Heavenly Father, as we go
through the series this weekend,
00:00:05.27\00:00:09.67
and as we open up Your
Word, we believe there is power
00:00:10.04\00:00:12.74
in the Scriptures.
00:00:12.77\00:00:14.34
You have promised, Lord,
that when Your Word is preached,
00:00:14.64\00:00:17.45
or read and studied, that it
never comes back to You void.
00:00:17.48\00:00:21.55
And so we ask just now
that our ears might hear
00:00:21.58\00:00:24.89
what the Spirit wishes to
say to the churches today.
00:00:24.92\00:00:28.42
We pray that we
might understand Your Word.
00:00:28.46\00:00:30.66
And most of all, Lord, if
there is some hurting person
00:00:30.69\00:00:34.30
in our life that You
want us to reach out to,
00:00:34.33\00:00:37.73
then we give You permission
to bring their names to our mind
00:00:37.83\00:00:41.60
over these next few days.
00:00:41.64\00:00:43.37
This we ask in
Jesus' name. Amen.
00:00:43.47\00:00:47.41
I had the privilege of
living just outside the city of
00:00:48.61\00:00:51.78
Pittsburgh for about
seven years of our ministry.
00:00:51.81\00:00:55.38
Now when you live so close
to a large metropolitan area
00:00:55.68\00:00:59.29
like Pittsburgh, you
tend to take advantage of the
00:00:59.32\00:01:02.62
cultural activities
that you find there.
00:01:02.66\00:01:05.39
So there were times that
Marquita and I would visit
00:01:05.49\00:01:08.46
one of the many
museums in the downtown area.
00:01:08.50\00:01:11.77
Or when we were able,
we would go and spend a day
00:01:11.80\00:01:15.27
at the Pittsburgh zoo.
00:01:15.30\00:01:16.94
And when we had some
extra money in the budget,
00:01:17.04\00:01:19.54
we might even go listen to
the symphony orchestra play.
00:01:19.57\00:01:23.35
But I remember one day
something happened to me
00:01:23.71\00:01:27.25
in downtown Pittsburgh
that I will never forget.
00:01:27.28\00:01:30.99
It happened like this.
00:01:31.29\00:01:32.79
I had been out
visiting all day long.
00:01:33.36\00:01:36.06
Serving as a pastor there,
I had made some appointments
00:01:36.09\00:01:39.09
to do some visits
all through the afternoon
00:01:39.13\00:01:41.90
and even up till
the evening time.
00:01:41.93\00:01:44.40
But part way through
the day my cell phone rang.
00:01:44.67\00:01:47.90
And it turned out
the appointment I had
00:01:47.94\00:01:50.21
for the evening
had canceled on me.
00:01:50.24\00:01:52.67
And I realized I
have a whole evening free.
00:01:52.71\00:01:55.38
And let me tell
you, in pastoral ministry
00:01:55.41\00:01:57.75
that doesn't always happen.
00:01:57.78\00:01:59.45
So I decided to call
my wife on the phone,
00:01:59.65\00:02:02.35
and I said, "Honey,
listen, my appointment
00:02:02.38\00:02:04.99
for tonight canceled on me.
00:02:05.02\00:02:06.89
What do you want to do?"
00:02:06.92\00:02:08.32
And so we decided to
make it a date night.
00:02:08.36\00:02:12.09
Now how many people here
know what a date night is?
00:02:12.13\00:02:13.93
Let me see your hands.
00:02:13.96\00:02:15.30
Well, every couple
needs to have a date night.
00:02:15.46\00:02:18.63
That's when a husband and
wife put everything else aside,
00:02:18.67\00:02:22.07
including kids when possible,
and they go out on a date
00:02:22.10\00:02:25.44
just like they did
before they were married.
00:02:25.47\00:02:28.11
So Marquita and I decided,
that night was going to be
00:02:28.14\00:02:31.38
our date night.
00:02:31.41\00:02:32.91
And we decided that we
were going to go to one of those
00:02:33.11\00:02:36.05
special restaurants
in downtown Pittsburgh.
00:02:36.15\00:02:39.89
Now you know what I
mean when I say, special?
00:02:39.92\00:02:42.16
Yeah, expensive.
00:02:42.62\00:02:44.13
It's one of those fancy
places you can only go to
00:02:44.16\00:02:47.66
once or twice a year
on a special occasion.
00:02:47.70\00:02:50.80
So this was going to
be our special occasion.
00:02:50.83\00:02:54.04
So when I finished my last
visit late in the afternoon
00:02:54.47\00:02:57.84
I jumped in the
car and I rushed home.
00:02:57.87\00:03:00.84
Marquita and I got
all dressed up and ready
00:03:00.88\00:03:03.91
for our special
evening together.
00:03:03.95\00:03:06.05
We each took turns
hopping into the shower,
00:03:06.08\00:03:08.75
she put on some
sweet smelling perfume,
00:03:08.98\00:03:11.72
and I put on some
manly smelling cologne.
00:03:11.82\00:03:14.92
You now, us pastors and wives,
we like romance too, you know.
00:03:14.96\00:03:18.73
Somebody ought to say amen.
00:03:18.76\00:03:20.40
I remember, after we got
all ready, we jumped in the car.
00:03:20.60\00:03:23.93
And we started
driving up interstate 79
00:03:23.97\00:03:27.20
into the
downtown Pittsburgh area.
00:03:27.24\00:03:29.87
Got off at the Fifth Avenue
exit and we began to meander
00:03:29.90\00:03:34.24
our way through the
heavy traffic there.
00:03:34.28\00:03:36.81
Now I don't know if you've ever
been to the Pittsburgh area,
00:03:36.91\00:03:39.78
but if you have, it's
not an easy place to drive.
00:03:39.81\00:03:43.39
See, Pittsburgh, unlike other
cities, is not made like a grid
00:03:43.42\00:03:48.12
to where if you miss a
turn, you just go up the road
00:03:48.16\00:03:50.73
and you turn around.
00:03:50.76\00:03:52.19
Pittsburgh was built on the
end of three different rivers.
00:03:52.29\00:03:56.36
The Monongahela, the
Allegheny, and the Ohio River.
00:03:56.40\00:04:00.84
And there are
many bridges there.
00:04:00.87\00:04:02.77
So if you happen to miss a
turn, it might be quite a while
00:04:02.80\00:04:06.37
before you're able
to turn around again
00:04:06.41\00:04:08.58
and go in the other direction.
00:04:08.61\00:04:10.71
Even in Pittsburgh you can see
the building you want to go to,
00:04:10.81\00:04:14.68
but how to get
there, that's another story.
00:04:14.88\00:04:17.89
Well, fortunately for
Marquita and I that night,
00:04:18.22\00:04:21.36
we were able to
find this restaurant
00:04:21.49\00:04:23.93
without much of a problem.
00:04:23.96\00:04:25.79
But then our next problem,
though, was the parking.
00:04:25.89\00:04:28.96
Fortunately, we found a
spot just two or three blocks
00:04:29.16\00:04:32.20
away from the restaurant.
00:04:32.23\00:04:33.74
And so I backed the car
in, opened my door and got out,
00:04:33.84\00:04:38.84
walked to the other side and
opened the door for Marquita.
00:04:39.17\00:04:42.78
And then I took her by the
hand and we started walking
00:04:42.88\00:04:46.01
down the sidewalk for our
romantic evening together.
00:04:46.05\00:04:49.75
But no sooner had we started
walking down that sidewalk,
00:04:50.15\00:04:53.49
and there he was.
00:04:53.69\00:04:55.56
I could see him
just standing there.
00:04:55.66\00:04:58.36
It was as though
he knew I was coming.
00:04:58.66\00:05:01.66
He was standing
there holding out his hands
00:05:02.00\00:05:04.77
begging for money.
00:05:04.80\00:05:07.40
He was a bum. A beggar.
00:05:08.00\00:05:10.51
Some people would
have called him a vagabond.
00:05:10.84\00:05:13.34
And you see, he had
perfectly positioned himself
00:05:13.38\00:05:16.64
right near the
entrance to this restaurant
00:05:16.68\00:05:19.01
because he figured anybody who
goes here to have a bite to eat
00:05:19.05\00:05:22.98
must be somebody who has money.
00:05:23.02\00:05:25.79
Well as soon as I saw him,
00:05:26.42\00:05:28.02
I immediately
became uncomfortable.
00:05:28.12\00:05:31.26
I thought, "Oh man, I
can't give this guy any money.
00:05:31.53\00:05:34.16
I'm already going to
spend enough at this restaurant.
00:05:34.20\00:05:36.63
What do I say? What do I do?"
00:05:36.67\00:05:39.00
And all sorts of
options ran through my mind.
00:05:39.23\00:05:42.24
I thought, should I ignore him?
00:05:42.27\00:05:44.64
Should I act
like he's not there?
00:05:45.07\00:05:47.08
Maybe I should just walk by him.
00:05:47.44\00:05:49.28
Or maybe I should cross to
the other side of the street,
00:05:49.31\00:05:52.65
go by, and when I'm past
him then I'll cross back over
00:05:52.68\00:05:55.95
and go inside the restaurant.
00:05:55.98\00:05:57.99
And so, what I decided to
do is, as I crossed his path
00:05:58.39\00:06:02.62
I turned my head away
from him and I acted like
00:06:02.66\00:06:05.96
I was talking to my wife.
00:06:05.99\00:06:08.00
And I completely ignored him
as though he never even existed.
00:06:08.26\00:06:14.30
And then I went
into the restaurant
00:06:15.24\00:06:16.94
and I had my expensive meal.
00:06:17.34\00:06:20.41
By the end of my meal,
I had begun to feel guilty
00:06:21.91\00:06:25.71
about what I had done.
00:06:25.75\00:06:27.32
And when our meal was over
and we went back out to the car,
00:06:27.85\00:06:30.65
I went to see if
the man was still there,
00:06:30.69\00:06:33.19
but he was gone.
00:06:33.42\00:06:34.76
And I never saw him again.
00:06:34.96\00:06:38.13
As we drove home that night,
it was with a heavy heart.
