THE GOSPEL OR JUST MORALS? [MONDAY MANNA 32]

Mike, Misrak, and Larry and their families all live in the same neighborhood, or suburban village, and are friends.

The men play basketball once a week, and are outwardly sexually faithful to their wives. They get together with their whole families several times a year to watch movies, play sports, join the Super Bowl hysteria, play video games, and compare investment portfolios. They’ve even taken several vacations together over the years.

They see themselves as good moral people, and religious.

Mike, a successful software developer with 20 employees, and his two teenage daughters serve the poor on occasion through his church’s outreach to the Coalition for the Homeless. His wife knits afghans for women in the local city’s unwed mother’s home. They give some money to various charities, a bit more when compared to other people.

Misrak, a commercial real estate broker, and his wife, having raised five grown children, now minister once a month with their fellowship to orphans and widows in surrounding rural areas. They attend a Wednesday prayer meeting, in addition to praying individually and collectively several times a day. They give away some funds for local causes that are approved by their fellowship.

Larry, an investment advisor, and his wife home school four children, with another baby on the way. They attend their mega church’s monthly fellowship suppers, a weekly Bible study in an elder’s home, and a 50 week course on better stewardship in becoming financially independent. He’s a big proponent of the Ten Commandments, supports America’s worldwide military actions, and he tithes.

Chris, a CPA by trade, works for Mike’s company as his VP of Finance, is new to the neighborhood. He moved in with his wife and their four home schooled children in a smaller “fixer upper” that was a foreclosure. They’ve caused quite a stir since their arrival 6 months ago, although it’s certainly not their intent.

They take people in desperate need into their home, have a several hour praise and prayer meeting on Friday nights, evangelize consistently with their two teenage children, and preach loving your enemies through non-resistance. They give all their excess money to the crippled, lame, poor, blind, widows, orphans, and numerous outreaches, both locally and internationally.

They have no retirement plans or excess savings, choosing to live like those of old: the early church, St. Francis of Assisi, the Anabaptists, John Wesley, Hudson Taylor, George Mueller, C.T. Studd, Amy Carmichael, etc.

The children of the neighborhood families like Mike, Misrak, and Larry are quite intrigued by their powerful lifestyle witness day by day.

The parents of these children are horrified, of course, yet strangely drawn to their lives, but not quite sure how to handle it all.

Chris, even though getting rave performance reviews, was fired just last week for boldly preaching the true and complete Gospel to his boss, Mike, the successful software developer. Chris had been warned by the Holy Spirit that this was in the wind. He and his wife had been fasting and praying for the right and loving response when the time came.

Chris and his wife had prayed for six months before he stepped out in faith to love Mike as Jesus’ does.

Mike was especially furious that Chris’ family refuses to mind its own religious business in their neighborhood and in his place of business. Chris also proclaimed money as the main idol in Mike’s life. He testified that Jesus said it was hard for rich men to enter the kingdom of God.

Hard…not easy like the American Christian church likes to say to all listeners.

Chris, in covering the whole counsel of the Gospel, declared by God’s grace that Mike could be forgiven of all his sinful ways upon repentance. He then would be proving his love for the Savior by selling all his excess possessions, and emptying his investment portfolio. He was exhorted to join Chris’ family by following the example of believers the world over who are living extremely simple, and following the life of Jesus and Paul.

Full trust in Jesus, by His grace and in His love, was absolutely required, Chris pleaded, and then results in joy and contentment.

Chris suggested the loads of money Mike liquidated could be used, among other things locally, for desperate known needs like the famine in Kenya, helping the central Russian outreach to newly saved ex-alcoholics and drug abusers, the spread of simple churches in northeast India, and the support of an American evangelist and apostle working in rural Brazil in South America.

Mike was then speechless.

That night, Mike immediately called his neighbors Misrak and Larry together and described in great detail his plight with Chris. He also enlisted their support that “enough is enough” – for all their families and children to completely ostracize this heretic and his family.

Misrak was quick to denounce Chris and all his family’s disruptive interference in the neighborhood and their lives since their arrival six months ago.

They turned to look at Larry expecting to receive his full support. He had a deeply pained expression written all over his face, and was nervously silent. He looked ashen and was sweating profusely.

Mike is a Mormon. Misrak is a Muslim.

But…Larry considers himself and family to be an evangelical Christians, living comfortably in Laodicea. Or perhaps even Sardis in Revelation 3.

Mike the Mormon, Misrak the Muslim, and Larry the Laodicean. Their safe and cushy world had been invaded by the Light of the world.

What now?

Chris and his family are rejoicing in the simple Gospel message that they’ve been counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus Christ. They, although wounded by the rejection, are leaping for joy amid the sadness of lost employment and so-called “friends.”

They know from similar past experiences that Jesus will bind up their wounds once again. Great is their reward!

Luke 12:16-21, 32-34 And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” ‘ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward god.”

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your HEART will be also.

Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit.

Luke 16:11-15 “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.

Luke 18:22-25 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell ALL that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Luke 19:8-10 Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Please comment on this post right below. Feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion.

Your friend and brother in fighting the good fight,

Marc

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Saints, we’re one day closer to Home, and Him! Love Him wholeheartedly!

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Please comment on this post right below. Feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion.

Marc White, Director, Walk Worthy Ministries, www.WalkWorthy.org