There are a couple of big questions on the minds of many people: Do I or don't I get the vaccination? And if I am going to get the vaccination, when? The question becomes more complex when a person is frail for one reason or another. Then there is the matter of believing in the science and the medical practitioners offering the cure. Do I wait for a while to see what the issues/side effects are or do I trust in the science and go ahead?
While fear is at the root of these questions, whether you accept the solution offered or not, your fate is ultimately determined by your personal choice. In much the same way, the deadliest virus of all time has but one cure and your fate is determined by your choice.
The good news is we have a vaccination. A vaccination which, like the ones offered for COVID, allows the user to experience some aspects of the disease without the fatal consequences. The vaccination is the repenting of your old lifestyle and the acceptance of the new one with Jesus. A process for some is like the sting of the needle of the other vaccinations that soon fades and requires only a regular booster to keep someone protected. These vaccination boosters are what we call our Christian values.
Psychiatrist Carl Jung said, “You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.”
Therefore, we need to conscientiously develop our way of interacting with the world so as to to alert others to the vaccination that comes from recognizing the universal reign of God through Jesus. In applying the rhythms of Christian life, we are propelled outward, beyond ourselves, into the lives of others so we get to share the benefits of the vaccination with others.
The fifth booster comes in the form of serving both God and others. By serving unconditionally, we acknowledge God’s love, we stave off the potential effects of the virus of this life: namely sin.
As I reviewed the gospels this week, I realized that Jesus was always serving unconditionally. Every flip of the page has Jesus walking around and serving.
I particularly like the story of the ten lepers who approach Jesus in a socially distanced way in Luke 17:11-19. Take a listen…
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
The scripture makes an effort to point out that in the majority of cases people who have been served by Jesus do not return to acknowledge what He has done for them or even wonder why. Herein lies a truth of being sent to serve in Jesus name, many will never acknowledge our support but God does.
It`s really striking to me that Jesus, God in the body of a man, asks where are the Others? He knew but he wanted to make a point. We are healed to give praise and be sent to serve not to be recognized but to help others see Him. In doing so, we inoculate ourselves against the re-emergence of sin in our lives.
I will never forget a moment in my life when a fairly new Christian came up to me crying at an event where we encouraged everyone in the congregation to support. The new Christian had come with a servant's heart. She wanted to serve as a thank you for all the ways coming to know Jesus had changed her life. It was the middle of the event when she came up to me and I asked what was wrong, she said, “I’ve just realized I can’t out give God. I came here today to give back to God and every turn as I do, he meets me with more blessing. It’s overwhelming.” As she smiled and cried before me, I understood the feeling of deep gratitude and awe she was feeling.
In the scriptures, read by Nicole from Luke 4:16-21, Jesus gives his hometown a wake up call that the Messiah, Yeshua, the anointed one, the Christ, has come to earth. They would quickly reject this idea because they knew him as a child from the neighborhood. The truth is we are all healed by Jesus to be sent and to serve so the world will be aware of the rule and reign of Jesus has begun.
If we are His followers, we need to:
be bold in living questionable lives so others will inquire or ask us to share. Serving others without conditions speaks and preaches His presence.
speak the truth about who we are and what we stand for. Scripture was never meant to be politically correct. When He said these words are fulfilled in Luke 4, he was alerting them that God had come to earth. We must be just as willing to share this fact and act accordingly
remember it is only with the anointing of His Spirit we can accomplish what he has called us to.
Proclaim freedom to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, set free the oppressed and proclaim the Lord’s favor. But what does this mean for us today? It means:
following Jesus' example means we need to proclaim release to the captives and mobilize to help people be released from the captivity of all forms of stigma, injustice and all other forms of sin. We must be quick to offer mercy and grace. It ought to sadden us that humans made by God, for God, are held captive by a power lesser than our God.
We need to be concerned enough to help anyone dealing with disability or disease. Freely we have received our health, freely let us give.
We need to help set free the oppressed—the ones who are powerless and abused by the heartless. The Bible is strewn with references to the orphan, the widow, and the sojourner. As people sent to serve, we must especially look out for the alien and minority among us. We must reject racism, classism, sexism and the 100 other `isms' of our society.
Now we know this Sent to serve lifestyle comes with obstacles. It could be from the powers of this world or even from our own families. It’s counter cultural and threatening to live proclaiming Jesus humbly. It’s countercultural to free people from the captivity of sin (Romans 6:22–23), heal them from their unbelief (Acts 26:17f.; 2 Corinthians 4:4) and other infirmities. It’s countercultural to be concerned about those on societies margins who have no power (2 Timothy 2:26). Helping them has no cultural value but everything of value for eternity. If you doubt this, let’s look at Jesus' own words as he prays for the disciples. In John 17, Jesus is talking to the father about those who accept His grace. Beginning in Verse 15, Jesus says,
“I am not praying that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify[e] them by the truth; Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 I sanctify Myself for them, so they also may be sanctified by the truth. 20 I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in Me through their message. 21 May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be one in Us, so the world may believe You sent Me.
Did you hear that? Jesus prayed for your faith walk. He prayed for your sentness. He prayed for you to serve and because God sent Him and he faced a number of challenges so He knew you and I would face similar challenges as we become His agents. He also prayed for your connectedness/unity with his Spirit so as we go into the world to do what he did.
Do you believe that?
Take in the gravity of the redeemer of the universe praying for you. Jesus prayed for you.
Now isn’t it time for you to booster yourself against the virus of sin and go and serve somebody in need for God. The challenge this week is to “Go try and out give Him”
If you would like to know more about the preacher, please go to www.communitycenter.life/rev-robert-butler-info
