Sabbath: Mission to the Unreached: Part 2
Daily Lesson for Sabbath 9th of December 2023
Read for This Week’s Study
1 Kings 11:1-6; Matthew 4:23-25; Matthew 15:22-28; Mark 7:24-30; Acts 10:34-35; Matthew 8:10,13.
Memory Text:
“Then Jesus answered and said to her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed from that very hour” (Matthew 15:28, NKJV).
From the beginning, a loving God sought His lost children (Genesis 3:9); and, to our day, this same loving God is still seeking to reach the lost (see Revelation 14:6-12), including the lost in the cities. In 2018, the United Nations published its latest findings, which say that 55 percent of the planet’s population lives in urban areas, and this will grow (if time should last) to 68 percent by 2050. We have no choice: we must witness to those in the cities.
Yet, many of God’s people act as Jonah did when called to witness to a city: for whatever reason, they flee from the task. “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4, NKJV). That includes what was written about Jonah.
When here, Jesus ministered not only to those in the cities of Israel but to those in foreign regions, as well; that is, to those outside of the Jewish nation and the chosen people.
This week we will study the Bible story of Christ’s mission to Tyre and Sidon and draw lessons to apply to our lives today.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 16.
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When our family moved to our present location 40 years ago it was essentially a country village albeit also a Seventh-day Adventist one. I was working for Avondale College and my wife soon also took up work in the Church education system. Our mission fields were the children and youth of our church. Much has changed in the intervening years. The city has come to us. Where once, you could drive down the main road with your eyes shut and be reasonably confident that you would not hit another car, now we have traffic lights to control the intersections. Thousands of new homes have been built in the area. There is a huge new entertainment complex going in. We have a Bunnings Hardware (about to be pulled down and a bigger one built.) And the demographics have changed. Our little village shopping centre even has a bottleshop.
Amid all this change another change occurred that hurt me deeply. We had a new pastor come in and. without even so much as a conversation with me, observed that the old bloke on the data projector did not know what he was doing. To cut a long story short, I resigned and one of my first actions was to take my slides and show them to a group of birding people on Friday night. It was a steep transition and I have to say, I was deeply hurt initially; I had been involved in visuals in the church for nearly twenty years - even before data projectors - and it was my artistic outlet.
The healing process took a long time, but looking back on it now, it made me come to terms that there was work to be done in our city that needed the influence of committed Christians. It was not a matter of giving Bible studies or evangelistic programs, but of interacting with real people in their environment. I became involved in the U3A movement, a secular group encouraging older folk to keep learning, to socialise, and to keep active. I am not counting conversions and baptisms but both Carmel and I love engaging with these folk and sharing with them. For many of them, it is the first time they have had contact with those associated with the "churchy folk" from the Avondale Campus.
Perhaps it is time that we were made to feel uncomfortable about our "church" experience to shift our focus from ourselves to others. You do not meet many secularly minded people when sitting in a church pew.
And for a bit of Sabbath viewing watch Ashton Birds October 2023. Its a bit late because I had intended adding a commentary track to it but I ran out of time. Enjoy; there are some interesting birds in it even though the show is a bit short this time.
Maurice,
Thank you for the pictures. My family and I enjoyed seeing many birds that we have never seen before. Hope this means you got a new camera...
Thanks you Jodi. I did get a new camera, but these photos were taken in October, well before the death of the old one. You will have to wait till the end of December to see photos with the new one.
Maurice, I can relate. Although it was in a deferent area of service, teaching SS, my father had a very similar experience in a church in Kentucky while I was in college. A new interim pastor came to their church. Before this new pastor came my Father's SS class had grown quite large following an evangelistic series held at the church and he was bringing in many outsiders. Many in the church were did not like this and they, along with the new pastor removed my father from teaching, "for brining in sinners" (imagine that). He and my mother, after much debate and prayer, decided to stay despite being publicly defrocked. At the age of 80 he wrote in his memoirs that he later heard from many of the quiet church members, that their staying had had a positive impact on them as it did on me as well.
Thank you again for sharing your beautiful birds with us. The 30 plus people with whom I share them are equally appreciative of
your talent & the beautiful birds of Australia. Thank you, Leilani
Hi Maurice – thank you for sharing the pictures of these beautiful birds.I am amazed about the many differently colored Honey Eaters, though my favorite pictures are of the Noisy Miner taking a bath. You certainly have the talent of one with a great ‘eye’ who can see more than the bird – you also capture its uniqueness and personality.