00:06:39.16\00:06:41.93
Because I began to ask
myself, what's wrong with me?
00:06:42.33\00:06:46.17
Why couldn't I talk to this man?
00:06:46.63\00:06:48.64
Why couldn't I even look at him?
00:06:49.00\00:06:50.97
What was it inside of me
that made me want to ignore the
00:06:51.27\00:06:55.71
hurting person that God had
put right in front of my eyes?
00:06:55.74\00:07:00.82
Have you ever had an
experience like that?
00:07:01.85\00:07:03.89
Because chances are, if
we're honest, we all have.
00:07:04.49\00:07:08.12
Because every day you and I live
and work around hurting people.
00:07:08.52\00:07:13.53
And I wonder how many
opportunities we've missed
00:07:13.76\00:07:16.70
to be able to reach out to
others with the hands of Jesus
00:07:16.73\00:07:20.30
in mercy and in compassion?
00:07:20.34\00:07:22.74
Every day we cross the
paths of people who need mercy.
00:07:23.14\00:07:27.54
Now that may include
the beggar on the street.
00:07:27.91\00:07:30.08
But it can also be the
person in your workplace
00:07:30.38\00:07:33.48
maybe who's going
through a divorce.
00:07:33.52\00:07:35.52
Or the person in my neighborhood
who is dealing with sickness.
00:07:35.72\00:07:39.15
Or maybe the person in your
school who just doesn't have
00:07:39.39\00:07:43.22
any friends.
00:07:43.26\00:07:44.79
You know, Jesus told a
parable that illustrates this
00:07:45.43\00:07:48.73
in a very powerful way.
00:07:48.76\00:07:50.57
It illustrates how much Jesus
wants us to be reaching out
00:07:50.60\00:07:54.60
to the hurting
people of this world.
00:07:54.70\00:07:57.64
I want to invite you to
turn with me to a story that
00:07:58.01\00:08:00.38
Jesus told about 2000 years ago.
00:08:00.41\00:08:03.65
I want you to take your
Bibles and turn with me to the
00:08:03.68\00:08:06.21
book of Matthew chapter 25.
00:08:06.25\00:08:09.65
We want to take our Bibles and
we're going to spend our time
00:08:10.25\00:08:13.36
this evening in the
book of Matthew chapter 25,
00:08:13.39\00:08:17.56
and we're going to begin
taking a look at verse 31.
00:08:17.59\00:08:21.66
Now I'll be reading from
the New King James Version.
00:08:22.10\00:08:24.93
You're welcome to
use whatever version
00:08:24.97\00:08:26.77
that you're comfortable with.
00:08:26.87\00:08:28.40
Now if you have these
subtitles in your Bible,
00:08:28.70\00:08:31.51
can you tell me what
is this parable called?
00:08:31.54\00:08:34.38
Do you know?
00:08:34.41\00:08:35.74
Yeah, it's the parable
of the sheep and the goats.
00:08:35.94\00:08:39.75
And it may be that you have
read this parable many times.
00:08:39.85\00:08:43.49
But tonight, I want to
invite you to look at it
00:08:43.65\00:08:46.29
from a different perspective.
00:08:46.32\00:08:48.36
I want you to try to
picture everything Jesus
00:08:48.72\00:08:51.89
describes in this story.
00:08:51.93\00:08:53.83
Because even though in a sense
Jesus is speaking symbolically,
00:08:53.93\00:08:57.83
the things that He
teaches are so powerful
00:08:58.13\00:09:01.20
of what He wants His people and
His church to be doing today.
00:09:01.24\00:09:06.11
So let's take a look
at Matthew chapter 25,
00:09:06.14\00:09:09.74
and I want to begin by
reading verses 31 to 33.
00:09:09.94\00:09:14.58
I want you to
picture this in your mind.
00:09:14.68\00:09:17.59
The Bible says, and
this is Jesus speaking,
00:09:18.29\00:09:21.49
"When the Son of
Man comes in His glory,
00:09:22.66\00:09:25.63
and all the holy
angels come with Him,
00:09:25.66\00:09:28.50
then He will sit on
the throne of His glory."
00:09:28.53\00:09:31.70
And all the nations..."
00:09:31.97\00:09:33.90
How many of the nations?
00:09:34.00\00:09:35.34
"All the nations will
be gathered before Him,
00:09:35.44\00:09:38.47
and He will separate
them one from another,
00:09:38.51\00:09:42.48
as a shepherd divides
his sheep from the goats.
00:09:42.51\00:09:45.71
And He will set the
sheep on His right hand,
00:09:45.75\00:09:49.52
but the goats on the left."
00:09:49.55\00:09:52.42
Now I want to
pause here for a second.
00:09:53.05\00:09:54.89
We don't want to look
over this parable too quickly
00:09:54.99\00:09:57.69
that we miss the point.
00:09:57.73\00:09:59.23
In this passage Jesus
is describing what event?
00:09:59.66\00:10:04.10
Can you tell me?
00:10:04.13\00:10:05.47
Yeah, it's the
judgment and the second coming
00:10:05.87\00:10:08.20
all wrapped up in one.
00:10:08.24\00:10:10.31
And one of the
points that Jesus is making
00:10:10.64\00:10:13.61
is that before He
comes back to this earth
00:10:13.64\00:10:16.85
He will have divided the world
into how many groups of people?
00:10:17.05\00:10:20.95
That's right. Just two.
00:10:21.45\00:10:23.49
You're either
saved or you're lost.
00:10:23.59\00:10:26.96
You've either followed
Jesus with all your heart
00:10:27.36\00:10:29.89
or you haven't.
00:10:30.23\00:10:31.56
And each group is symbolized
as either being a sheep
00:10:31.59\00:10:35.66
on the right hand
or a goat on the left.
00:10:35.70\00:10:39.70
Now isn't it interesting
that in this world we love to
00:10:40.30\00:10:44.24
divide people into
all sorts of categories.
00:10:44.27\00:10:47.31
We divide people according
to their racial status,
00:10:47.64\00:10:50.88
according to
their financial status,
00:10:51.08\00:10:53.42
we divide people according
to their religious status,
00:10:53.45\00:10:56.48
or even by the
languages that they speak.
00:10:56.52\00:10:59.32
I mean, if you've ever
filled out a job application
00:10:59.72\00:11:02.22
or taken a survey, you
can be divided into so many
00:11:02.26\00:11:05.69
different categories you
could develop schizophrenia.
00:11:05.73\00:11:08.70
But here in this
story, Jesus says every person
00:11:09.16\00:11:13.47
that has ever lived,
every person that's ever been
00:11:13.50\00:11:16.87
born of a woman and
walked the face of this earth
00:11:16.91\00:11:19.47
is going to be divided
into just two groups of people.
00:11:19.67\00:11:23.14
I'm either going to be
a sheep on the right hand
00:11:23.48\00:11:26.28
or I'm going to be
a goat on the left.
00:11:26.65\00:11:29.55
Now obviously Jesus is
speaking symbolically here.
00:11:30.05\00:11:32.95
Jesus didn't come to
save sheep and goats,
00:11:32.99\00:11:35.62
He came to save people.
00:11:35.66\00:11:37.73
Now when you think about it,
what do you know about sheep?
00:11:38.16\00:11:41.16
If you've ever grown up
on a farm or raised animals,
00:11:41.20\00:11:44.87
the mentality of sheep
and goats are very different.
00:11:44.90\00:11:48.67
Sheep, on one hand, are very
gentle and docile creatures.
00:11:49.20\00:11:53.78
They are very trusting.
00:11:53.81\00:11:55.48
They are very willing
to follow their master
00:11:55.51\00:11:58.58
or follow the
shepherd wherever he goes.
00:11:58.61\00:12:01.88
People love sheep.
00:12:01.92\00:12:04.19
On the other hand, however,
goats have a totally different
00:12:04.92\00:12:08.99
mentality, don't they?
00:12:09.02\00:12:10.79
They are not cooperative.
00:12:11.09\00:12:13.23
They are not quite as
willing to follow the leader.
00:12:13.43\00:12:16.87
And if you take your
eyes off them and bend over,
00:12:16.90\00:12:20.00
they have a very nasty
habit that is called, butting.
00:12:20.04\00:12:23.74
So obviously the
sheep are meant to represent
00:12:23.84\00:12:26.54
those who have humbled
themselves to follow Jesus
00:12:26.57\00:12:29.24
of a meek and a quiet spirit.
00:12:29.28\00:12:31.58
The goats are meant to
represent those who have chosen
00:12:31.95\00:12:35.02
to go their own way and
they have rejected Christ
00:12:35.05\00:12:37.92
and His character.
00:12:37.95\00:12:39.99
So now Jesus has come.
00:12:40.59\00:12:42.66
He's divided the world into
two groups; sheep and goats.
00:12:42.99\00:12:46.56
But here is the major question.
00:12:47.36\00:12:49.53
How does Jesus decide who
is a sheep and who is a goat?
00:12:50.77\00:12:56.57
What is Jesus looking for
to determine if someone has
00:12:57.17\00:13:00.68
truly chosen to follow Him?
00:13:00.71\00:13:03.08
In fact, the real
question we want to analyze is,
00:13:03.68\00:13:06.61
in this parable
what is the difference,
00:13:06.65\00:13:10.55
what is the main difference
between the sheep and the goats?
00:13:10.89\00:13:16.36
Now see, all of us would
like to chime in and say,
00:13:17.09\00:13:19.49
"Oh yea, I know
what true religion is.
00:13:19.53\00:13:21.36
Jesus is looking to
see who sits in the pew
00:13:21.40\00:13:23.53
and goes to church every week."
00:13:23.57\00:13:25.43
Or, "Jesus is looking to
see who's got the 28 fundamental
00:13:25.90\00:13:29.10
doctrines memorized."
00:13:29.14\00:13:30.61
Or, "Jesus is looking
to see who is faithful
00:13:30.91\00:13:33.07
in their tithes and offerings."
00:13:33.11\00:13:34.84
And all those may be
good things, but the truth is
00:13:35.31\00:13:38.65
you can fake all
those things without having
00:13:38.91\00:13:41.02
a real relationship with Jesus.
