One Heart - One Voice

ONE HEART – ONE VOICE – THE COMPASSION OF CHRIST

LUKE 10:25-37 - ©DR. LARRY L. THOMPSON (2005)

SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2005

Introduction:

On July 6th - 8th, President Bush and other G8 leaders will discuss the major social, political and economic conditions that leave nearly ONE billion people living in extreme poverty – nearly half of whom live in Sub-Saharan Africa. The G8, or the ‘Group of Eight’ Summit is an annual gathering of leaders from the world’s eight wealthiest and most powerful countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States). This summer, these leaders will gather in Scotland to decide the fate of an entire generation living on less than ONE dollar a day. With your support and voice, President Bush and other world leaders will know just how important these issues are, and together as ONE VOICE and ONE HEART, we can Make An History Difference this July. The is ONE ministry that is doing everything possible to make a difference and that is the ONE organization.

What is The ONE Campaign?

ONE is a new effort by Americans to rally Americans – ONE by ONE – to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. The ONE Campaign is engaging Americans through a diverse coalition of faith-based ministries and anti-poverty organizers to show the steps people can take, ONE by ONE, to fight global AIDS and poverty. Some of those involved in this movement include; Rick Warren, Pat Robertson and CBN; Mercy Corps; Bread for Life: World Vision; and our own International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Listen to me, most Christians are for social justice but tragically it has been the evangelical Christians who have been slow to respond to the call for international compassion.

The ONE purpose statement is simple:

“WE BELIEVE that in the best American tradition of helping others help themselves, now is the time to join with other countries in a historic pact for compassion and justice to help the poorest people of the world overcome AIDS and extreme poverty. WE RECOGNIZE that a pact including such measures as fair trade, debt relief, fighting corruption and directing additional resources for basic needs – education, health, clean water, food, and care for orphans – would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the poorest countries, at a cost equal to just one percent more of the US budget. WE COMMIT ourselves - one person, one voice, one vote at a time - to make a better, safer world for all.”

What is ironic is the Evangelicals have invested more money in this fight than any other religious organization. It apprears we are willing to put the money to the need but have not articulated the urgency of the message. The example we have of this type of movement comes from Christ Himself in a parable He taught from Luke 10:25-37.

“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" 27 He answered: "’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ’Love your neighbor as yourself.’" 28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ’Look after him,’ he said, ’and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" 37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:25-37)