It might very likely have been our God moving in His mysterious way which pushed you out of the ‘director's’ chair from behind the data projector to lead you to join the U3A movement. I wish we would have something like this here where I live to get me to mingle and be more active. Yes, ‘churchy folk’ can become quite isolated in the ‘save’ environment of a church congregation.
Many times we experience this verse (Zechariah 13:6) but as we keep our eyes on Jesus He can help us overcome and stay positive in the midst of trials (Proverbs 17:22). Those trials can help us strengthen our faith (1 Peter 5:10).
You are so right to list Zechariah 13:6, you should have listed the full text out for everyone to see, but I'll do that for you:
Zechariah 13:6, "And one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds between your arms?’ Then he will answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.’"
There has been, and currently are, a lot of people that have been wounded in the church by Pastors and members alike; and they, the ones that have wounded others, feel that it is/was within their Righteous indignation to do this ungodly act of wounding people.
Whenever I get the opportunity, whether in SS or in my other leadership roles in the church, I tell myself and the members, that we need to do as the song by the Canton Spirituals says, "Clean up what I messed up". Those Pastors and members (past, present, and future) need to go back and reconcile with those that they have "wounded"; they have to clean up what they messed up; if they and the wounded one are still alive to do so. God is, as my Pastor is always saying, a God of Love and Reconciliation. Jesus came to die for our sins, and to Reconcile us back into the family of God. Can't that be an example for us to follow.
God's blessing to you and your family!
Yes I enjoyed your pictures of birds also Maurice. When I was a kid, my folks would take us to the bird sanctuary in Southern Oregon, Tule Lake. We would pitch our tents before sundown Friday evening, and enjoy campfires with other church members(our neighbors). On Sabbath we would enjoy the birds with binoculars. Wounderful memories.
I missed your narration this time. Music is ok, your narration is superb, brings out the ornithologist in you. Maybe you won't run out of time when the pictures with your new camera come out.
I can understand your delay of narration, most likely due to your back pain and and your back surgery, which I understand can definately hinder normal life. Over a year ago I had the same, except no back surgery. MRI revealed a dangerously present buldging disc. It was causing my right great toe to be weaker than the left, with numbness, after several weeks of physical therapy and home steching exercises as an adjuvant, the buldging disc retracted much, as evidenced by my pain dissipating. Weakness is much improved and there is some numbness left to remind me to keep up with the strengthing exercises. God bless you Maurice and your ministeries.
Your story made me laugh today. I definitely understand when you said, "It was not a matter of giving Bible studies or evangelistic programs, but of interacting with real people in their environment."
We sometimes believe, or feel that our Pastors believe, that we cannot reach people without giving them Bible Studies and having Evangelistic programs and series. But that is just the tip of the iceberg. If God were to unfold His daily plans for us to witness to His lost sheep, we would be amazed that very few of those plans start out as Bible Studies and evangelistic programs, but some have.
I'm not saying that Bible studies and evangelistic programs are not needed, they are very much needed to educate and encourage all of our souls. But I feel that Pastors are beating their members over the head with "we got to do Bible Studies and evangelistic programs". What about just having a good old community gathering event, without the incentive of those people joining the church, or giving them bible studies? When the "unreached" or lost sheep are around sincere and genuine Christians (they do know all about fake people), then they have a living Bible study in front of them, and they will ask to learn more from us. So, what about having a Hats, Coats, and Socks distribution for the Homeless and the needy in the communities we live in, without asking them for anything in return. Also, we could have Soup Dinner Nights at the church, and invite the whole community?
Sadly, do you all realize that a lot of people in our communities (at least the communities where I live, in America) are reluctant to come to our community gathering events. Why? Because 1) they know just enough about "those Seventh-day Adventists" to not like us for various reasons, and 2) they think that our incentive for having the community gathering is to try to indoctrinate them into our church. My next community service outreach program will be for all the people in the community, whether they are SDAs or not. And I'm going to let them know that I am not trying to indoctrinate them into my church. My goal will be to let them know that our church is going back to the good ole days where the people in the community have faith in the church, believed in the church as a place to go when they can find help for their souls and their physical needs. Can the church solve all their problems? No, but we can provide temporary help, and some additional resources to help them with their other needs.
Are we going to sit by and let the "unreached" continue in their discouragement? Or are we, the people of God, going to encourage them? We all (me included) need to see the Bigger Picture that God has planned for all His people, individually, and as a church body. It's not about us, it's all about Jesus; everything we do should be for Jesus.
God's Blessings to you all, and I hope you all have a Safe and Wonderful Holiday season!
Why can't we do both, you conduct your ministry and they conduct theirs and we simply support each other. Why are you trying to bend others to your perspective? Like the song says What God has for me is for me..."