00:13:41.05\00:13:42.95
Just because I sit in a pew
doesn't mean that I've given Him
00:13:43.18\00:13:46.45
my entire heart.
00:13:46.49\00:13:47.82
Just because I've
intellectually memorized
00:13:48.12\00:13:50.26
28 doctrines doesn't mean I have
a real relationship with Him.
00:13:50.29\00:13:54.46
And just because I
throw some money at the church
00:13:54.66\00:13:57.00
doesn't necessarily mean
I've submitted my heart to Him.
00:13:57.03\00:14:00.47
So what we need to do is look
a little deeper in this passage
00:14:00.74\00:14:04.37
and find out what is
the difference between
00:14:04.41\00:14:08.11
the sheep and the
goats in this story.
00:14:08.14\00:14:11.28
What is Jesus looking for
in the lives of the sheep,
00:14:11.31\00:14:15.38
which would be you and me?
00:14:15.68\00:14:17.42
So what I want us to do
is instead of throwing our
00:14:17.79\00:14:20.02
own opinions out there
of what a true Christian,
00:14:20.06\00:14:22.86
or a true sheep, would
be, I'm going to read to you
00:14:22.89\00:14:26.29
the rest of this parable.
00:14:26.33\00:14:28.13
And I want to see if you can
pick out from the words of Jesus
00:14:28.33\00:14:31.93
what is the difference,
what is the one characteristic
00:14:32.13\00:14:35.20
of the sheep that
really stand out in this story.
00:14:35.24\00:14:39.41
Now I'm going to
read verses 34 through 40
00:14:39.44\00:14:42.54
all the way through.
00:14:42.58\00:14:44.05
Matthew 25:34
00:14:44.61\00:14:48.02
The Bible says,
and Jesus continues,
00:14:48.85\00:14:51.05
"Then the King will say
to those on His right hand,
00:14:51.99\00:14:56.22
'Come, you blessed of My Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared
00:14:56.26\00:15:01.60
for you from the
foundation of the world.'"
00:15:01.63\00:15:04.60
Why did they get to
inherit the kingdom?
00:15:04.80\00:15:07.64
What's so special about
those sheep on the right hand?
00:15:07.94\00:15:11.07
Verse 35 answers the question.
00:15:11.44\00:15:13.78
"For I was hungry
and you gave Me food;
00:15:14.71\00:15:17.95
I was thirsty and
you gave Me drink;
00:15:18.55\00:15:21.28
I was a stranger
and you took Me in;
00:15:21.62\00:15:24.39
I was naked and you clothed Me;
I was sick and you visited Me;
00:15:24.59\00:15:29.79
I was in prison
and you came to Me."
00:15:29.92\00:15:32.73
And then in verse 37,
the righteous have no idea
00:15:33.09\00:15:36.00
what He's talking about.
00:15:36.03\00:15:37.37
Because the parable
continues, "Then the righteous
00:15:37.40\00:15:40.94
will answer Him, saying,
'Lord, when did we see You
00:15:40.97\00:15:45.41
hungry and feed You, or
thirsty and give You drink?
00:15:45.44\00:15:49.58
When did we see You a
stranger and take You in,
00:15:50.15\00:15:53.42
or naked and clothe You?
00:15:53.45\00:15:56.15
When did we see You sick, or
in prison, and come to You?'"
00:15:56.69\00:16:01.26
And then the whole
point is in verse 40.
00:16:01.79\00:16:03.79
Jesus says, "And the King
will answer and say to them,
00:16:03.83\00:16:08.73
'Assuredly, I say to
you, inasmuch as you did it
00:16:09.03\00:16:13.90
to one of the least of these,
My brethren, you did it to Me.'"
00:16:13.94\00:16:19.77
Did you catch what
Jesus is saying here?
00:16:20.81\00:16:22.94
What is it that makes the
sheep different from the goats?
00:16:23.65\00:16:27.58
It basically comes down
to how we treat other people.
00:16:28.48\00:16:32.69
You see, the sheep here
are constantly described
00:16:33.12\00:16:36.69
as looking out for the
hurting people of this world
00:16:36.73\00:16:39.83
and trying to reach out to them.
00:16:39.86\00:16:41.83
Throughout their lives
they've been trying to be the
00:16:42.56\00:16:45.10
hands and the feet of
Jesus, looking for opportunities
00:16:45.13\00:16:49.00
to minister to others in
acts of mercy and compassion.
00:16:49.04\00:16:53.58
In fact, in this parable
the sheep had been intentionally
00:16:54.11\00:16:58.28
trying to reach out
to a group of people
00:16:58.31\00:17:01.42
that Jesus specifically calls,
00:17:01.52\00:17:03.99
"the least of
these, My brethren."
00:17:04.02\00:17:06.82
Not because they're
least in God's eyes,
00:17:07.26\00:17:09.72
but because they're
least in the world's eyes.
00:17:09.82\00:17:12.49
You see, those are the
ones who are disenfranchised
00:17:12.83\00:17:15.76
in this world.
00:17:15.80\00:17:17.13
The ones who are abandoned,
00:17:17.17\00:17:19.03
the ones who have been
neglected by this world.
00:17:19.07\00:17:21.44
And Jesus says His people, His
church, are going to have the
00:17:21.60\00:17:25.67
character of
Christ in them so much
00:17:25.71\00:17:28.11
that they're going to be
seeking to minister to them
00:17:28.14\00:17:31.18
in acts of mercy and compassion.
00:17:31.21\00:17:34.18
See, what makes
the sheep different
00:17:34.72\00:17:37.25
is, you can look at them
and you can see they emanate
00:17:37.59\00:17:41.32
the love and the
character of Jesus Christ.
00:17:41.36\00:17:44.93
And see, the reason this
is important for us today
00:17:45.53\00:17:48.36
is it's showing us how to be
a missionary in the real world.
00:17:48.40\00:17:53.00
You see, it's one thing to
say, "Oh yes, we need to follow
00:17:53.30\00:17:55.50
Jesus as our
Savior," but the truth is,
00:17:55.54\00:17:58.01
Jesus doesn't walk this
earth in a visible bodily form
00:17:58.04\00:18:01.18
like He did 2000 years ago.
00:18:01.21\00:18:03.21
The only way people are going
to get a picture of Jesus today,
00:18:03.24\00:18:06.92
a picture of
Jesus in the real world,
00:18:07.02\00:18:09.58
is if they see
Him through you and I.
00:18:09.62\00:18:12.62
The way we talk to other people,
00:18:12.65\00:18:14.56
the way we treat them.
00:18:14.59\00:18:16.46
The way we reach out
to the hurting people
00:18:16.49\00:18:19.49
that are all around us.
00:18:19.53\00:18:21.80
And the interesting
thing is, this is a parable
00:18:22.40\00:18:25.63
that is specifically directed
at God's end time church.
00:18:25.67\00:18:30.04
Did you know that?
00:18:30.07\00:18:31.41
Because in chapter 25
Jesus tells three parables.
00:18:31.44\00:18:35.74
And all three of them
have to do with His people
00:18:35.78\00:18:39.01
living in the last days.
00:18:39.05\00:18:40.75
When you get a chance,
read all of chapter 25.
00:18:41.02\00:18:43.92
The first parable is the
parable of the ten virgins
00:18:44.02\00:18:47.19
where Jesus is
telling His church to be ready
00:18:47.22\00:18:50.13
for when He comes.
00:18:50.16\00:18:51.49
The second parable is
the parable of the talents
00:18:51.79\00:18:55.33
where Jesus is
telling His people to be
00:18:55.63\00:18:57.83
actively using their
gifts to minister to others
00:18:57.87\00:19:01.30
while they're
waiting for Jesus to come.
00:19:01.34\00:19:03.84
And then parable number
three, the one about the sheep
00:19:04.54\00:19:07.24
and the goats, Jesus
is actually showing us
00:19:07.28\00:19:10.71
who He wants us to
be reaching out to.
00:19:11.01\00:19:14.22
"The least of
these, My brethren."
00:19:14.78\00:19:18.15
Now let's take some time to go
through each of these specific
00:19:19.02\00:19:22.59
groups one by one that
Jesus happens to mention.
00:19:22.62\00:19:26.29
Now if you go to
verse 35, could you tell me
00:19:26.39\00:19:30.37
who are the first two
groups that Jesus mentions
00:19:30.40\00:19:33.23
in that particular verse?
00:19:33.27\00:19:34.90
Yeah, He talks about
the hungry and the thirsty.
00:19:35.80\00:19:39.11
Or we could say, the
poor and the suffering.
00:19:39.14\00:19:42.18
So that makes me as
a Christian ask myself,
00:19:42.48\00:19:45.21
how do I treat the poor
and the suffering around me?
00:19:46.11\00:19:49.78
How do I treat those
who don't have what I have?
00:19:50.95\00:19:54.39
That maybe can't buy
their clothes from the Gap
00:19:54.89\00:19:57.46
or Abercrombie and Fitch.
00:19:57.49\00:19:59.29
How do I treat
people who maybe don't make
00:19:59.73\00:20:01.73
the amount of money that I do,
can't live in the kind of house
00:20:01.76\00:20:04.93
or drive the car that I do.
00:20:04.97\00:20:06.84
Do I reach out to
them in love and mercy?
00:20:07.10\00:20:09.60
Do I choose to be their friend?
00:20:10.17\00:20:12.17
Or do I kind of keep my
distance and come across
00:20:12.71\00:20:15.74
with a, "holier
than thou," attitude?
00:20:15.78\00:20:18.61
I remember when I
pastored in Pennsylvania,
00:20:19.81\00:20:22.58
just again
outside of Pittsburgh.
00:20:22.62\00:20:24.65
I met a young man who taught
me a lesson I'll never forget.
00:20:25.25\00:20:28.72
This man's name
was Michael Brock.
00:20:29.39\00:20:31.56
Michael was in his early
20's, and I actually met him
00:20:31.83\00:20:36.06
while playing basketball
with another church member.
