What Are Christians For?

This really has nothing to do with adoption, but it is something that came to my mind especially after reading Katie's blog .
Today we had a wonderful sermon, the text was Luke 12. It has the reminders "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than mean, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowl?" Luke 12:22-24. A later verse says "Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these…..how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?"

It also had the verse that troubles/challenges me…"Sell all that ye have and give alms"

Anyway, the main points he pulled out of the sermon had to be with things that cause Christians to lose sight of their goal (Heaven)…1. Getting involved the world's politics. In all of Jesus' teachings He is only recorded mentioning the government in terms of paying taxes and respecting them. 2. Getting too involved in the world's sports and entertainment…that is self-explanatory. 3. Depending on the government to take care of us…we must realize that God is in charge of our future.

It is very easy for me to get caught up remembering the things we should NOT be doing and I find myself concentrating on those things. Today I got to thinking "OK so what should I be doing?" so I decided to just look over the Book of Luke to see what specific things Jesus told us we should be doing.

In Luke 9 Jesus sends out his disciples to preach the kingdom of God and TO HEAL THE SICK. Later on in the same chapter when there was a crowd and it was lunch time He said "Give them something to eat"…"Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me…" Chapter 10 again "Heal the sick that are therein and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come near unto you." Chapter 10: 30-37 tells the story of the Good Samaritan and says "go
and do likewise" verse 42 tells Martha to calm down and be more like Mary.

Chapter 11 has the verses about "Ask and it shall be given, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened" verse 41 is interesting to me."But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and behold, all things are clean unto you."

Chapter 12 "Be not afraid of them that kill the body….but fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you , Fear him." "Take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say." "Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat…or put on" "consider the ravens" "consider the lilies" "seek the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you." "Fear not little flock" "Let your loins be girded" (means be wearing your working clothes or be ready to do battle)

Chapter 18…to the rich young ruler.."Sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me." "Things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

Chapter 24 at the very end Jesus gives the command "that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem"


 
ANYWAY, I have my work cut out—

I should not be worrying about the future.

I should not worry if my clothes do not have the right label; as long as they cover me decently.

The food that we NEED will be there. (How many dead ravens do you see lying around?)

Giving money so the poor have something to eat and have medical care sounds like it falls in Jesus' guidelines.

Being ready to physically work for the "Kingdom of God".

Don't be afraid.

Then…. to calm down and sit at the feet of Jesus- like Mary.

This is by no means a complete job description for Christians and it is not the way to become a Christian, it is just things that came to mind as I scanned the chapters of Luke.


 
Wilbur Reeves wrote: "I would like three dollars worth of God, please, not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a warm cup of milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I don't want enough of Him to make me love a [man of a different race] or pick beets with a migrant. I want ecstasy, not transformation; I want the warmth of the womb, not the new birth. I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack. I would like to buy three dollars worth of God, please."