SERVING THE LEAST OF THESE FOR HIM

Sermon Summary (10/2/16), “Serving the Least of These for Him (Risk-Taking Missions and Service).” Act 2:42-47

When we grew up there weren’t a lot of services available for the poor, no shelter, no Red Cross, no Salvation Army, no pantries.  But what we did have were a lot of people who had Christian compassion.  My dad had one man working for him with 17 children!  I found out that Dad had provide a turkey for them one year.  And I bet a Christmas bonus, and my hunch is that it happened every year, and was considered part of his pay.  Done so with dignity. 

We need a lot of Christian compassion in the world today, working with the poor so that the unfortunate can be treated with dignity.  The history of Christianity has been to work with the least, the lost, the downtrodden and the oppressed.  Christianity conquered the Roman Empire, not with the sword but with service.  Christians tended to the dead and dying of the empire in times of great plagues so much so that Emperor Julian (last emperor before Constantine) wrote to his pagan priest urging them to be more like the Christians “who support not only their own, but ours as well.”  But it was impossible for them because they lacked love. 

We can take a risk.  Jesus is worth dying for.  All humanity is of
sacred worth.  Jesus died for all.

A look at Syria, Sudan, oppressive nations around the world, we can see that the world in is need of Christian compassion.  We were all made in the image of God (Gen 1:37).  All of us are of sacred worth.  Jesus came to serve and not to be served, to serve the least and the lost, the poor, the blind, the captive, the oppressed.

We are in the midst of a sermon series on the Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, practices so critical to the congregation that failure to perform them in an exemplary manner leads to congregational deterioration and decline.  Today, “Risk-taking Missions and Service.”  We need to serve with the compassion of Christ, to serve the least of these.  And do it a manner that retains their dignity.

Fruitful congregations.  The District has a lay servant who months ago was homeless, was invited to Wilkes Boulevard UMC for breakfast, then to worship.  Because of her shabby clothing she did not feel worthy and had not been in worship for 40 years but as the music was played tears streamed down her face.  Fruit, a changed life.  All because a United Methodist Church is involved in Risk-taking Missions and Service.