Active participation is crucial to our World Services success, you must help.

Transcription

1 WORLD SERVICES 2015 I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel. PHILIPPIANS 1:4 6 (NIV) WEEK 4 COOPERATION THEME Active participation is crucial to our World Services success, you must help. SCRIPTURE READING Romans 12:3 12 KEY VERSE Romans 12:10 13 (NIV) Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. INTRODUCTION Our World Services emphasis has helped us understand our partnership in the gospel. Paul was grateful for a partnership and knew it to be a healthy way of serving the Lord. Keeping our worldwide Salvation Army ministry in 126 countries in mind, we have thought about our mission, considered our essential equipment for this ministry as well as how to fuel our spiritual vision. Now it is time to bring all these elements together in a great commitment to cooperation. William Booth knew our mission well and how it must be engaged. Here is what he said: WORDS OF WILLIAM BOOTH AT NEARLY 80 YEARS OF AGE transcribed from (Please note that an audio version of William Booth speaking these words is available at If you choose to play it for your congregation so they can actually hear William Booth, you will need to have the words displayed on a screen or printed in the program as the audio is not always clear.) I am glad you are enjoying yourself. The Salvationist is a friend of happiness. Making heaven on earth is our business. Serve the Lord with gladness is one of our favorite mottos. So I am pleased that you are pleased! But amidst all your joys don t forget the sons and daughters of misery. Do you ever visit them? Come away and let us make a call or two. Here is a home, six in family, they eat and drink and sleep and sick and die in the same chamber. Here is a drunkard s hovel, void of furniture, wife a skeleton, children in rags; father maltreating the victims of his neglect. Here are the unemployed, wandering about, seeking work and finding none. Yonder are the wretched criminals cradled in crime passing in and out of the prisons all the time. There are the daughters of shame deceived and wronged and ruined. Traveling down the dark incline to an early grave. There are the children, fighting in the gutter, going hungry to school. Growing up to fill their parents places. Brought it all on themselves, you say? Perhaps so. But that does not excuse our assisting them. You don t demand a certificate of virtue before you drag some drowning creature out of the water. Nor the assurance that a man has paid his rent before you deliver him from the burning building. WORLD SERVICES 2015: WEEK 4 SERMON COOPERATION PAGE 1 of 6 WS15_Sermon4.indd 1

2 COOPERATION PAGE 2 of 6 But what shall we do? Content ourselves by singing a hymn? Offering a prayer? Or giving a little good advice? NO! Ten thousand times no! We will see to them. Feed them! Reclaim them. Employ them! Perhaps we shall fail with many. Quite likely. But our business is to help them all the same and that in the most practical, economical and Christlike manner. So let us hasten to the rescue for the sake of our own peace, the poor wretches themselves, each of these children, and the Savior of us all. But you must help with the means. And as there is nothing like the present, who in this company will lend a hand by taking up a collection? Did you hear that William Booth said you must help? If the mission he described brings an amen to your heart then you will want to help. You must help. Our scripture for today says it well: Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:10 13 (NIV) There is a kind of Christian cooperation that is captured in that verse. It reinforces the idea that you must help. It describes cooperation that is expected and is normal. The spirit of Christ for our community is found in those words. Consider: 1. WE UNDERSTAND WE MUST HELP BY DISPLAYING AN ABUNDANCE OF LOVE We are to be devoted to one another, honoring one another. We should be finding ways to love others. We ought to get to know each other. But to love those serving around the world takes a special effort. We can keep in touch more easily than ever before. The names and contact information for those from our territory serving out of the country are available; perhaps you can keep in touch with them or assure them of prayer. 2. WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE MUST HELP BY SHARING OUR ENTHUSIASM FOR THE LORD S WORK We are to keep up our spiritual fervor, which should be natural as long as we are serving the Lord. Words like those in this song by Evangeline Booth remind us that we are serving the Lord and how we can be invested in the mission. She wrote: The world for God! The world for God! There s nothing else will meet the hunger of my soul. I see forsaken children; I see the tears that fall From women s eyes once merry, now never laugh at all; WS15_Sermon4.indd 2

3 COOPERATION PAGE 3 of 6 I see the sins and sorrows of those who sit in darkness; I see in lands far distant, the hungry and oppressed. But behold! On a hill, Calvary! Calvary! The world for God! The world for God! I give my heart! I ll do my part! 3. WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE MUST HELP BY BEING FAITHFUL Hope, patience, and prayer are all qualities that bless people around us. We know that what we do and say influences them. We know that no matter how faithful we have been in times past, we are not given a pass, we can t take a step away. We are to remain faithful. 4. WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WE MUST HELP WITH THE RESOURCES WE MUST HELP THE CONSTANT REMINDER All these things I have mentioned seem like the right thing to say, and almost easy to say. But then we come to the next statement, Share with the Lord s people who are in need. Do you hear the echo of William Booth speaking, But you must help with the means. And as there is nothing like the present, who in this company will lend a hand by taking up a collection? The Living Bible rendition of Romans 12:13 speaks clearly. It says; When God s children are in need, you be the one to help them out. We know that giving of our time, treasure, and talent is a spiritual discipline. We also know that giving money can be one of the hardest things to get people to do and one of the most sensitive subjects. Today, we are celebrating World Services and giving to the ministry. Have you thought about this? When you hear about the worldwide Army, do you secretly wonder, Why should I give, what difference will it make? At the same time you are hearing, Share with the Lord s people and When God s children are in need, you be the one to help them out. WE MUST HELP A LESSON IN COOPERATION The story in the gospel of the feeding 5,000 people reveals the power of Jesus to do miracles, but there is more to it. There is a great lesson in cooperation and what difference you will make as you participate. 1 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near. 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat? 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, It would take more than half a year s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite! 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter s brother, spoke up, 9 Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many? WS15_Sermon4.indd 3