00:20:36.10\00:20:39.13
This church member had
invited me over to his home,
00:20:39.43\00:20:42.10
and you know, we
were shooting some hoops.
00:20:42.14\00:20:44.01
And his friend, Mike, came over.
00:20:44.31\00:20:46.91
Well Mike was a really nice guy.
00:20:47.28\00:20:48.94
And after a while we got a
chance to talk to each other.
00:20:48.98\00:20:52.25
And I learned that at one
time in his life Mike used to
00:20:52.45\00:20:55.38
go to church, and he just
kind of fell away for a while.
00:20:55.42\00:20:59.29
Well eventually Mike and I
ended up having Bible studies.
00:20:59.59\00:21:02.76
And Mike
rededicated his life to Jesus,
00:21:02.96\00:21:05.66
he was baptized, and
he became a member of the
00:21:05.69\00:21:08.36
Seventh-day
Adventist Church right there
00:21:08.40\00:21:10.60
in Washington, Pennsylvania
just outside of Pittsburgh.
00:21:10.63\00:21:14.57
Well, one of the
things that Mike loved to do
00:21:15.17\00:21:18.31
is Mike loved baseball.
00:21:18.51\00:21:21.41
And of course,
living near Pittsburgh
00:21:21.64\00:21:23.91
guess who his favorite team was.
00:21:23.95\00:21:25.91
The Pittsburgh Pirates.
00:21:26.51\00:21:28.28
Nothing much to root for then.
00:21:28.48\00:21:30.29
Don't tell him I said that.
00:21:30.32\00:21:31.65
Because they were in
last place when I lived there.
00:21:31.69\00:21:33.89
They're doing much better now.
00:21:33.92\00:21:35.36
But one of Mike's traditions
was to always go to the
00:21:35.72\00:21:39.53
first home game of the
season up there at PNC Park.
00:21:39.56\00:21:43.60
And there were times
when Mike invited me to go.
00:21:43.80\00:21:46.77
Now I wasn't much for
paying high prices for tickets
00:21:47.24\00:21:50.57
at sporting events, but
since the Pirates were basically
00:21:50.61\00:21:54.14
a last place team, their
tickets didn't cost very much.
00:21:54.18\00:21:57.88
So I would go to
the games with Mike
00:21:57.98\00:22:00.35
just as an opportunity to
just really connect with him
00:22:00.45\00:22:03.55
as my brother in Christ.
00:22:03.59\00:22:05.19
Well when I went to PNC Park,
there's something that I noticed
00:22:05.75\00:22:09.69
at the end of every game.
00:22:09.72\00:22:11.59
When the game is concluded
and all the people are flooding
00:22:12.19\00:22:16.13
out of the stadium,
you have to go across the
00:22:16.16\00:22:19.87
Roberto Clemente
Bridge in order to get to
00:22:19.90\00:22:23.14
the train station.
00:22:23.17\00:22:24.64
Because, you see, in Pittsburgh,
not too different from
00:22:24.67\00:22:27.74
St. Louis where I
live, but in Pittsburgh
00:22:27.78\00:22:30.38
people don't want to
drive downtown to the stadium
00:22:30.58\00:22:33.21
because the traffic is
horrible and the parking
00:22:33.25\00:22:35.92
is very expensive.
00:22:35.95\00:22:37.59
So what they do is
they will park at a station
00:22:37.79\00:22:41.16
just outside of Pittsburgh, then
they'll pay a couple of dollars
00:22:41.19\00:22:44.83
to hop on the
Metro, or the train.
00:22:44.86\00:22:47.53
And the Metro will take them
right within a couple of blocks
00:22:47.70\00:22:51.13
of the stadium.
00:22:51.17\00:22:52.50
So once the game is over,
in order for people to get
00:22:52.53\00:22:56.77
back to the train station
they have got to go across
00:22:56.81\00:23:00.44
this Roberto Clemente Bridge.
00:23:00.48\00:23:02.64
There's no two ways about it.
00:23:02.74\00:23:04.41
Well, guess who would position
themselves along that bridge
00:23:05.35\00:23:09.15
after every single Pirates game?
00:23:09.32\00:23:13.02
That's right.
00:23:13.66\00:23:14.99
All the bums, the
beggars, the vagabonds.
00:23:15.02\00:23:19.46
Many of them would
position themselves,
00:23:19.83\00:23:21.66
they're holding out their hands.
00:23:21.70\00:23:23.47
Or maybe playing one of
their instruments like a violin
00:23:23.70\00:23:26.94
and keeping their case
open so that when you pass by
00:23:26.97\00:23:30.61
hopefully somebody
would drop a couple of dollars
00:23:30.64\00:23:33.17
inside that open case.
00:23:33.21\00:23:35.24
Because they knew people
coming from the ball game
00:23:35.34\00:23:37.71
were people who probably
had cash in their pocket.
00:23:37.85\00:23:41.18
You know, when I saw them,
00:23:42.52\00:23:43.92
I didn't want to have
anything to do with them.
00:23:44.35\00:23:46.45
I went across that
bridge as fast as I could.
00:23:47.02\00:23:50.36
I didn't want to talk to
them, I didn't want to see them,
00:23:50.39\00:23:52.99
because I had already
assumed the negative about them.
00:23:53.03\00:23:55.93
They'll just use the
money on beer and booze,
00:23:56.43\00:23:58.83
and who knows what else.
00:23:58.87\00:24:00.24
They're where
they are because of the
00:24:00.27\00:24:01.60
choices they made in life.
00:24:01.64\00:24:02.97
I didn't want to
interact with them at all.
00:24:03.00\00:24:05.41
But you know what
Michael Brock did?
00:24:06.94\00:24:08.58
Every single time Michael
would stop at the first person
00:24:10.11\00:24:15.08
whose path he crossed, he would
just get out a couple of dollars
00:24:15.12\00:24:18.95
from his wallet and
he would give it to them.
00:24:18.99\00:24:21.22
But that's not
what impressed me.
00:24:21.59\00:24:23.26
What impressed me
is he then stopped,
00:24:23.76\00:24:25.99
he looked at them in the
eyes, and he flashed the biggest
00:24:26.49\00:24:30.67
Christian smile, and
he said a few kind and
00:24:30.70\00:24:34.37
encouraging words to them.
00:24:34.40\00:24:36.14
And he said,
"God bless you, sir.
00:24:36.50\00:24:38.37
God bless you."
00:24:39.07\00:24:40.41
I looked at Mike, and
then I looked at myself.
00:24:41.44\00:24:45.78
And I saw the difference.
00:24:46.65\00:24:48.12
Here I am suppose to be
a mature Christian pastor
00:24:48.72\00:24:52.25
running away from the scene,
ignoring all the hurting people
00:24:52.29\00:24:55.46
that God put right
in front of my eyes.
00:24:55.49\00:24:58.23
And here is Michael
Brock, the new Christian,
00:24:58.56\00:25:01.46
reaching out his hands
in mercy and compassion,
00:25:01.50\00:25:04.73
simply to speak a few
kind and encouraging words
00:25:04.77\00:25:08.07
and interact with them.
00:25:08.10\00:25:09.47
And my heart was broken.
00:25:10.51\00:25:12.11
And I couldn't
help but say, "Oh God,
00:25:12.97\00:25:15.18
help me to be a
little bit more like Mike.
00:25:16.18\00:25:18.78
Or better yet, Lord,
help me to be like Jesus."
00:25:19.65\00:25:24.49
Because that's who Mike
was being an example of.
00:25:25.09\00:25:28.49
Now I know someone might say,
00:25:29.76\00:25:31.19
"So you give them
a couple of bucks.
00:25:31.86\00:25:33.19
Is it really going
to change their life?"
00:25:33.23\00:25:35.00
Probably not.
00:25:36.00\00:25:37.33
I don't usually
give people money.
00:25:38.30\00:25:39.63
I like to give them
something to eat when I can.
00:25:39.67\00:25:41.94
But you know what
was impressed on my mind?
00:25:42.70\00:25:44.84
You know, a lot of times
we think, "Oh, God put that
00:25:46.54\00:25:49.08
beggar there so that I can make
a difference in their life."
00:25:49.11\00:25:51.81
But did you ever
think that maybe, just maybe
00:25:53.25\00:25:56.28
it's the other way around?
00:25:56.32\00:25:57.75
That maybe God put that beggar
there to make a difference
00:25:58.72\00:26:01.36
in my life.
00:26:01.39\00:26:02.72
That maybe God put that
beggar there to help me realize
00:26:03.39\00:26:06.46
that I need to have a
little bit more of God's
00:26:06.49\00:26:08.63
character in my life.
00:26:08.66\00:26:10.07
That maybe I don't have
as much mercy and compassion
00:26:10.43\00:26:13.80
as I thought I had.
00:26:13.84\00:26:15.27
Maybe God put that
beggar there to help me realize
00:26:15.80\00:26:19.34
I need to humble myself
before Jesus and say, "Lord,
00:26:19.37\00:26:22.44
help me love people
the way that You do.
00:26:22.48\00:26:24.75
Help me to have Your
character in my life."
00:26:25.25\00:26:28.95
When you look at it that
way, it changes the entire way
00:26:29.65\00:26:33.62
that you think.
00:26:33.66\00:26:34.99
What about you and I?
00:26:35.89\00:26:37.29
What about the
hurting people God puts across
00:26:37.93\00:26:40.66
our path every day?
00:26:40.70\00:26:42.96
People who need a little love.
00:26:43.33\00:26:45.23
People who just need
some mercy and compassion.
00:26:45.43\00:26:48.90
Now that may not necessarily
mean the beggar on the street,
00:26:49.80\00:26:52.77
though it
certainly would include him,
00:26:52.81\00:26:54.64
but what about the people
we work with in the office?
00:26:55.28\00:26:58.08
What about the people we
live with in our neighborhood?
00:26:58.65\00:27:01.18
What about the people
that we go to school with?
00:27:01.65\00:27:04.22
Are our eyes open
for those hurting people
00:27:04.25\00:27:07.52
to reach out to them?
00:27:07.56\00:27:08.92
Or am I simply focused on
my own life and my own world?
