The Lord sat my husband Pastor Rick down in our living room after moving to Michigan 13 years ago. He said, “Open your Bible to Mathew 25” When he did, there were no markings, no highlights in this chapter and as a Bible teacher for over 30 years this part of his Bible had no proof of wear and tear unlike many other books of his Bible. Jesus then said to him, “This is not a parable, this is not a story, this is going to happen” and for the last 13 years God has directed our steps in teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ which includes helping others, and what it means when Jesus says to “Love one another”. 1 John 3:18 gives us a clear description of what this “love” means, “Love not with just mere words but with doing good”. Our salvation is clear when it says “by Grace you are saved…” but the Bible is also clear as to what we DO once we believe in Jesus Christ, “…now you are created in Christ Jesus to get busy doing good (love your neighbor by sharing what you have for those who have little or none) Ephesians 2:8-10.
According to the scriptures it says that Jesus did not come to “be served”, but to “serve”, Mark 10:45 & Mathew 20:28. Many times as Christians when looking for a church we take on the mentality of “What can this church offer me?” Originally the early church was not at all about “what can I get?” If we look at the true followers of Jesus, specifically the church in the book of Acts where after a resurrected Jesus spent 40 days with his followers and then ascended into Heaven to sit at God’s right hand, the church began to do what Jesus did, they began to serve others. In fact, those that had abundance did not store it up for themselves, they began to get busy serving and helping others, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and those that gathered little had no lack.” 2 Cor 8:15.
I know this sounds foreign to the modern day church and that is because for decades we’ve been taught “serve in your church” and although this is good and true, we are not to neglect what the Bible calls the “weightier matters”. Jesus must have thought this was important, because his very last sermon before they nailed him to the cross He said these words:
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” Mathew 25:31-46.
Ponce Church is a place for those who believe in the words and instruction of Jesus for the believer. We are a church that teaches Faith, Hope and Love but just as the scriptures say, “…the greatest of these is Love”.
For more information about Ponce Church visit our website and to learn more listen to Pastor Rick Tidwell’s “City on a Hill” series.
Sunday’s 10am:
4670 S. Peninsula
Ponce Inlet, FL
386-308-1533
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