Sabbath: Jesus Bade Them, “Follow Me”
Read for This Week’s Study: John 10:1-5, John 10:16; Luke 9:2; Rev. 14:6-7; Luke 19:1-10; Acts 26:11-27; Rev. 3:20.
Memory Text: “ ‘But they [the sheep] will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice’ ” (John 10:5, NIV).
Image © Lars Justinen Goodsalt.com
In A.D. 362 Roman emperor Julian launched a campaign to revive paganism. Christianity was taking over the Roman Empire, and he and the pagan leaders were worried. Julian’s advice to a prominent pagan priest expresses his concern, and gives a clue as to why Christianity was growing so rapidly: “ ‘I think that when the poor happened to be neglected and overlooked by the [pagan] priests, the impious Galileans [Christians] observed this and devoted themselves to benevolence. . . . [They] support not only their poor, but ours as well, everyone can see that our people lack aid from us.’ ”-Quoted in Rodney Stark, Cities of God (San Francisco: HarperCollins Publishers, 2006), p. 31.
The Romans had counted on Christianity’s fading away when their leader, Jesus Christ, died. Instead, record numbers of Roman citizens were following Jesus. How did they explain this “problem”? Jesus’ followers were demonstrating His love through meeting the basic needs of those around them. That’s what Jesus did when He was here, and that’s what His followers are to do as well.
No wonder, then, that when given the offer to follow Jesus, so many did.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 10.
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Let's no forget that it was the Holy Spirit working thru the disciples that converted the souls of Jews and Gentiles.
Amen
The statement of Julian speaks to what I am trying to say. I think our focus is skewed to harvesting at the expense of sowing.
Caring for the needy that comes from an honest heart is a clear sign of a follower of Christ.
As christans let us pave way to the won Sauls, unlike the case of zaccheus who was forced to climb a tree in order to see Christ. As they come to church lets give them a warm welcome to make them feel at home, that is how we can keep our churches full.
It's every Christian's responsibility to bade people in the communities to follow Jesus. We need to be humble, generous, kind in order to represent Christ to people so that they can recognize God's love as we tell them about the Gospel. By doing so they will hear God's voice calling them. John 10:16 means that there are Christians who are worshiping outside God's but unfortunately they are not aware about that, we have to make them realize that they are in danger and convince them biblically to come into God's house and worship God nod gods.
There are many people who have been marginalized by the world in various spheres of this life, It is our obligation as Christians to embrace and show them that Jesus loves and values them regardless the afflictions they are going through, this may be a good way of winning the souls for Christ our Saviour..