Priority #3

Our third priority is to love the world.

The Great Commission is a call to share the good news with the world. The Great Commission is not a command to go and recycle old church members. It is not a command to hope that new “church” people will move into the community. The Great Commission is not a command to go and do good things. It is not a command to go and do missions. It is not a command to go and bring people to church.

This is a command to go and increase the number of people that are following Christ.

We should never be ashamed by having a goal to grow in numbers. We need only be ashamed when the numbers become more important than the people the numbers represent.

When we grow, we increase our voices in worship (priority #1).
When we grow, we encourage others (priority #2).
When we grow, our support of mission work will increase (Priority #3).

The Great Commission is a call to share the good news with the world.

But who is the world? Jesus was once asked that . . .

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Our first 2 priorities)

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:25-37 NIV

Who is our neighbor? The world is our neighbor – Your co-worker – the clerk at the store – the mailman – the person in line with you . . .

Our neighbor is all the people that the ‘world’ passes by. To be honest, our neighbors, are probably not the kind of people we would want to invite into our homes or our church. They are not the people we are comfortable being with – but that was Jesus’ point – love your neighbor as you love yourself.

As we love and care for each other in the community of faith (our church) we should do likewise with those outside our community. BUT, I believe that as a ‘church’ we have confused the message of the Good Samaritan and the Great Commission. I fear that too often if that message was delivered to the church today - the results would be a Jericho Road Ministry being started up for people travelling and attacked by thieves. The point of the story was not the ministry, but the person. It says he cared for him.

We act as if Jesus said, Go into the World and do a bunch of good deeds because the world needs good people to do good things. And while you are at it, your good deeds will be rewarded and you and the recipients will have eternal life. (Which He DID NOT!) But the sad reality is that we believe that to be part of the message of the Bible. It certainly is often reflected in how we act. Why? Because we have forgotten the priorities.

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
As a church, and as followers of Christ, we become so busy doing earthly good that we become of no heavenly value.

Do not misunderstand me. We are called to acts of compassion and love. We are called to mission work. We are called as followers of Christ to cry out against injustices and wrong. We are called to Social Action. We are called to live our faith. In keeping with living our priorities (#1 and #2), we must have a plan of outreach (#3).

Friends, we can wipe out hunger, we can end poverty, we can even provide universal health care; BUT, people will still die and go to Hell because they have no relationship with Christ. We can plan wonderful, compassionate, and loving programs. But we need to be reminded that we were called to make new disciples – not to missions.

People, we gather on Sunday morning to worship and show our love for God.

We meet and greet one another throughout the week to love and care for each other.

But, we cannot stop there. We must have a plan, as a church, as individuals, to share the Good News with the world. We need to bring the World into Focus and make it a priority (in the proper order). We must think through our programs and activities in relationship to our priorities.

We must be willing to ask, “Why we do the things we do?” “What is the purpose?”

What the church needs are followers who are willing to be lead others to Christ?

We all know people who say things like, “I’ve given up on church, but I still believe in God” or “The church isn’t for me” or “I like church, I just don’t like all the hypocrites.” Are you thinking of someone?

Can you put your priorities in the proper order for them?

Loving God.

Loving each other.

Loving the World.