00:27:09.79\00:27:14.96
Jesus goes on, He
mentions another group.
00:27:16.60\00:27:19.10
Now if you go to verse 35,
what's the next group of people
00:27:19.93\00:27:23.71
Jesus mentions right after
the hungry and the thirsty?
00:27:23.74\00:27:26.91
Yeah, He talks
about the stranger.
00:27:27.54\00:27:30.55
Now a stranger doesn't
necessarily mean somebody
00:27:30.95\00:27:33.35
you've never met before.
00:27:33.38\00:27:35.12
A stranger can be somebody
you see on a regular basis.
00:27:35.38\00:27:38.75
They're just
someone who has no friend.
00:27:38.79\00:27:41.96
Oh, you know who I mean.
00:27:42.69\00:27:44.06
What about that
stranger in your workplace?
00:27:44.49\00:27:47.20
Oh, everybody knows his name.
00:27:47.66\00:27:49.40
But he's the guy that
nobody else wants to work with.
00:27:49.90\00:27:52.90
He's mean, he's nasty,
he's a difficult person.
00:27:53.03\00:27:57.11
And nobody wants to
have a project with him.
00:27:57.14\00:27:59.67
He's the guy everybody talks
about around the water cooler
00:27:59.97\00:28:03.24
when they have a break.
00:28:03.28\00:28:04.61
And when the gang
goes out for lunch,
00:28:04.71\00:28:06.88
nobody ever invites him along.
00:28:07.25\00:28:09.42
But did you ever think
that maybe God puts you in that
00:28:10.05\00:28:13.05
workplace to be a
missionary to him?
00:28:13.09\00:28:15.79
That God called you to that
office to have the opportunity
00:28:16.39\00:28:20.06
to reach out to that person in
mercy and love and compassion.
00:28:20.10\00:28:24.53
Because while the
world may turn away from him,
00:28:24.97\00:28:27.80
while it may be the world
that neglects or abandons him,
00:28:28.24\00:28:31.34
God's people
are to be different.
00:28:31.37\00:28:33.68
His church is to be different.
00:28:34.11\00:28:36.28
If truly we are to be
the missionaries of Jesus,
00:28:36.54\00:28:39.35
if we are to be
His hands and feet,
00:28:39.71\00:28:42.18
if I'm supposed to be a picture
of Jesus in the real world,
00:28:42.45\00:28:46.45
that means God has called
me to reach out to that person
00:28:46.69\00:28:50.13
to become his friend.
00:28:50.16\00:28:51.83
Because chances are, when
people are mean and nasty,
00:28:52.66\00:28:57.07
it's usually because they're
hiding some deep hurt inside.
00:28:58.23\00:29:02.00
And when we show
mercy and compassion,
00:29:02.77\00:29:05.21
it provides for them a
healing of their wound.
00:29:05.94\00:29:10.11
What about that
stranger in your neighborhood?
00:29:11.71\00:29:13.95
You know, the lady that
lives across the street.
00:29:14.52\00:29:16.75
Nobody likes her.
00:29:17.45\00:29:18.95
Her words are ugly,
00:29:18.99\00:29:20.52
she never has anything
good to say about anybody,
00:29:20.62\00:29:23.12
she complains about all the
neighbors, all the children.
00:29:23.16\00:29:25.93
She's even talked about you.
00:29:25.96\00:29:27.66
When children walk across
her yard, they veil their face
00:29:28.16\00:29:32.70
so they don't have
to look in her eyes.
00:29:32.73\00:29:34.27
I mean, they can feel
the coldness emanating
00:29:34.30\00:29:37.01
from her house and it
puts a chill on their spine.
00:29:37.04\00:29:40.08
But yet, you notice that when
you're celebrating Thanksgiving
00:29:41.14\00:29:46.51
over the holidays, and
your family is gathered around
00:29:46.55\00:29:49.78
the Thanksgiving table, you
happen to look out the window
00:29:49.82\00:29:53.29
and you notice there's never
any cars parked in her driveway.
00:29:53.32\00:29:58.03
No one goes to see her, and she
doesn't go to see anybody else.
00:29:59.03\00:30:03.10
And you realize she's alone.
00:30:03.77\00:30:06.63
She's neglected.
00:30:06.94\00:30:08.27
She's been
abandoned by this world.
00:30:08.30\00:30:10.14
That's why she's mean.
00:30:10.44\00:30:12.07
That's why she's nasty.
00:30:12.11\00:30:13.88
That's why she's
a crabby old lady.
00:30:14.08\00:30:16.01
Because nobody
ever bothered to care.
00:30:16.04\00:30:18.71
And perhaps God placed
you in that neighborhood
00:30:19.65\00:30:22.52
to be His missionary.
00:30:22.55\00:30:24.05
That God purposely
placed you in a house that's
00:30:24.42\00:30:27.12
right across from her
so you have a chance to
00:30:27.16\00:30:29.59
offer to be her
friend, to spend time with her.
00:30:29.62\00:30:33.40
To be able to break
through that crusty surface
00:30:33.43\00:30:36.46
through acts of
mercy and compassion.
00:30:36.50\00:30:39.00
That's what God
calls His people to do.
00:30:39.03\00:30:41.47
Or what about the
stranger in your school?
00:30:43.07\00:30:45.47
You know, that girl that sits in
the lunch room all by herself,
00:30:46.57\00:30:49.78
and nobody ever sits with her.
00:30:50.25\00:30:52.21
It's not cool to be her friend.
00:30:52.61\00:30:54.68
Maybe she wears
hand-me-down clothes.
00:30:55.18\00:30:57.72
Maybe her hair is never kept.
00:30:58.22\00:31:00.16
Maybe her skin is
a different color,
00:31:00.59\00:31:02.16
or maybe she speaks
a different language.
00:31:02.19\00:31:04.63
And people don't want
to be seen sitting with her
00:31:04.66\00:31:07.00
because they think, "Well,
that might ruin my reputation."
00:31:07.03\00:31:10.13
But did you ever think
God called you to that school
00:31:10.90\00:31:13.20
to be His missionary?
00:31:13.23\00:31:14.60
That God is looking
for young people who will
00:31:15.27\00:31:16.91
march down to
that lunchroom and say,
00:31:16.94\00:31:18.57
"I don't care what
other people think.
00:31:18.61\00:31:20.34
This person needs a friend."
00:31:20.38\00:31:22.28
And you have the chance
to show mercy and compassion,
00:31:22.31\00:31:25.35
to reach out to
someone who is hurting,
00:31:25.38\00:31:27.42
to show them what Jesus
looks like in the real world.
00:31:27.45\00:31:31.45
That's the kind of
church God is looking for today.
00:31:31.65\00:31:34.82
That's the kind of
people whom God wants to
00:31:34.86\00:31:37.33
create inside
with His character.
00:31:37.36\00:31:39.73
You say, "But
Pastor David, you know,
00:31:40.83\00:31:42.16
that's not an easy thing to do.
00:31:42.20\00:31:43.70
I don't like difficult people."
00:31:43.73\00:31:45.43
Well, guess what.
00:31:45.47\00:31:46.80
I don't like
difficult people either.
00:31:46.84\00:31:48.60
I mean, I'll be honest.
00:31:48.64\00:31:49.97
On some of my weak days,
and there's a lot of them,
00:31:50.54\00:31:53.54
because we all
have a human nature,
00:31:53.58\00:31:55.64
some days I might be walking
down the hallway of a church
00:31:55.94\00:31:58.81
and I see a certain
person coming my way,
00:31:58.85\00:32:01.12
you know what, I'm
making a detour to the bathroom.
00:32:01.15\00:32:04.29
And I don't even have to go.
00:32:04.32\00:32:05.92
Why? Because I
know what's going to
00:32:05.95\00:32:07.92
come out of their mouth.
00:32:07.96\00:32:09.29
It's just going to be a
slew of criticism and complaints
00:32:09.32\00:32:12.89
and negative words.
00:32:12.93\00:32:14.33
And you know
what? On some of my weak
00:32:14.36\00:32:16.16
spiritual days,
there are times when I just
00:32:16.20\00:32:18.73
don't want to hear it.
00:32:18.77\00:32:20.24
You ever feel like that?
00:32:20.84\00:32:22.17
But I also
realize, God puts those
00:32:23.61\00:32:25.57
negative people in my life.
00:32:25.61\00:32:27.54
Because it's a chance for me
to show mercy and compassion.
00:32:28.04\00:32:31.78
It's a chance for God
to take my crusty soul
00:32:32.31\00:32:36.58
and begin to
create in me His own
00:32:36.92\00:32:39.65
merciful and loving character.
00:32:39.69\00:32:42.16
You know, to illustrate this
I want to tell you a true story
00:32:43.76\00:32:47.06
that I wish had never happened.
00:32:47.10\00:32:49.26
I wish I could say
this story wasn't true.
00:32:49.60\00:32:52.37
But it's something that's
just burned in my mind forever.
00:32:52.40\00:32:55.80
When I lived in
Lincoln, Nebraska
00:32:56.81\00:32:59.14
and I worked for
Christian Record Services,
00:32:59.81\00:33:02.38
I remember there was
a particular barber shop
00:33:02.94\00:33:05.28
where I would go
to get my hair cut.
00:33:05.31\00:33:07.85
And on this particular
day I had an appointment
00:33:08.58\00:33:10.82
and I was a few minutes early.
00:33:10.85\00:33:12.65
Now in most barber shops
when you're waiting your turn
00:33:12.99\00:33:16.09
there's usually a lot of
magazines you can pick up
00:33:16.12\00:33:18.46
and read them until
the barber is ready.
00:33:18.49\00:33:20.76
And so that's what I was doing.
00:33:20.80\00:33:22.40
But I noticed that the two
guys who were getting their
00:33:22.86\00:33:25.50
hair cut, they were
having a conversation.
00:33:25.53\00:33:28.17
And they were actually having
a conversation about religion.
00:33:28.57\00:33:32.37
And that intrigued me.
00:33:32.41\00:33:33.81
In fact, I heard one
guy say to the other guy,
00:33:33.84\00:33:37.11
"Do you know Jesus
Christ as your Savior?"
