Seeing People Through The Eyes Of Christ Series

MESSAGE AM

SERMON SERIES: “LOVING PEOPLE INTO THE KINGDOM”

“DON’T JUST GO TO CHURCH BE THE CHURCH”

OPENING STATEMENTS

During the month of February we are preaching a series of sermons on “Loving People into the Kingdom.” Don’t just go to church be the church.

REVIEW

Last Sunday we looked closely at the story of what we call the “Good Samaritan” the story Jesus told about loving others and only told by Dr. Luke and recorded for us in Luke 10.

Before I get into today’s sermon I want to put a tag line on last week’s sermon. Remember Jesus was answering the question of a lawyer or a man who specialized in the Law the first 5 books of our Old Testament first 5 books of the Jewish Torah. He was speaking to the religious crowd, the church of the day.

In the story of the Parable you remember there was a man who was leaving Jerusalem and going to Jericho and this man fell into the hands of robbers who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and left him. Jesus said when the robbers got through with this man he was half dead. Let me just get you to visualize this picture, this is a great picture of what the devil does to people in life. When the devil comes into a life he wounds, strips, and takes life out of a person.

That is the devil’s job description. Has been, always has been and will always be.

There were three guys that passed where this victim was lying.

PRIEST: Priest passed by on the other side of the road. Jesus said that the Priest saw the man but he passed by on the other side. He didn’t offer any assistance. A highly respected leader of the Jewish people went out of his way not to help this man.

LEVITE: The Levite was a highly respected leader in the Jewish Temple “Church” he also did just exactly what the Priest did, he passed by on the other side of the street. Jesus did say that the Levite came to where the man was and looked at him, and then turned and walked away.

SAMARITAN: Then there was a Samaritan, not a religious leader not a Jew a man not even accepted by the Jews. This man:

• Came to where this man was

• Bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine in them

• Set him on his own animal

• Brought him to nearby inn

• Took care of him

• Paid the bill and offered to pay for anything else he needed during his recovery.

TRANSITION STATEMENT: This is the thing that I have been thinking about all week. The Samaritan was not the church he actually represented the world.

This is how our level of influence should work:

We start at our Jerusalem- Church

We reach out to those around us – Judea

We reach the un-churched – Samaria

We go into the mission field either in person or financially- uttermost part of the earth.

I SAID ALL OF THAT TO SAY THIS: The Samaritan who represented the un-churched helped this man when the professing church represented by the Priest and Levites turned their heads.

Sometimes it bothers me that we as the church are not more involved in helping people in our community when so many secular groups are reaching out to help others.

THAT BRINGS US TO THE MESSAGE FOR TODAY.

That brings us to the message for today in this series, “Loving People into the Kingdom” subtitled, “Don’t just go to church be the church.”

Today’s Sermon: “Seeing People through Christ’s Eyes”

TEXT: Luke 4:14-21

BACKGROUND OF TODAY’S PASSAGE

• John has baptized Jesus

• Jesus being full of the Holy Spirit was led into the wilderness and was tempted by Satan 40 days

• We get just a scratch of what the devil tempted him with recorded in scripture. Actually the dialogue we have between Jesus and Satan is at the end of the 40 day period. I said that to say this, “Jesus went through shear torture those 40 days being tempted for you and me.” We just have the end of it dialogued for us.

Notice Luke 4:13

Jesus faced it all. It is no wonder you and I can sing Jesus Paid it all.

Luke 4:14-21 (NKJV)

14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.

Note: Our text today takes place several months after the temptation of Christ in the wilderness. There are several months that have passed after verses 13 and 14 in Luke chapter 4. In fact there has been:

• The miracle of changing the water into wine at Cana