Sabbath: Ministry in the New Testament Church
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Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 2:42-47; Acts 4:32-37; Matt. 25:38, Matt. 25:40; Acts 9:36; 2 Cor. 8:7-15; Romans 12:1-21; James 2:1-9.
Memory Text: “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27, NKJV).
The verses known as the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) are among the best known in the Bible, at least by Christians. The texts often have been described as our mission statement and have been the inspiration for all kinds of mission and evangelistic projects. Indeed, inspired by these texts, Christians have gone all over the world, sometimes at great personal cost, in order to spread the gospel.
And what did Jesus say in the Great Commission? To make disciples, to baptize, and to teach people “to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20, NKJV). And, as we have seen, so much of what Jesus commanded us has to do with taking care of those in need, those hurting, those who are unable to take care of themselves. As such, we need to remember that these instructions to Jesus’ first disciples were not so much a new assignment, something that they hadn’t heard or seen before, but more a continuation of the mission Jesus already had been working among them. As such, this aspect of Jesus’ teaching can be clearly seen in the lives of the new church community as part of fulfilling the Great Commission.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 31.
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I find it hard to imagine how difficult it would have been to run a church with no church buildings, a largely unpaid ministry, a church leadership that met irregularly, a communication system that required a years long missionary journey to communicate around the churches. Yet the church grew and a large part of that growth depended on supporting one another. Deacons were appointed to specifically look after those who were in need. Dorcas was renown for her sewing work for the widows. Sure, the church wasn't perfect but they looked after one another and grew daily.
I am not suggesting that we return to the apostolic times, but maybe we can learn a few lessons about effective personal witness, rather than depending on a church structure to do it for us. It is something to think about as we study this week's lesson.
Lesson Author, "Jesus commanded us has to do with taking care of those in need, those hurting, those who are unable to take care of themselves."
Imagine a world where marginalized are considered cursed by God.
Jesus is coming on the scene proclaims it is the Christian mission and vision to take care of those marginalized.
Sati (also called suttee) is the practice among some Hindu communities by which a recently widowed woman either voluntarily or by use of force or coercion commits suicide as a result of her husband's death.
This widow burning came to an end because of the influence of Christianity in India.
Widows were considered outcast. They were not allowed to participate in festival occasion because they represent bad omen to the festivity.
The cultural and religious deep roots which kept widows in the dark were uprooted through the planting of Christianity in the land.
How Christianity has reshaped your land?
How Christianity has reshaped your society?
How Christianity has reshaped your family value?
In many of my post if not all, I kept repeating the same words intentionally. “The power of the Holy Ghost”.
We read about the work which began with the early disciples, men and women of simply backgrounds, many lease educated and many lost everything for the cause of Christ. Yet despite of all the dangers, these were committed to take their new found faith to all around.
This could not have been possible without the working of the Holy Spirit. His work is to empower humans to go beyond human capabilities.
Those who had more shared with other, while others who claimed they had nothing were truthful. Being truthful among Christians are of a necessity to take this message forward.
The story of Peter, Ananias and Sapphire happened early in the life of the church to open the eyes of all reminding them that God stills sees and behold the transaction of men. It reminds us how deep it His hatred and contempt for all hypocrisy and deception. It was the Holy Ghost who told Peter they were lying.
Do we lie to the Holy Ghost?
Those early disciples were men and women just like us, but what made the difference was the Power of the Holy Ghost in their lives.
Let us continue to pray for our lips to be touch like Isaiah with burning coals.
Let us continue to pray for the endowment of the Holy Spirit so we can go with the message to do service in and out of the church.
By this shall all men know ye are my disciples if ye have love one for another.
The commission given us in Matthew 28:19, 20 “Point out our field of work. Our field is the world; our work the proclamation of the truth that Christ came to our world to proclaim. Men and women are to have opportunity to gain a knowledge of present truths, and opportunity to know that Christ is their Savior, that God ‘so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that who so ever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’” Ellen G White comments, 3rd quarter, 2019, lesson 9.