Date: 2/16/2010
Author: Devin
Title: 10 year old Jesus
February 17, 2010
In case I haven't reminded you in a while, let me refresh your memory about something. I love the Church of Christ at Fairfield and its members ..... I mean I really love them. In my book, the Fairfield church family is second to none. What a blessing it is to be able to spend time with people who know how to love so well. This past Sunday we discussed how important it is to “Visually” love God and all those around us. The Bible tells us that “God is love” (1 John 4:16), and that he “demonstrated” (showed visually) His love for us by the sending of His one and only Son to the world in order that mankind might have an opportunity for salvation (1 John 4:9). I have heard folks say many times that they “would rather see a sermon any day than hear one”. I have to tell you, I saw a sermon Sunday morning in our front foyer that blew away the one spoken from the pulpit in the auditorium a few minutes later.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:34-40)
As I was going through my normal paces this past Sunday morning, I was headed upstairs through the front foyer to go over the morning's powerpoint presentation with Randy, when I noticed a boy standing by himself looking somewhat lost. I stopped just a moment to say Hi to him and to introduce myself. In a very friendly way, he began telling me what his name was, that he was “new around here”, and that he lived down the street behind the church building. At that very moment, a regular Fairfield member came in and overheard my conversation with this young man who was probably no more than 10 or 11 years old. This person quickly realized that the little boy was alone and somewhat lost, and preceded to tell him, “Come on, you are gonna come sit with us”. The good Samaritan then proceeded to take the little boy to go sit on the pew with his family. After worship services, the little boy's new-found friend helped him find his way to a Bible class.
I recanted this story to the basement class later that morning and it was met with applause. I can only imagine it was not near the amount of applause that was being heard in heaven at the same time. Did you happen to notice the verb phrases highlighted in the Matthew 25 passage above? Jesus put priority on “visual love” rather than “verbal love”. It is one thing to tell someone you love them and that you care ..... it's an entirely different matter when you show them. Jesus said that when you love someone in those visual ways that you are loving Him. You did good Dwayne Mathis. Thanks for loving Jesus and letting him sit with you and your family Sunday
morning.
Go the extra mile - Devin