Suzi Q

Add a third child with autism and with tatoos covering her arms and chest and you've almost described a young woman in a growth group I visited last week.

"I tell you that this woman went home justified before God."
Luke 18:9-14 (my paraphrase)

Rob

 

Sorry, I cant give praise for sermons that dont ever preach scripture. Thats the command! Preach the Word!!

It doesnt tell preachers to preach about the word, nor to preach about the needs of Suzi Q. It commands that the verys words of God be preached!

You went to a lot of trouble to do all the illustrations! No one is ignorant of the needs of single moms in this country! What so many are grossly ignorant of is the Word of God!!

Go, tell it!! What? God's Word!!
If people know the word of God, are reading it daily, memorizing verses than all those meanings of the samaritan and other scriptures also will be know to the world, including the gospel and people will see they are sinners, in need of a Savior!

Trying to preach a social gospel of taking care of Suzi Q just wont do it pastors! People are starving to hear God's word and to both know it, hear it and understand it! Tell them! Its getting very late!

 

I'd guess you didn't finish the whole message.

Rob

 

I only wished

if it were that simple, your message was great. maybe someday I will be able to attend one of your sermons. one who used to be there. Diana:godisgood:

 

A fictional reply, but which is close to a true story. Things many times are not as they seem.

Suzi Q is a hard working gal and finds out help is available to her. Every time the church across the street had made effort to contact her, she had not been at home. She ignored the literature they had left her. One day she takes time to read what the church left, and saw they help their members in time of need, and others if they are really "down and out". She walks across the street, finds the appropriate person to talk to about such matters, and after the church worker evaluates this almost destitute family, gives her some money that is budgeted for such things, and gives her the address and 'phone number of "This Town's Gospel Mission", supported by 50 or so churches in the town, or section of town. They tell her of "meals on wheels" to assist with food requirements, and also the Salvation Army.

The person at the church invites her to attend services, ask if she knows of Jesus (Yes, but never a priority), and will think about. The person says God never hassles, but it is the churches duty to offer the saving Grace of God to every one, and requests she give much thought for herself, and her children's future in eternity. A short prayer is said, that the will of God will be done in her life. The woman follows up on this new information for help with her daily physical needs.

She has been working Sunday's, but gets a promotion after 6 months of 50 cents an hour, and only has to work a Sunday if someone does not show-up. Her youngest is now one-year old, and the oldest is now in the second grade. On her first Sunday off, she and the kids go to church. She does this on the Sundays she does not work, for a couple weeks or so and then begins taking the children to Sunday school class. Over a short period of time, Suzi has worked her way up, and is making enough money to make her life a little easier. The oldest child can now take the youngest by the hand and walk her across the street, and she takes her to the nursery.

About this time the oldest is telling her mother the Sunday school teacher always asks, after the lesson, if any wished to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. She said "I told the teacher yes, and the teacher asked me "if I believed Jesus was the Son of God, and died on the Cross for me"? Mommy I told her "yes", "because I was sacred and didn't want to go to hell". And the teacher said, "I would like for you to say, With all my heart and mind I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for my salvation". I said "I want to be saved. With all my heart I believe on Jesus Christ to save me". The teacher told me, I had just accepted the free gift from God, and I would be with Jesus "always", and wouldn't go to hell.

Suzi,is happy (in a way) about this, but is not so sure, because this is just too simple, and wants to talk to the teacher, as "little Suzi" must have left out a lot. Suzi thought about it, and before the next Sunday walks across the street to find out how she can get hold of the Sunday teacher.

At the church she encounters the same person she first talked to on her initial visit. The worker tells her "little Suzi" left nothing out, and added nothing. She, "little Suzi" was now in the Body of Christ Church. "Big Suzi", says she doesn't understand how that can be true, as "little Suzi" never joined the church, and knew you had to join a church to be saved.

To make a long story short, the worker was the associate Pastor and over the course of time, of their meetings Suzi came to realize what "little Suzi" told her was true. They didn't have to join a church to be in the "Body Church". She accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her savior, as did the younger child, and they all now belonged to the same Baptist church that her husband now Pastored. Perhaps their newly born baby boy will also grow to be a Preacher of the Word of God.

 

I'd say so too, I read the entire message and thought he did a good job even with the illustration. I believe it is captivating when you can make practicle application from the text.

 

Agree, as representatives of His Word, we are to spread the gospel of the grace of God.

We that preach and teach, and also the layman/woman (all are in His Church) are to bring all to the throne of God, and the only way to reach that throne is being in the Body of Christ. We cannot put the works first. They will naturally follow. If the works do not follow, then we know those that say they know Jesus Christ in heaven, are not know to Him. Forget them, and not judge them. He will do that.

Our business is His business. Their business is their business.

 

I quite agree with Tim's message. It is about time we got out of our "scriptural" comfortable pews and started to live the gospel. Sometimes we need to preach these kinds of practical sermons...Not everything is John 3:16!

Cheers,

Jim

 

Agree with you here Jim1999, but as to help in the physical, our first duty is to "our own", for otherwise we will be worse than the infidel's. If they are not of us, we cannot make them so by giving them money, food, or other creature comforts. We are to "preach His Word", and when they are in Chirst, we are to help them first, if need be.

Once we know we have taken care of our own, we then give to various such as "Gospel Missions that "sleep and feed", preaching His Word also. Or donatiing our time, and or money to "Centers of Hope", or with other names, that groups of churches sponsor to help the poor and needy, for some within those ranks are believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. Hospice, Visiting Nurses, Meals on Wheels, and of course the Salvation Army, and those type of organizations, for they have people in the organizations that are believers also, and reach out to those that need help, and included are those that believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.

So giving should be first to the spreading of the Word, and that afterwards toward other's even outside of our own church, for all believers are not in our church. When they are, we take care of those in our church first, and then any other's that believe in Jesus Christ for their salvation.

 

Nobody said anything about neglecting "our own" to care for others. Not sure where that came from.

Good message, tiny. Thanks for sharing it.

 

AMEN Brother...

 

Hey, wait, you asked for critique and my thoughts are that when the gospel is preached and people are truly regenerate you wont have to tell them to minister to others! That is then their heart, their new nature! If thats not happening then perhaps they dont have a new nature!!
Before anyone can see or understand the love of God they must first come to grips with their sinfulness and the impending wrath of God, a sword of Damocles, if you will, hanging over their head! Once repentant and regenerate you wont have to beg, threaten or nudge them to show love to others! It that isnt there, it didnt happen!!
John 14:23-26
"Until a man places his faith in Christ, his greatest acts are but glorious sins" T. Manton.

So, your first priority is to preach the word, pleading with all the pew sitters to truly come to know Christ and place their faith in Him.
When that takes place you will see revival in your church and people loving, caring and ministering to each other and to others in need!

Yes, Tim you did a great presentation and lots of work but until all of the people in your church truly know Christ you're just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic!

 

I like the Salvation Army's unofficial motto: Soup, Soap and Salvation............and in that order.

Cheers,

Jim

 

This has been an interesting thread.

It seems to me that Christians need to be told what to do at some point. In this day of selfishness, no one is telling the church how to take care of others. Some would like to do more, but don't know what to do or how to do it.

Isn't God's pocketbook big enough to care for those inside and outside the church?

So what if we get taken advantage of? Only one leper returned with thanks. I'd rather give than idly sit by.

humbly submitted,
Sister Bitsy :tongue3:

 

Excellent sermon, Tim!

People won't care how much we know until they know how much we care...