4 COOPERATION PAGE 4 of 6 10 Jesus said, Have the people sit down. There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted. 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. John 6:1 13 Use your imagination, put yourself into the event. The crowds following Jesus were becoming larger and larger. They were anxious to see the next miracle or to hear another teaching. The crowd was on the move, noticed to be heading for Jesus at the place He was meeting with His disciples. As He observed them, a decision had to be made. Should they be sent home or is there a further ministry that will be able to take place today? Jesus spoke to Philip because He knew there was a need to care for the health and hunger of these people. He asked Philip where they would buy bread to feed such a crowd. Talk about being overwhelmed by an impossible task! Philip figured that even if they spent a year s salary the food purchased would only provide a bite for each person. Even with a year s wages the problem wouldn t be solved and they didn t have a year s wages anyway. Remember the World Services question, Why should I give, what difference will it make? Pay attention to Jesus and how everyone was involved in the miracle. Peter, listening to the discussion, was aware of a boy who had a packed lunch of five barley loaves and two fish. While it seemed to be next to nothing in such a large crowd, he informed Jesus about this lunch. We know what happened next, how the people were organized and seated, how Jesus took this small gift and then used it to feed the thousands of people gathered. It was a miracle. Think of all the elements of cooperation, the small part that many had in a great miracle. The disciple listening was aware of a young boy with his simple meal who was willing to give it to Jesus. It would be likely that his mother had packed the lunch, she did her part even though barley loaf was inexpensive bread, it was what she had. The people were organized into groups of 50 for their meal. With 5,000 men plus women and children, there were no doubt at least 200 groups seated on the grass. Imagine the organizers and ushers that would have been needed to get everyone into place. Then Jesus gave thanks, and breaking the bread He gave and gave and gave. Someone had to handle the distribution and gathering of the leftovers. You see so many were involved. Not one of them did the miracle but they had their part to play in a miracle. Jesus took the insignificant meal and blessed it. You are asked to share your loaves and fishes or money or what you are able to share. You can give it to the Lord, He is in charge of the miracles! With William Booth we again say, You must help. With scripture, we say You be the one to help them out. As in the feeding of the 5,000 people all had a part. He will do the same with your World Services gifts, your prayers, your letters, or even your life to the Lord s work. WS15_Sermon4.indd 4

5 COOPERATION PAGE 5 of 6 WE MUST HELP AN INVITATION Those on a sacred mission need supporters. In the book of Ezra, a decree is issued by King Cyrus. All Jews throughout the kingdom may now return to Jerusalem to rebuild this Temple of Jehovah, who is the God of Israel and of Jerusalem. May his blessings rest upon you. Those Jews who do not go should contribute toward the expenses of those who do and also supply them with clothing, transportation, supplies for the journey, and a freewill offering for the Temple. Ezra 1:3 4 (TLB) He gave encouragement and permission for contributions to be made. So do we today. As we highlight our World Services needs in The Salvation Army, you are encouraged to give. WE MUST HELP THE EMPOWERMENT POSSIBILITIES What does cooperation look like? Is it really just a handout or can it be something more? For an example, let s go to Zambia, Africa. Illustration A woman named Maureen waits at her makeshift stand at the edge of the road hoping someone will buy from her meager store of charcoal and sweet potatoes. Between the infrequent customers, she entertains simple dreams of owning a grocery store and using the earnings to feed her family and send her children to school. She tries everything she knows to make her dream come true. But her efforts to get a loan from the bank to grow her business are repeatedly denied because she lacks collateral. And it is at this time, when even simple dreams seem out of reach, that someone steps in to help her out. She and her friends joined a group operated by The Salvation Army. This made it possible for her to receive a loan and expand her small business. After eight months of hard work and additional cycles of receiving and repaying loans from the group, her dream came true and her business blossomed. She finally moved to a bigger, better shop where she is currently running her grocery store. Maureen continues to increase her available stock and enjoys excellent credit with her group, her last loan being for $386. With the profits from her business, she is able to easily repay her loans, sponsor her children to go to school, and provide her family three meals per day. Now that her dream has at last been achieved, she knows that it is time for transformation to happen in others lives. Maureen now waits in her successful grocery store and welcomes the frequent visitors who buy from her wide variety of goods, including charcoal and sweet potatoes. She encourages them to join the group to realize their own dreams, and to use their earnings to feed their families and send their children to school. Having been helped herself, Maureen understands and practices what the scripture means when it says, You be the one to help them out. from a Salvation Army World Services (SAWSO) report WS15_Sermon4.indd 5

6 COOPERATION PAGE 6 of 6 CONCLUSION My prayer for you today is that you will go from principle to practice and from idea to action. My prayer is that the stories of Salvation Army World Services that are so compelling will result in you seeking to cooperate in any way possible, including by giving to the effort. Here is the prayer of a Global Gospel Partner making his offering to God: Amen Laying now our gifts before thee, We toward thine altar move; Lord, accept these simple tokens Of our deep, unswerving love. None can estimate their measure When within thy hands they lie; All that we sincerely offer Thou wilt use and multiply. (Will J. Brand SASB #922) SONGS HCB #33 I ll Not Turn Back HCB #4 Here I Am SASB #525/282 Take my life SASB #475/133 I have not much to give thee, Lord WS15_Sermon4.indd 6