00:33:37.48\00:33:39.75
Well I tell you,
that got my attention.
00:33:40.32\00:33:42.25
I hear a lot of things
talked about in a barber shop,
00:33:42.35\00:33:44.92
but I ain't never heard
anybody ask that question.
00:33:44.95\00:33:47.66
So even though my eyes are
looking down at the magazine,
00:33:47.86\00:33:50.93
I'm listening to every
word that's going on here.
00:33:50.96\00:33:54.20
And I remember the
guy answered him as quick
00:33:54.40\00:33:56.23
as a flash, "Why, yes I have,
I have accepted Jesus Christ
00:33:56.26\00:33:59.80
as my Savior."
00:33:59.83\00:34:01.17
And then as they began
to talk about other things,
00:34:01.50\00:34:04.24
I heard this man say something
that just made my heart drop.
00:34:05.17\00:34:09.11
I forget exactly what
they were talking about,
00:34:09.91\00:34:12.78
but I remember
distinctly something he said.
00:34:13.01\00:34:15.45
I remember he looked
at the guy and he said,
00:34:16.15\00:34:18.15
"You know, the only people
who ever gave me any trouble
00:34:18.19\00:34:22.56
were Seventh-day Adventists."
00:34:23.12\00:34:25.23
And my mouth just dropped.
00:34:26.26\00:34:28.06
Now you could
hear a pin drop because
00:34:29.06\00:34:30.93
I want to hear what
this guy has to say.
00:34:30.97\00:34:33.64
And he went on to tell
the story about his wife
00:34:34.54\00:34:37.84
who was a former
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:34:37.87\00:34:40.21
She had grown up in the church
and just for whatever reason
00:34:40.24\00:34:43.11
she fell away, as
what sometimes happens.
00:34:43.14\00:34:45.68
Well, she was a nurse who
was working at a local hospital.
00:34:46.25\00:34:49.62
And in that same hospital
were other Adventist ladies
00:34:49.88\00:34:52.85
who were also nurses.
00:34:52.89\00:34:54.56
And when they found out
that she used to go to church,
00:34:54.72\00:34:58.16
to the Adventist church, they
tried to win her back to Jesus.
00:34:58.19\00:35:01.23
And I mean, that's a good thing.
00:35:01.26\00:35:02.83
But when she didn't respond
the way that they wanted her to,
00:35:03.47\00:35:06.94
or when she didn't
respond fast enough,
00:35:07.14\00:35:09.70
they basically said to her,
"Well, I guess if you want to
00:35:10.14\00:35:12.57
bow down to the beast, I
guess that's your problem."
00:35:12.61\00:35:15.01
And of course, she took
that story back to her husband
00:35:15.91\00:35:18.81
who had a Catholic background.
00:35:19.08\00:35:20.92
And then everything he
ever heard or saw of Adventists,
00:35:21.48\00:35:24.99
because of that
experience he looked at them
00:35:25.02\00:35:27.19
through negative glasses.
00:35:27.22\00:35:29.26
And as I heard this
story, and I'm sitting there...
00:35:29.66\00:35:32.76
And they didn't know I
was a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:35:32.79\00:35:34.83
And to be honest with you,
I'm glad that they didn't know
00:35:34.93\00:35:36.97
at that point because I
was ashamed of what I heard.
00:35:37.00\00:35:40.24
And it was as though the Holy
Spirit prompted me and said,
00:35:40.84\00:35:43.14
"David, go talk to him."
00:35:43.17\00:35:45.44
And then I argued
with God. I mean, silently.
00:35:46.04\00:35:47.98
I'm like, "What do You
mean, 'Go talk to him'?
00:35:48.01\00:35:49.41
What do You want me to say?"
00:35:49.44\00:35:50.78
"David..."
00:35:51.05\00:35:52.38
And it was impressed
on me, "Go apologize and
00:35:52.41\00:35:54.45
tell him you're sorry."
00:35:54.48\00:35:56.02
"Me? For what?
00:35:56.05\00:35:57.89
I didn't do it.
00:35:57.92\00:35:59.25
How am I going to have this
conversation with him, Lord?
00:35:59.49\00:36:01.66
All these people will
hear what I'm saying."
00:36:01.69\00:36:04.36
You know, and so I kind
of delayed and I'm silently
00:36:04.83\00:36:07.96
going back and
forth with God in my mind.
00:36:08.00\00:36:10.77
And so once his haircut was
over and he walked out the door,
00:36:10.97\00:36:15.17
now I'm between a
rock and a hard place.
00:36:15.20\00:36:17.51
The barber is calling
for me to come to the chair,
00:36:17.54\00:36:20.01
this guy is going out the door,
and God says, "Go apologize."
00:36:20.04\00:36:23.55
And so finally I said, "Umm,
one second, I'll be right back."
00:36:23.58\00:36:28.22
And I ran out to the
guy in the parking lot
00:36:28.25\00:36:30.22
and I said, "Sir, sir.
00:36:30.25\00:36:32.25
Umm, I just wanted to
tell you that I'm sorry."
00:36:32.55\00:36:37.99
And of course, he
looked at me like, "For what?
00:36:38.33\00:36:40.63
What are you sorry for?"
00:36:40.66\00:36:42.00
And I said, "Well, sir, you see,
I'm a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:36:42.50\00:36:46.63
And I just wanted to
tell you that I'm sorry that
00:36:47.20\00:36:49.90
someone from my
church treated you like that.
00:36:49.94\00:36:52.31
I just want you to know
we're not all like that."
00:36:52.74\00:36:55.18
And I remember the man
stopped, and he put out his hand
00:36:56.48\00:37:00.22
to shake my hand.
00:37:00.25\00:37:01.65
He said, "I appreciate that."
00:37:02.08\00:37:03.62
And he said, "I know.
00:37:03.92\00:37:05.25
I've met some wonderful
Seventh-day Adventists.
00:37:05.29\00:37:07.96
And I now that there's
bears in every church."
00:37:08.06\00:37:11.09
And what he meant is, "I
know there's difficult people
00:37:11.13\00:37:13.86
in every church.
00:37:13.96\00:37:15.30
But thank you for
coming out and saying so."
00:37:15.50\00:37:17.77
That was an
uncomfortable moment for me.
00:37:19.17\00:37:21.57
I hope in some way that helped
to heal a little bit of the
00:37:22.07\00:37:25.37
wound that was in that man's
heart and in his wife's heart.
00:37:25.41\00:37:29.11
But there were two
lessons it ingrained in my mind,
00:37:29.78\00:37:32.58
that experience.
00:37:32.61\00:37:33.95
And one of
those lessons is this:
00:37:34.18\00:37:35.85
Number one, if people
don't see Jesus in us,
00:37:35.88\00:37:39.99
then when it
comes to our message
00:37:40.39\00:37:42.32
nobody is listening.
00:37:42.79\00:37:45.36
I want to say it again.
00:37:45.63\00:37:46.96
If people don't see the
love and mercy and compassion
00:37:47.30\00:37:51.57
of Jesus in our heart, then
when it comes to our message,
00:37:51.60\00:37:55.17
no matter how many
verses I can quote,
00:37:55.20\00:37:57.47
no matter how eloquent I
am, unless they see Jesus in me,
00:37:57.51\00:38:01.64
nobody is listening
to a word that I say.
00:38:01.84\00:38:05.91
They're looking for a picture
of Jesus in the real world.
00:38:06.18\00:38:10.95
The second thing
it said to me is this:
00:38:12.12\00:38:14.42
Having the truth doesn't give me
the right to act like the devil.
00:38:16.59\00:38:21.00
Just because I may know truth,
00:38:22.00\00:38:24.07
just because we go very
much by what the Bible says,
00:38:24.43\00:38:27.00
that doesn't give me the right
to have a, "holier than thou,"
00:38:27.04\00:38:29.90
attitude to think that I
am better than anyone else.
00:38:29.94\00:38:32.77
Having the truth
doesn't give me the right
00:38:32.81\00:38:34.88
to act like the devil.
00:38:34.91\00:38:36.41
People are looking
to see Jesus in me.
00:38:36.98\00:38:41.15
The next group of
people that Jesus mentions,
00:38:42.65\00:38:45.15
He talks about
right there in verse 36,
00:38:45.59\00:38:48.29
now He talks about the naked.
00:38:48.32\00:38:50.99
You say, "Now how are we
suppose to apply that one?
00:38:51.03\00:38:52.56
Ain't often you see a naked
person running down the street."
00:38:52.59\00:38:54.93
Well, look at it this way.
00:38:55.16\00:38:56.56
What about people who can't
wear the things that we do?
00:38:57.63\00:39:00.34
People on welfare.
00:39:01.14\00:39:02.50
People on food stamps.
00:39:03.30\00:39:04.87
Maybe people who have
to go to the mission store
00:39:05.57\00:39:07.78
to get their clothes.
00:39:07.81\00:39:09.14
What is my
attitude towards them?
00:39:09.64\00:39:11.88
Do I somehow have an
air of superiority that
00:39:12.31\00:39:15.52
I think myself better because
I can afford nicer things?
00:39:15.55\00:39:19.19
See, the Bible says I
shouldn't show favoritism.
00:39:20.39\00:39:23.29
That I need to be
the friend of the poor
00:39:23.86\00:39:26.73
as much as I may be
the friend of the rich,
00:39:26.83\00:39:29.13
even though they can't
give me anything in return.
00:39:29.16\00:39:32.00
Because that's
what Jesus would do.
00:39:32.53\00:39:34.47
That's being His missionary.
00:39:34.80\00:39:37.14
Another group of people
Jesus mentions here at the end,
00:39:37.67\00:39:40.58
He talks about the sick.
00:39:40.61\00:39:42.34
Now I've got to
say something here.
00:39:42.84\00:39:44.31
The sick can be some of the most
neglected people in the world.
00:39:44.91\00:39:48.45
Did you know that?
00:39:48.48\00:39:49.82
Hospitals and nursing
homes are always full.
00:39:49.85\00:39:53.92
When you think about it,
it's a beautiful ministry for
00:39:54.66\00:39:57.53
a husband and a wife
team to be able to do.
