BEING CONCERNED FOR OTHERS
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
Especially over the past 6 years I have dealt with the topic of leaving religion and coming into Kingdom, being Kingdom minded and doing the purpose of Kingdom and not being hindered, bound, or mislead by religion, customs, doctrines of men and traditions. Jesus said in Matthew 5:20 “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven”. Matthew 23:4-6 says, “For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues”.
Time is too short for us to be stuck in religiosity, in traditions, and habits having a form of godliness and denying the power of God thinking that we are on our way to heaven when we sit idly by and watch people suffer, hurt, depressed, confused in need of help die because they are trying to live in a world without hope and without God.
Today I want to talk about Being Concerned for Others!
PRAYER: -
OPENING: - It is impossible to turn on the news and not find story after story of people killing people and not even given a second thought of their actions. Today is January 29, 2023, and already this year there have been more than 40 mass shootings in the United States. Just this past week alone within 48 hours of each other we woke up and turned on the television to breaking news 3 mass shootings in California. Then the local news here in Michigan said a 22-year-old man found shot and dumped on I-96 in Detroit. Then we have a 6-year-old carrying a gun to school and shooting a teacher. A woman coming out of a store on her way home from work stopped to get some milk and is shot and killed in the parking lot by a 19-year-old just because he decided he wanted her vehicle. Then on Friday evening watched in unbelief the senseless beating by the Memphis Murders, the 5 police officers, as they literally beat the life out of Tyre Nichols. There is no regard for human life or very little of it. My wife and I were talking about all this stuff, and she said people care more for their shoes then they do for human life.
In my studying on this week, I read an article that said that suicide in 2022 has been estimated at over 703K people worldwide committed suicide. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people ages 15-24 in the United States. It has been reported that nearly 20% of high school students report serious thoughts of suicide and about 9% have made attempts to take their lives according to National Alliance on Mental Illness. The suicide rate increased more than 8% in men from 2021 to 2022 and is about 5% in women. Then the suicide rate among veterans suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) or MST (Military Sexual Trauma) has doubled.
People of God this is not an issue reserved for the far and away but a real problem that is in our homes, in our schools, in our churches, in society and even among the people we love. Understand that not all suicides are attributed demonic possession or to depression. People who have vulnerable self-esteem self-feelings that require ongoing protection and promotion are also at higher risk for suicide. Then we have people who are developmentally weak in their judgment because they are still too young and their decision-making abilities has not matured enough who are faced with certain things and circumstances that will act out of impulse, peer pressure, social scrutiny, or bullying that will act irrationally then are faced with the consequences of that decision and are not able to handle it.
For some people, relying on other people and reaching out for help is difficult or seems so shameful and gut wrenching awful that they just can't bring themselves to the point to say I Need Help, so they hide and suppress things inside, or they take on more and more thinking it makes them seem strong hiding behind the mask that everything is fine. So often we do this in the church because we have been taught that we shouldn’t have issues and be saved. We come to church and say praise the Lord and when asked how are we doing we say I’m blessed and highly favored in the Lord when that is true but down on the inside I am struggling with somethings, I got some problems I just can’t seem to work out, my family life is turned upside down and I really need some help. I don’t feel like praising, I don’t feel like singing, I need some help.
Let me say that even the strongest saved person has a breaking point. Jesus while in the flesh even said in Matthew 26:39 “And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou will”.
People are suffering, hurting, in need of help and as children of God, it is our duty to understand that Life is a gift from God and be concerned for people spiritually, physically, and mentally becoming the gateway to help. That’s being Kingdom Minded and not simply Religious.
SCRIPTURE: - Matthew 14: 35-36 “And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to Him and begged Him to let the sick just touch the edge of His cloak, and all who touched Him were healed.”
Mark 6:53-56 “And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him, And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole”.
Mark 2:3-5 “And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee”.
The number 10 means Divine Order. There are 10 Commandments, there were 10 plagues that hit Egypt, in Jewish custom there is what is called a Minyan and it states that there must be 10 people present before a meeting can take place. In the 3 scriptures of this message there are 10 times it mentions other people either in the form of they, the men, or people. So, I believe it is the Divine Order of God that we be concerned for other people.
No one who calls themselves a child of God can live successfully spiritually, physically, or mentally who does not have a burden to be concern for others, to seek and to share the love of Jesus Christ with those who do not know Him and to be a gateway of help for those that need help. We must desire to feel a burden like Christ for the salvation of the multitudes of men and women boys and girls who are lost as Luke 19:10 states “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost”. We must have compassion on those that are in need. Matthew 14:14 says “And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick”.
In our scripture of Matthew 14:35-36 which says, “And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their diseased to Him and besought Him to let the sick just touch the hem of His garment, and all who touched Him were healed”.
We are given a description of the people around us who need help and salvation of who we must be concerned for.
