead. In short, assessing the needs of those whom he wanted to reach, Paul then tried to help fulfill those needs.
Discussion Questions:
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If PMC church 9 day evangelistic effort is successful, maybe ADRA and ASI,and ?, can do more "projects" for community services in America, and maybe the GC, NA Div, Unions, and local Conferences can indicate a willingness to assist in the funding of such activities, such as needy church members and the homeless...
Not sure how a Pioneer Memorial Church (Berrien Springs, Michigan, USA) is supposed to affect ADRA and ASI. As for ministering to needy church members and the homeless in our communities, we, in our local churches, are in the best position to do so. If you see a need, perhaps God is calling you to fill that need - perhaps with the help of others?
The GC administrators oversee the world-wide work of the church and are not in a position to minister to local needs, and neither are union administrators. If there is a great need - as a disaster in a local area - the local church can call on both the local conference and ADRA to help fill the need. Whatever the case, the local church is key. And that means that we, as local members, can be blessed by getting involved.
I am merely trying to say that maybe our entire church - in North America - focuses on harvesting at the expense of seed planting.
Recently read a book "Epic" which details the progress of a project to find the life expectancy of people in every country and what the limitations to that long life might be. For instance, people in the Amazon die from water borne illness, not heart disease, etc. Bill Gates helped to fund it because he is spending his fortune to eliminate world diseases. He is a motivator to local government, but his fortune is miniscule in comparison to the cost spent at each local level. He really only can make recommendations.
We are in much the same position. Our local church budget will do much more than anything that comes from the conference or GC.
Thinking about Apostle Paul and Mars hill. ... I wonder how many unknown Gods do we come in contact with? Knowing who God is, is the most important information to finding a path for worship. It is said that everyone worships something. If our focus is on our Creator God, we have the right God.