00:39:57.56\00:40:00.53
Now sometimes I go to
churches and they'll say to me,
00:40:00.56\00:40:03.37
"Oh, we've got a wonderful
ministry for the sick."
00:40:03.40\00:40:06.57
And I'm like,
"Really? Tell me about it."
00:40:07.10\00:40:09.30
"Oh, well it's our pastor.
00:40:09.50\00:40:11.87
He visits every one of them."
00:40:12.21\00:40:13.91
Now I'm going to
say something that may
00:40:14.81\00:40:16.14
ruffle your
feathers a little bit.
00:40:16.18\00:40:17.65
But did you know,
it's not the pastor's job
00:40:18.11\00:40:22.28
to visit the sick.
00:40:22.58\00:40:23.92
Did you know that?
00:40:24.19\00:40:25.52
"What are you talking about?"
00:40:25.82\00:40:27.22
You will not find one
verse in the Scripture that says
00:40:27.99\00:40:30.33
it's the pastor's
job to visit the sick.
00:40:30.36\00:40:32.36
The Bible says the pastor's
job is to train and equip
00:40:33.19\00:40:36.97
members to do ministry.
00:40:37.00\00:40:39.37
Not to do the ministry
for them, but to train them
00:40:39.40\00:40:42.94
how to reach out to others.
00:40:42.97\00:40:44.54
Because when you're
reading the New Testament,
00:40:44.81\00:40:46.57
it constantly says that
New Testament Christians,
00:40:46.61\00:40:49.94
they're supposed to
nurture one another,
00:40:49.98\00:40:52.11
take care of one another,
watch out for one another.
00:40:52.15\00:40:56.32
And last time I
looked up in the dictionary,
00:40:56.72\00:40:58.65
"one another,"
doesn't mean one person.
00:40:58.69\00:41:01.52
"One another," means everyone.
00:41:01.72\00:41:04.06
Now if the pastor does
visit, he does so, not because
00:41:04.26\00:41:07.36
he's the pastor,
but because he too is a
00:41:07.40\00:41:10.07
disciple of Jesus Christ.
00:41:10.10\00:41:12.60
See, we've gotten
ourselves into this framework.
00:41:13.44\00:41:15.90
I know when I was a pastor,
many times I'd be the last one
00:41:16.14\00:41:19.67
to find out someone, you
know, is in the hospital.
00:41:19.71\00:41:21.84
And it always amazed me that
even when I would go to visit,
00:41:22.31\00:41:25.81
it was like if a
hundred people visited them
00:41:25.85\00:41:28.55
but I didn't, it's
like it didn't count.
00:41:28.72\00:41:31.55
And we treat the pastor's
visit like it's holier than
00:41:32.12\00:41:35.36
every other visit there is.
00:41:35.39\00:41:37.29
Or sometimes it's
the other way around.
00:41:37.83\00:41:39.76
That sometimes I go to
visit someone and I find out
00:41:40.10\00:41:43.00
I'm the only one
who went to visit them.
00:41:43.40\00:41:45.50
And there's like thirty people
in the church who know them.
00:41:45.63\00:41:48.27
And I go back to
the church and say,
00:41:48.67\00:41:50.07
"Hey, how come you all
didn't visit brother so and so?
00:41:50.11\00:41:52.64
You've known him for like
50 years, more than I did."
00:41:52.67\00:41:55.58
"Oh you see, pastor, you
know, we're kind of busy.
00:41:55.98\00:41:57.78
And you know, we live far away."
00:41:57.81\00:41:59.51
And I'm like, "Well, you know,
there's a really neat invention
00:42:00.38\00:42:03.35
that Alexander
Graham Bell invented
00:42:03.39\00:42:05.55
100 something years ago.
00:42:05.59\00:42:07.16
It's called, the telephone."
00:42:07.19\00:42:08.79
Even if you can't go
visit someone personally,
00:42:09.22\00:42:11.69
pick up the phone and
say, "Brother so and so,
00:42:11.89\00:42:14.20
sister so and so, I
just want you to know
00:42:14.23\00:42:16.13
I'm praying for you."
00:42:16.16\00:42:17.50
Have a verse of Scripture and
a Bible promise to read them.
00:42:17.53\00:42:20.30
And that's as good as any visit.
00:42:20.40\00:42:22.74
See, God calls us
to reach out to others.
00:42:23.37\00:42:26.04
Because He knows when
we minister to others,
00:42:26.41\00:42:28.68
our own
character is then changed.
00:42:28.71\00:42:32.55
That's how Jesus
creates this character in us.
00:42:32.71\00:42:36.15
By using us to
reach out to others.
00:42:36.25\00:42:39.35
And then lastly, here at the
end of the verse in verse 36,
00:42:40.32\00:42:45.36
the last group that
Jesus mentioned as part of the
00:42:45.93\00:42:49.36
"least of these, My
brethren," is those in prison.
00:42:49.40\00:42:53.27
Now you may say,
"Well, pastor, I'm not cut out
00:42:54.10\00:42:56.10
for prison ministry."
00:42:56.14\00:42:57.51
You know, and
that's understandable.
00:42:57.67\00:42:59.14
I do know the few times as
a pastor I used to sit at the
00:42:59.47\00:43:03.81
Waynesburg, Pennsylvania
maximum security prison
00:43:03.85\00:43:08.78
sometimes visiting
guys in the "hole".
00:43:09.22\00:43:11.95
You say, "The
'hole.' What's that?"
00:43:12.05\00:43:13.66
The hole is what they
would call solitary confinement.
00:43:13.76\00:43:17.16
You walk down this very
long hallway which looks like
00:43:17.19\00:43:21.13
it leads to nothing and
you visit guys between a glass
00:43:21.16\00:43:24.90
who apparently
their behavior is so bad
00:43:24.93\00:43:27.24
they have to be in
solitary confinement.
00:43:27.27\00:43:29.17
They can't be with anybody else.
00:43:29.27\00:43:31.21
And it's times when
I would talk with them
00:43:31.81\00:43:34.01
and have Bible
studies with them.
00:43:34.51\00:43:36.24
You know, at first our
mindset, right away we want to
00:43:36.95\00:43:39.71
assume, "Well, these
guys are just no good.
00:43:39.75\00:43:41.68
They're never change."
00:43:41.72\00:43:43.05
But you know what I found out?
00:43:44.02\00:43:45.39
In almost every single
case, almost all of them came
00:43:45.42\00:43:50.69
from broken homes.
00:43:51.06\00:43:52.63
Homes where either
mom or dad were gone,
00:43:52.99\00:43:55.20
or there was
alcohol, or there was drugs,
00:43:55.23\00:43:57.30
or there was total dysfunction.
00:43:57.33\00:43:59.23
And they had
absolutely no role model.
00:43:59.70\00:44:02.90
Nobody to teach
them values and morals.
00:44:02.94\00:44:05.87
Now I know that's hard
for you and me to comprehend
00:44:06.54\00:44:09.54
because many of us may have
grown up in Christian homes.
00:44:09.58\00:44:12.31
We know even know
what that looks like.
00:44:12.35\00:44:15.12
And then when they would
read the stories of the Bible
00:44:15.88\00:44:18.75
and Jesus, I mean,
they were dumbfounded.
00:44:18.79\00:44:22.06
They would ask me
questions that you would think
00:44:22.56\00:44:25.49
baby Christians would
ask because they had never
00:44:25.53\00:44:28.20
seen these stories before.
00:44:28.23\00:44:29.96
And I saw some of them changed.
00:44:30.67\00:44:32.90
Not to use religion as a
crutch, but because now for the
00:44:33.27\00:44:36.94
first time they were
seeing a picture of Jesus
00:44:36.97\00:44:40.18
in the real world.
00:44:40.21\00:44:41.84
You say, "Well, pastor, I'm just
not going to go to a prison."
00:44:43.68\00:44:46.98
That's okay.
00:44:47.42\00:44:48.75
But what about the
rebel in your life?
00:44:49.12\00:44:51.55
What about the kid
in your neighborhood?
00:44:52.22\00:44:54.39
Or that girl in your family who
is like a rebel without a cause?
00:44:54.66\00:44:57.69
Or maybe they're a
rebel with a cause.
00:44:57.73\00:44:59.43
Someone who just doesn't
like to follow the rules.
00:44:59.46\00:45:02.56
They're a troublemaker and
they like to do their own thing,
00:45:02.60\00:45:05.33
and people just avoid them.
00:45:05.37\00:45:07.37
Is it possible
that God has called you
00:45:08.30\00:45:11.67
to be a missionary to them?
00:45:11.87\00:45:13.61
That God has called you
to be the one to reach out
00:45:14.04\00:45:16.61
in mercy and compassion.
00:45:16.64\00:45:18.35
That's what it means to
be a missionary for Jesus.
00:45:18.38\00:45:22.15
You see, my friends,
what we have to understand
00:45:23.05\00:45:25.22
is God has a calling
upon every one of your lives.
00:45:25.25\00:45:28.49
You see, normally we say,
00:45:29.16\00:45:30.69
"Oh, well, you know,
pastors receive calls."
00:45:30.73\00:45:33.03
You know, like if a pastor
was to come to this church,
00:45:33.63\00:45:35.83
we would say, oh, he
received a call to Springfield,
00:45:35.86\00:45:39.77
or St. Louis, or wherever.
00:45:39.80\00:45:41.94
Pastors aren't the
only ones who receive calls.
00:45:42.67\00:45:45.57
Every follower of
Jesus receives a call.
00:45:45.94\00:45:49.34
You think you work
where you do by chance?
00:45:49.98\00:45:52.55
No. Because God called you
there to be His missionary.
00:45:52.85\00:45:56.42
You think you live in the
neighborhood you do because
00:45:56.85\00:45:59.22
you got a good
price on the home,
00:45:59.25\00:46:01.02
or it's close to your office?
00:46:01.06\00:46:02.79
No. God called you
there to be His missionary.
00:46:02.82\00:46:06.06
You might be the
only Adventist or the only
00:46:06.09\00:46:08.46
Christian on that block.