Verse 35 says they were diseased. Which means sick, ill, afflicted, and wounded. When you study Hebrew, it breaks words down into pictographs to give a better and deeper understanding. The word diseased in the Hebrew pictograph is Chet = a fence, Lamed = staff, Hey = man with arms raised. WATCH THIS:- When a person is diseased, this is not just physical, but spiritually and mentally diseased. They feel fenced in, isolated, divided and blocked off from all hope. They need to be connected to the man with the staff the Shepherd Jesus Christ with their arms raised in surrender unto the authority of Jesus Christ and be set free. The problem is that they can’t do this by themselves they need you and me to be concerned for them and help them understand who Jesus is and how He can set them free. John 5:7 says, “The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me”
Understand that the primary for people in need is for them to be made perfectly whole through faith in the Lord Jesus. Ephesians 2:12 says, “having no hope, and without God in the world”. Sadly, many people especially this younger generation are living without any knowledge of God and of the gospel of His saving grace. They live in total ignorance of the Bible or in utter disregard for it or anything Holy. Then they find themselves hurting, confused, lost, lonely and dying without hope. We the children of God have Christ in us the Hope of Glory. We must be concerned about the people and strive to lead them to Christ.
Mark 2:3-5 deals with a man who is disabled and had to be carried and brought into the presence of the Lord. Every sinner is disabled by sin, and such were some of you and me, and we must carry them into the presence of the Lord. How do we do that Bishop. We must leave our comfort zones, our traditional services and go out into the hedges and highways and compel them. Luke 14:23 says, “And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled”.
WATCH THIS:- Everybody is not going to come into the church because church has developed a stigma. Church, the religious system often makes people feel like I got to get cleaned up, I got to get fixed before I go in there or else, I am not welcome in there. Church will have airs about them that unless you dress a certain way or look a certain why you don’t belong here. I have used this scenario in messages before and it is one my father has preached down through the years. A homeless man that hadn’t bathed in a long time had on old smelly dirty clothes walked into the church and sat down on the front row. He smelled really bad, and people began to complain and turn up their noses at the man sitting on the front row. The pastor motioned to the deacon to remove the man from the church. The deacon came and asked the man to leave the church because he was making the people in there uncomfortable and escorted the man out of the church. The man was sitting on the church steps crying because they kicked him out of the church when Jesus walked by sat down next to the man put his arm around him and said don’t worry my friend, they haven’t let me in there in a long time.
Church and I am talking about the religious aspect, or the religiosity of religion will put more emphasis on the grab, the title, the position, the highest seat in the synagogue, and the appearance that we have it all together instead of being concerned about those that need help because they have been messed up in this world without God.
Verse 35 of Matthew 14 says, “And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country”. WATCH THIS:- When these men recognized, understood who Jesus was, when you finally leave religion and find out who Jesus really is and enter into Kingdom thinking and Kingdom living, when they came into a personal relationship with the Lord for themselves, they immediately became concerned that others might find Him too.
See the Pharisees were religious, they understood the scriptures, they knew all the right words to say, they had religion down to an art form, but they did not have a personal relationship with God. They had a form of godliness but no power. Religion today knows the right words to say, they know how to dress a certain way, they know how to do church, but when you develop a relationship with God, He places deep with you Joy Unspeakable and full of Glory. It is this feeling that bubbles over way down on the inside and makes you say I just got to tell everybody about what I feel, and I want them to experience it for themselves. See you can tell me how good a steak taste but let me taste it for myself and let me experience what it is that you experience. When we truly know Jesus personally and intimately that becomes the incentive to being concerned for others.
John 1:40-42 says “One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone”.
WATCH THIS:- Andrew was one of John the Baptist disciples, when he heard John speak saying “Behold the Lamb of God” he decided to follow Jesus, then he found his brother Simon and told him about Jesus and brought him to Jesus, then Simon had his own experience with Jesus and Jesus changed him, changed his name from Simon to Cephas (Peter) which means rock. Andrew wanted to share what he experienced with others.
Look at what these men that recognized Jesus did they went out into all the surrounding country in search of those who needed the healing and saving touch of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only did they go out looking for souls in need they brought all their sick to Jesus.
The word “brought” in verse 35 is very important because it indicates an emphasis which we must have if we are successful to win others to Christ. It is important to go to them, but rescue work involves more than simply going to those who are lost. Souls must be brought to Christ. I like to fish and even though sitting on the bank, the pier, or on a boat fishing is nice the most satisfying part is when I bring a fish out of the water and bring it home. We as children of God cannot be completely satisfied being comfortable in our religious services and hopefully welcoming a visitor from time to time or just telling someone about Jesus but must have a concern for them and bring them out of sin and to Jesus.
Verse 36 says “And besought him” in other words they pleaded with Him that those whom they had brought might be healed, that they might only touch the hem of His garment. If we can just get them close enough to touch the hem of His garment, they will be made whole. We don’t have to try to clean them up, we don’t have to try to change them, we don’t have to make them stop doing anything all we have to do is bring them close enough. That requires that we have a concern for others. We must follow the example Jesus set for us. Jesus had compassion on them, and we must have compassion for the lost. Being concerned about others is Love in action and that’s Kingdom. Jesus said in John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”. That’s not just love for the other members of your church that’s easy, but Matthew 5:44-46 says, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same”.
People of God religion will operate out of traditions, habits, and routines Kingdom will operate out of Love in action going into the hedges and highways and compelling people to come, bringing them close to the presence of Jesus. Look around and realize people are hurting, depressed, confused, messed up, strung out, suicidal, emasculated, crushed, rejected, and so on they are not worried about how much you shout, speak in tongues, the robe you have, your title, position, car you drive, etc., they just want to know that you are concerned and are willing to help them.
CLOSING:- Jesus lets us know just how important it is to have concern for others when He said in Matthew 25:31-46 “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal”.
QUESTION: - Now do you have concern for others.
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
