Outreach
Sermon Series: 5 Scriptures that remind us who
we are.
#2 of 5: Outreach
February 15, 2004
Matthew 25:31-46
6th Sunday after the Epiphany
Galena-Warwick United Methodist Charge
Warwick & Galena, Maryland
Rev. Dr. Lawrence D. Jameson
larry@larryjameson.com
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Matthew 25:35-36
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me
something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and
you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came
to visit me.
Outreach is one of the basics of the Christian life.
It’s part of who we are.
In 1st John 4:19 the Bible says,
“We love because he first loved us.”
That’s what outreach is all about.
It’s a practical expression of Christian love.
God first poured out his love on us.
We, in turn, want to pass that blessing on to other people.
Now I want you to know,
that outreach is not the only thing we do
in this church.
There are other important aspects of the Christian faith.
I use the little anagram SOFEW
to help remember the basics:
SOFEW stands for
Stewardship
Outreach
Fellowship
Education
and Worship.
Outreach is an important part of serving Jesus,
but it is not the only part.
Power to reach out
In Acts 1:8 the Lord Jesus said,
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth.
This little verse is recognized by Bible Scholars
as a thumbnail outline of the Book of Acts.
The book of Acts began in Jerusalem,
where a handful of frightened, anxious disciples of Jesus began.
The disciples experienced the power of the Holy Spirit,
and they quickly did several things,
1) they began to boldly reach out to people
and lives were changed
2) they began to boldly move out into the world
to reach even more people for God.
And the church grew:
Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.
When Jesus Christ saves us,
it isn’t for sitting in pews.
It’s for reaching out to the last, the lost, and the least.
We cannot be effective in Christian outreach
if we don’t have the power of the Holy Spirit.
When we are right with God,
forgiven, cleansed, filled with the Spirit,
working together in harmony,
and constantly seeking God’s will and plan,
there isn’t anything we can’t do
and
there isn’t anywhere we can’t go.
Again, it is all about love.
We love, because he first loved us.
Sheep and Goats
In Matthew 25:31
Jesus tells us the parable of the sheep and the goats.
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will
sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before
him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates
the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on
his left.
This parable describes the end of time
when God is going to judge everyone.
Everyone, every person who ever lived
is going to give an account for their words, thoughts, and actions.
Jesus gave us this parable to help us prepare for
judgement day.
Verse 34
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by
my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the
creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I
was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited
me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after
me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
What are the actions that Christian people
ought to take?
We are supposed to care for people
and do what we can to meet their needs.
Verse 37
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and
feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a
stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see
you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
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.'
When we give practical help to someone,
in the name of Jesus Christ,
God considers that something done for him!
That’s outreach!
That’s Christian love!
Three types of Outreach
There are three different types of Christian outreach ministry:
1st Social Justice
2nd Mercy
and 3rd Evangelism & Witness
There is always a little overlap,
and these categories are not rigid.
Let’s consider the types of outreach one at a time.
Social Justice
I define Social Justice Ministry as:
activities and/or organizations
that seek to prevent human suffering before it happens
by solving root causes of injustice.
We all know the old saying:
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
That’s true, especially in health care.
If you take care of your body,
get regular checkups,
eat right,
get proper exercise,
and make good lifestyle choices
you are going to enjoy much better health.
This principle also applies to our society.
Christians are the people who championed
most of the great social changes in history.
Slavery, Child labor, Education, and Hospitals
are just a few of the changes
that Christians brought about.
It is appropriate for Christians
to express their faith in God
and their love for God
by working hard to change the laws
and the culture in which they live.
That’s why I have been involved
in the anti-slots movement in Maryland.
That’s a Social Justice issue.
Here’s another example you might not expect.
Our Relay for Life Team.
Last year, the joint Relay for Life team
from Olivet Church and the Galena Lion’s Club
raised over $5,300
and gave it to the American Cancer Society.
Remember my definition of Social Justice?
activities and/or organizations
that seek to prevent human suffering before it happens
by solving root causes of injustice.
Cancer is one of the most brutal killers in our world.
Cancer took my sister in 1991 and my brother in 2003.
The money we all helped to raise will help
find a cure for cancer and save lives in years to come.
That’s a social justice issue.
That’s outreach.
Here is another example:
The Galena Lions Club
gives away more than $5,000 every year
to local organizations and projects.