00:46:08.50\00:46:10.23
You think you go to
the school where you go to
00:46:10.67\00:46:12.63
simply because it's
in the right district
00:46:12.67\00:46:14.57
or you got a scholarship?
00:46:14.60\00:46:16.00
No. God called you
there to be His missionary.
00:46:16.47\00:46:19.97
Whether you're
five or ninety-five,
00:46:20.01\00:46:22.68
God calls us to
be His missionary.
00:46:22.71\00:46:26.21
Are we looking to reach
out to the hurting people,
00:46:26.75\00:46:29.98
whoever they are, that
come across our life every day?
00:46:30.02\00:46:33.12
What would it be like, church,
if we looked for one person
00:46:34.06\00:46:38.73
every day, one hurting
person that we could somehow
00:46:38.76\00:46:42.16
encourage or reach out to?
00:46:42.20\00:46:45.10
You see, often
you hear people say,
00:46:46.74\00:46:48.44
"Oh, I can't wait to
get to heaven so I can touch
00:46:48.47\00:46:51.67
the face of Jesus and
thank Him for saving me."
00:46:51.71\00:46:55.21
Well, I've got news for you.
00:46:55.88\00:46:57.21
You don't have to
wait till you get to heaven
00:46:57.65\00:46:59.21
to touch the face of Jesus.
00:46:59.25\00:47:01.22
If you want to touch
the face of Jesus today,
00:47:01.38\00:47:04.09
then reach out to the
poor and the suffering
00:47:04.12\00:47:06.29
that are around you.
00:47:06.32\00:47:07.66
If you want to touch
the face of Jesus today,
00:47:07.86\00:47:10.56
then hold the hand of
someone who needs a friend.
00:47:10.59\00:47:13.33
If you want to touch
the face of Jesus today,
00:47:13.53\00:47:16.30
then spend time
with someone who's been
00:47:16.33\00:47:18.13
neglected in this world.
00:47:18.17\00:47:19.93
You see, I touch the
face of Jesus by reaching out
00:47:20.17\00:47:23.71
to the hurting
ones that are around me.
00:47:23.74\00:47:26.41
What has God called
you to do for others?
00:47:26.88\00:47:29.78
I want to end with this story.
00:47:31.18\00:47:33.05
When I was a kid,
I noticed that my dad
00:47:35.02\00:47:38.65
had made friends
with a guy named Arthur.
00:47:38.69\00:47:42.02
Now Arthur was
different than everyone else.
00:47:43.19\00:47:45.89
He lived in a town that
was about 30 minutes from us.
00:47:46.49\00:47:49.66
I'm not even actually sure
how my dad met him, because
00:47:49.70\00:47:52.33
he went to a different church.
00:47:52.37\00:47:54.20
But Arthur, he didn't
have a lot of social skills.
00:47:55.37\00:47:59.07
He didn't make friends easily.
00:48:00.28\00:48:02.14
It was hard for
him to keep a job.
00:48:02.98\00:48:05.11
He kind of wore
hand-me-down clothes,
00:48:06.08\00:48:08.28
and you know, sometimes
Arthur smelled a little bit.
00:48:08.32\00:48:12.72
And that's why
people really didn't spend
00:48:13.42\00:48:15.22
a lot of time around him.
00:48:15.26\00:48:16.59
They just avoided Arthur.
00:48:16.62\00:48:18.69
Sometimes his speech was
even a little bit slurred.
00:48:19.03\00:48:22.86
And I remember that my dad
always tried to be his friend.
00:48:23.67\00:48:27.44
Whenever Arthur would call on
the phone, my dad would always
00:48:28.00\00:48:31.27
stop whatever he was
doing and just talk with Arthur.
00:48:31.31\00:48:34.28
When he was down or discouraged,
my dad would just encourage him
00:48:34.68\00:48:38.28
and just share some
promises from the Bible
00:48:38.31\00:48:40.52
and pray with him on the phone.
00:48:40.55\00:48:42.42
Over the holidays, Dad would
always drive to Arthur's house.
00:48:43.72\00:48:47.29
If he needed some
basic necessities,
00:48:47.49\00:48:49.69
he would get it for Arthur.
00:48:49.72\00:48:51.13
And believe me, we
weren't rich folks.
00:48:51.59\00:48:53.46
But if it was
some basic necessities,
00:48:53.50\00:48:55.53
Dad would try to provide it.
00:48:55.56\00:48:57.53
And then on Christmas,
he always brought Arthur
00:48:58.13\00:49:01.34
to our house to
share the Christmas meal.
00:49:01.37\00:49:03.74
And there was always a present
under the tree for Arthur.
00:49:04.31\00:49:08.38
In fact, whenever I
would unwrap my toys
00:49:09.01\00:49:10.81
and they needed
to be put together,
00:49:10.85\00:49:12.25
Dad would give it to
Arthur to put together.
00:49:12.28\00:49:14.25
Because if there was one
thing Arthur was good at,
00:49:14.28\00:49:16.62
he was good as a
mechanical person.
00:49:16.82\00:49:18.95
He could fix things.
00:49:18.99\00:49:20.62
And so, Dad let him fix
my toys so he could feel
00:49:20.66\00:49:24.03
like he was part of the family,
00:49:24.29\00:49:25.83
like he was doing
something worthwhile.
00:49:25.86\00:49:28.06
Well, fast forward 30 years.
00:49:29.00\00:49:31.10
And Arthur is in the hospital
dying of kidney failure.
00:49:31.80\00:49:35.60
And when Arthur realized
that his life was about to end,
00:49:36.50\00:49:39.91
you know who he
called to be by his side?
00:49:40.81\00:49:43.24
It wasn't the
pastor of the church.
00:49:43.88\00:49:46.01
Now there was nothing
wrong with the pastor.
00:49:46.05\00:49:47.85
But he called my
dad to be by his side.
00:49:48.62\00:49:51.25
And my dad went to him.
00:49:52.15\00:49:53.76
He encourage Arthur to
just keep looking to Jesus,
00:49:54.26\00:49:56.89
to have that
assurance of salvation.
00:49:56.93\00:49:59.26
And he prayed with Arthur.
00:49:59.89\00:50:01.43
Arthur eventually did die.
00:50:02.80\00:50:04.90
Arthur didn't
have a lot of friends.
00:50:05.80\00:50:07.90
But there's one thing I do know.
00:50:08.27\00:50:10.47
Arthur knew there was a God
who loved him and cared for him
00:50:10.74\00:50:14.78
because he experienced
that love through my father.
00:50:14.81\00:50:18.01
He saw Jesus in the way
that my father treated him.
00:50:18.05\00:50:22.18
I've never forgotten that.
00:50:22.82\00:50:24.35
Today, church, is there an
Arthur somewhere in your life?
00:50:25.35\00:50:29.82
Somebody that doesn't
have a lot of friends.
00:50:30.49\00:50:32.63
Somebody that just
needs a little love,
00:50:33.33\00:50:35.76
a little mercy, and
a little compassion.
00:50:36.33\00:50:39.63
Are you willing to
reach out to them and say,
00:50:40.34\00:50:42.60
"Lord, if You can use
me to be a missionary,
00:50:42.64\00:50:45.87
here I am.
00:50:46.54\00:50:47.88
I'm not perfect, Lord.
00:50:48.34\00:50:49.81
I've got my issues.
00:50:50.48\00:50:51.81
I don't got everything
in the Bible memorized.
00:50:51.85\00:50:54.25
But, Lord, if there is an
Arthur who needs a Christian
00:50:54.92\00:50:57.95
as a friend, then, Lord,
I'm just saying, here I am.
00:50:57.99\00:51:01.69
You can use me.
00:51:02.22\00:51:03.56
Bring that Arthur across my path
00:51:03.89\00:51:06.26
and I will reach out to him."
00:51:07.13\00:51:08.83
Today, are you willing
to touch the face of Jesus?
00:51:09.20\00:51:12.70
Are you willing to
be the picture of Jesus
00:51:13.13\00:51:15.57
in the real world by
reaching out to someone
00:51:15.60\00:51:18.41
who is hurting?
00:51:19.11\00:51:20.58
Would you pray with me?
00:51:21.21\00:51:22.54
Heavenly Father, Lord,
when we see this powerful
00:51:23.71\00:51:28.28
parable that You've
told about how You want Your
00:51:28.32\00:51:32.05
sheep to just
emanate Your character,
00:51:32.09\00:51:34.56
Lord, we realize
our hearts are hard.
00:51:35.26\00:51:37.59
It's not natural for
us human beings to have
00:51:38.19\00:51:40.73
mercy and compassion.
00:51:40.76\00:51:42.16
And so, today we're
asking You, Lord, to create
00:51:42.20\00:51:44.57
that character trait in us.
00:51:44.60\00:51:46.87
We're asking You to
transform our hearts and minds
00:51:47.37\00:51:50.24
so that we might have a
character with more love,
00:51:50.47\00:51:52.87
with more mercy, and
with more compassion.
00:51:52.97\00:51:55.78
And Lord, if there is an
Arthur somewhere in our life,
00:51:56.24\00:51:59.61
open our eyes,
show us who he is,
00:51:59.65\00:52:02.48
that we might be
able to reach out to them
00:52:02.58\00:52:05.05
and become their friend.
00:52:05.62\00:52:07.16
Help us to be Your
church, to be Your hands,
00:52:07.26\00:52:10.73
in this lost and dying world.
00:52:11.13\00:52:13.29
We ask and pray
in Jesus' name. Amen.
00:52:13.56\00:52:18.53
Hi, this is David Klinedinst.
00:52:19.17\00:52:21.87
I hope you've been blessed
by the presentation today.
00:52:22.07\00:52:25.11
If you would like more
information about our ministry,
00:52:25.31\00:52:28.51
or about our other
seminars and presentations,
00:52:28.54\00:52:31.78
visit our websites at...
00:52:31.88\00:52:33.98
If you'd like to make a donation
to keep these sermons on the air
00:52:40.62\00:52:44.23
you can contact us at...
00:52:44.33\00:52:45.83