Friday: Further Thought – Jesus on Community Outreach
Read other teachings of Jesus that inform you and your church’s role in the community: Matthew 7:12, Matthew 23:23, Matthew 25:31-46, Mark 4:1-34, Mark 6:1-13, Luke 6:36, Luke 11:42, Luke 12:13-21, Luke 14:16-24, Luke 16:13, Luke 18:18-27, Luke 19:1-10, John 10:10, John 12:8, John 17:13-18. Read Ellen G. White, “ ‘The Least of These My Brethren,’ ” pp. 637-641, in The Desire of Ages; “The Missionary’s Pattern,” in Signs of the Times, March 19, 1894.
Image © Kevin Carden from GoodSalt.com
“Unless the church is the light of the world, it is darkness.” – Ellen G. White, in Signs of the Times, September 11, 1893. That’s a powerful thought. It reminds us of Jesus’ words, “ ‘He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad’ ” (Matt. 12:30, NKJV). Jesus is making it plain: there is no neutral territory in the great controversy. We are on Christ’s side or the devil’s. To have been given great light and to do nothing with it is, really, to be working against it. We have been called to be lights in the world; if we aren’t light, then we are darkness. Though the immediate context is different, the principle is the same: “ ‘If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!’ ” (Matt. 6:23, NIV). Perhaps all this could be summed up with the words: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more” (Luke 12:48).
Discussion Questions:
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If an evangelistic effort failed, do we blame the method we used? I don't know if we can call the ways of Jesus a method in reaching souls. For me I consider it His nature as the Christ. I mean if we become Christians or I would say genuine Christians, we naturally become like Christ and act like Christ, automatically doing good things including the sharing of the gospel to everybody without discrimination like a farmer who throws the seeds everywhere whether it's a good soil or not. What about the result? it's a choice. We cannot force people to accept Jesus. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. Those people whom Jesus fed with five loaves of bread and two fishes were the same people who shouted crucify Him during His trial. Or I would ask, how many were baptized during the time of Jesus in spite of miracles after miracles performed? If i'm correct. there were only around fifty people who started the early church.
Jesus said you ARE the light and the salt. He did not say BE a light and salt.
Light is something that people can SEE in us. Salt is something that people EXPERIENCE with us. We need the Holy Spirit to be like Christ.
I see Jesus mingled by drawing the people to Him, although we also see Him going out of His way to meet with an individual that needed Him.
I see Jesus mingled with everyone whether a sinner or righteous so I think we should follow the example of Jesus and not isolate even the sinners blessed Sabbath guys
You are right Phillip but how do we overcome Seventh-day Adventist isolationism. We tend not to mix with others socially for fear of being contaminated.
In John 6:54-56, we find that JESUS said "if a person will eat MY body and drink MY blood, they will they will live in ME and I in them." After he said that the size of the crowds diminished greatly so sometimes we need to reduce those that are listening to us. We know that the size of the small group is best around 10 people otherwise people are left out. The same goes for teaching. JESUS was able to teach 12 + 72 but HE was much better than you and I will ever be... Royce
All you have to do is just presume or assume they are Adventist u see the bible says we should follow the example of Jesus and we see that Jesus didn't choose and we are supposed to bring back that sheep that you say may corrupt us so as to fasten the coming of Christ
Yes but how do we apply that idea in our own community? It concerns me that we have a Bible text for this; an SOP quote for that; a Christian phrase for something else, yet when it comes down to going beyond the walls of our church we are short of ideas. Where do we go; what do we do? In other posts I have given some examples of what I do but I want to hear from others as well. Christianity is not cliche!
If I were to go down to my local supermarket get on box and start preaching, how do you think people would react to me? I think many would think I was crackpot religious nut. I lack CREDIBILITY.
But,if I had first met the the people, talked with them, maybe bought some lonely bloke sitting on a bench a little snack; maybe he would listen to what I had to say.
In other words, establish your credibility first, and then you can be an effective witness.