Also, Great photos. You almost make me want to be a Photographer again (I was an event photographer; wedding, sweet 15 and 16 parties, etc, but I retired from that about 10 years ago), but this time a Bird photographer like you. I may start by taking a few backyard photos with my new phone/camera (which has very High-resolution quality), to see what birds I can found with birds in my backyard. My godmother used to tell me to throw fruit out, at the bottom of my backyard, to feed the small birds and animals; my husband didn't like that idea.
I will be praying for you and your surgery and recovery. Keep us posted on your recovery progress. You are missed when you are away from us.
God's blessings to you and your wife, Carmel.
Thank you!!!! We have a small church with only one children's class, teaching beginners through juniors. The kiddos love nature and we are currently learning about birds in our nature portion of Sabbath school. These are amazing and the kiddos love them.
Two things I find: Belief vs Faith.
Christ is in a Gentile territory and does a miracle to a Gentile woman who from the conversation exhibits greater faith than the Jews who were rejecting and challenging Jesus' claims.
_*People with correct beliefs could be void of faith*_
▶️ This woman has knowledge of Jesus and what He's able to do.
▶️ She purposes from her heart that nothing will stop her from coming to Jesus.
▶️ She's specific on what she wants and lastly
▶️ She realized that she doesn't deserve anything. Even scraps that accidentally fell from Jesus's abundance was enough to fill her hunger for the Word.
Praise the Lord. None of us deserve anything, we are here by God’s grace and mercy.
Thank the Lord.
I struggle with the idea of ‘outside influence’ upon our Christian community and what I mean by that is this. I work in our local high school within student learning support. I see daily the needs of the young people within our community and it pains me that as Adventist’s we aren’t doing more to integrate them.
There are several teachers within our church who all work for either the Adventist school or another Christian school within our local region. I have a burden for the secular kids of our community and discussed with a few of the church teachers that perhaps the high school kids I work with could be invited to pathfinders to help bridge the gap. I was saddened at the response from the teachers within our church. They were quick to respond with we must be very careful who our kids associate with and that they believe that inviting the high school students would have a terrible negative impact on their own children.
To say I was stunned is an understatement I actually felt physically sick that we as a church would be so closed off to the young people who are crying out to be accepted and loved for fear of influence on our own children.
I continue to pray that the church’s hearts will soften toward those outside of our church. We expect to make a difference and yet close ranks on the very ones that we could easily invite along and offer a hand to.
The kids at the school are starting to talk about God within the group I work with. One child even went so far as to pin a picture of Jesus on the board next to her seat. So while the church may have closed the doors to them God is still working. All praise to Him.
This makes me very sad too.
I do understand the desire to keep the right influences around our children, but that’s why the group of young people is led by God-fearing adults who can re-direct any missteps.
I would prayerfully re-visit that conversation. From what I understand about pathfinders, its mission is to make disciples of Christ. So anyone can join. And what a wonderful opportunity for the church kids to positively influence the un-churched ones. It’s very difficult to make friends for Jesus when you’re siloed away from unbelievers.
I think Acts 10:34-35 sums our mission up: ”Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.”
Faith, freely given and freely received, is the reward to all willing to accept and believe Him who made heaven and earth and all that is within. No more searching to find the true God, no more unsureness if we follow the perfect truth – it is all given and revealed to us in God’s Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
This is the sentiment in which I introduce the God of all that is made. He has been revealed to us by His Son Jesus Christ for us to learn to honor and give glory to Him; and I know Him Whom I have believed - 2 Tim. 1:12.
Just until early 2000s, 7:00pm was night in our village. Today you meet people as late as 10 or 11pm. This is as a result of developments and people moving in to our village. Being the salt of the world, they must feel the taste of what my faith is. They don't have to accept but they must know. I just realised there are people out there who know we are Adventists but not why. These are the unreached.
The Gospel must mix with urbanism. However, being myself is the best way to reach people wherever I am inserted. And to give the Good News while being myself means I must spend time with Jesus daily. Christ may surface in my personality with this connection and dying for self.
Maurice, I can relate. Although it was in a deferent area of service, teaching Sabbath School, my father had a very similar experience in a church in Kentucky while I was in college. A new interim pastor came to their church. Before this new pastor came my Father's SS class had grown quite large following an evangelistic series held at the church and he was bringing in many outsiders. Many in the church were did not like this and they, along with the new pastor removed my father from teaching, "for brining in sinners" (imagine that). He and my mother, after much debate and prayer, decided to stay despite being publicly defrocked. At the age of 80 he wrote in his memoirs that he later heard from many of the quiet church members, that their staying had had a positive impact on them as it did on me.