Helping to fund other service groups
is a great way to help build the community.
The Lion’s Club also gives thousands
to fund vision research through the Wilmer Eye Institute.
That’s outreach.
Another great example of Social Justice
is the presence of Christian men and women
who work or volunteer in government.
Bill Blake & Betty Carroll are Town Council members in Galena
Rickye Councell is Superintendent of the Waste Water Treatment Plant & Public
Works in Galena
Ray Bann is on Galena Zoning Board
There are lots of our people who volunteer or work in our Schools.
Dawn Webb, April Elburn, and Doug Walters are teachers.
That’s outreach.
Ministries of Mercy
Here is my definition of ministries of mercy:
activities and organizations
that seek to help those are hurt or suffering
While ministries of social justice
seek to prevent human suffering
ministries of mercy
work to help people who are suffering right now.
Both kinds of outreach are important.
On the last Sunday of every month
we have Mission Sunday.
That’s a ministry of mercy.
We collect non-perishable food items,
and other household items
and send them to a local food bank, or a homeless shelter.
Here is another example:
In five months, our churches will send
15 volunteers on a mission trip
to Buffalo, New York.
We are going to do carpentry work,
painting, and home repairs
for people who really need the help.
The trip is going to cost us $7,000.
We have already raised half of the money.
That’s a ministry of mercy.
That’s outreach.
Last year, Dawn Webb, Jessica Morales,
Ashley Nabb, Danielle & Samantha Schirmer
decided to have our youth group
adopt an Indonesian boy
whose name is Muh An.
The did this through Compassion International
and the cost has been $26 a month.
Muh An is getting a better life
because our youth group cares.
That’s a ministry of mercy.
Also last year,
our congregation was deeply moved
by the untimely death of a local Christian pastor,
the Rev. James Davis.
We collected and gave $2,132.87
to the building fund
of the Olivet Pentecostal Church of Love in Galena.
That crossed over the boundaries of race and culture.
That’s a ministry of mercy.
That’s outreach.
That’s Christian love.
There are lots of ministries of mercy
in our congregations.
Last year the Mt Olivet WSCS
gave $200 to the Montgomery family
after their house in Warwick burned down.
Almost every Friday night
Olivet Church in Galena
hosts Alcoholics Anonymous in the Sunday School.
On Monday, January 7, 2003
the Olivet Administrative board
established a Pastor’s Emergency Fund
to help people who are homeless, or need gasoline,
or heating oil, or just need a hot meal.
Several of our members are involved in local Fire Companies
and Fire Companies
save lives and protect property.
Those are all excellent examples of ministries of mercy.
That’s what Jesus meant when he said:
I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me,
I was sick and you looked after me,
I was in prison and you came to visit me.
Evangelism & Witness
Here is my definition of ministries of evangelism and witness:
activities and organizations
that work to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
and train Christian disciples.
Ministries of social justice
seek to prevent human suffering.
Ministries of mercy
work to help people who are suffering right now.
Ministries of Evangelism and Witness
put the Gospel into the hand and heart
of every life they touch.
There is always overlap.
There is a dynamic connection between all three forms
of Christian outreach.
Each one is important for us to understand and use.
Here are some examples of
how we reach out to the community
in ministries of evangelism and witness:
1 Alpha Class
2 Sunday School
3 Vacation Bible School
4 Camp Pecometh Scholarships
5 Cub Scout Pack 145
6 Olivet United Methodist Youth Fellowship
7 Our Missionaries
Terry & Elizabeth Tyrrell Campus Crusade for Christ
Kris & Karen Raser Bay Area Young Life
Vivian Tan Kids Alley in New Jersey
8 Gideons
Conclusion
Outreach is one of the basics of the Christian life.
It’s part of who we are.
In 1st John 4:19 the Bible says,
“We love because he first loved us.”
That’s what outreach is all about.
Our ministries of
social justice, mercy, evangelism & witness
are all practical expressions of Christian love.
God first poured out his love on us.
We, in turn, want to pass that blessing on to other people.
PRAYER
Dear God, you truly care about all the people in our community.
That’s why you want us to get involved. It’s your love that inspires us
to reach out and care for others, especially people who don’t go to church. Help
us to be “community people”. Show us how to live a balanced faith that includes:
social action, ministries of mercy, and personal witness. In the name of Jesus
Christ we pray. Amen.