This
morning I was the supply preacher at a local church. Someone approached the
person with whom I was having a conversation and mentioned that there was
someone out in the parking lot, acting a little strangely (drugs? Mental illness?),
and he wondered what he should do. My suggestion was that since we claim to
follow Jesus, maybe we should follow Jesus’ example and offer hospitality:
invite him in out of the cold, offer him a cup of coffee, and invite him to
stay for church.
Although
it’s not my life verse, I love the sentiment behind a certain passage in the
gospel of Matthew, and try to think of these two verses in my dealings with
people. Jesus talks in riddles telling His followers that some have treated Him,
and others have treated Him poorly. Their confused response is ‘when did we do
that?’ and His answer includes a couple of key points. Go ahead and read
Matthew 25:31-46 for the full context, but pay special attention to verses 40
and 45.
Mt 25:40 “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.' (NIV)
Mt
25:45 “He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for
one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' (NIV)
Bottom line—look for Jesus in every
person with whom you come in contact…You might be surprised when you find Him. And
let every person with whom you come in contact see Jesus in you.
Speaking of Jesus,
the final episode and series finale of “Jesus”
His Life” airs this Monday, April 15 on The History Channel. “Jesus:
His Life” explores the story of Jesus Christ through a unique lens: the people
in his life who were closest to him. Each episode from the series is told
from the perspective of different biblical figures, all of whom played a
pivotal role in Jesus’ life. Our final episode explores the special bond
between Jesus and Peter, and features Jesus’ loving and unforgettable words,
“Feed My Lambs” and ‘Take Care Of my Sheep.”
Synopsis:
“Jesus: His
Life” explores the story of Jesus Christ through a unique lens: the people
in his life who were closest to him. Each of the eight chapters is told from
the perspective of different biblical figures, all of whom played a pivotal
role in Jesus’ life including Joseph, John the Baptist, Mary Mother of Jesus,
Caiaphas, Judas Iscariot, Pontius Pilate, Mary Magdalene and Peter.
Each figure takes a turn
guiding viewers through the emotional and epic story of the most famous man in
history, through his birth, death and resurrection, all conveyed through a
combination of scripted drama and interviews with prominent religious and
historical experts. Utilizing some of the world’s most respected Biblical
scholars, historians, faith leaders and theologians, the series weaves
together the canonical Gospels, historical sources and cultural context to
create a complete portrait of Jesus – the man and the Messiah. The series
finale airs this Monday, April 15 on The History Channel at 8pm ET/PT.
Watch this 3 minute video clip to get an idea of what awaits you in this final episode.
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