Fellowship and Scum of the Earth (Pt 2)
Continued from (Pt 1)
So what is God's will?
"To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world." 1 Corinthians 4:11-13
When you read the words, ‘scum of the earth’, what do you picture in your mind? Before you read further, just close your eyes and picture the scum of the earth...
...what did you see?
A man..a woman?
What were they wearing?
...doing?
Why are they the 'scum of the earth'?
Are they unlovable?
Untouchable?
Maybe you do not see someone who is unlovable or untouchable, but someone heartbroken, wounded, destitute and hopeless, one who carries shame or lives in fear. Or maybe you saw a drug addict, prostitute, felon or inmate, drunk, someone full of tattoos and piercings, one who is weak or eating trash from a dumpster. The latter is what most people would envision. Society refers to them as outcasts or scum of the earth. Scripture refers to them as 'the least of these'.
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew 25:40
The Apostles were authorities on what Jesus taught, yet were also considered outcasts. They were a spectacle; fools who were dishonored and weak. They were treated horribly and went without anything to eat or drink and lived homeless. They were hard working men but were cursed and persecuted. This was their life in Christ. How can one chosen by Jesus Christ and anointed with His Spirit to speak in tongues and cast out demons live such a life? In all their humility and love, the believers who truly loved Jesus followed in spite of what was going on in the rest of the world. I can imagine the pureness in worship among them.
If Jesus' Apostles were homeless scum of the earth (1 Corin 4:11-13) and Jesus told us to love the hungry and sick stranger or prisoner (Matthew 25:31-46), then does it not make sense that an unlovable, untouchable stranger may just be a follower of Jesus and hungry for fellowship with other believers? As followers of Jesus Christ, it is our purpose to fellowship together in unity with the Holy Spirit while sharing our message with unbelievers.
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me...The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew 25:35-36,40
Let us ask the Lord in all humility desiring to return with a sincere heart. As we pray, let God search our hearts and reveal where He wants to lead us. Let’s believe in His divine appointments with ‘like-minded’ disciples of Christ so we may too be in unity within the Body of Christ. Let us not be ashamed of our tarnished past or even the things we still carry today.
You were born for a purpose; your passion and talents are to be used to benefit all of God’s people, even if it is one life at a time. My prayer is for all of us to walk alongside the unlovable and untouchable and tell them of what the love of Jesus Christ can do for them.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:14-15
Blessings brothers and sisters!
Please visit Scum of the Earth Church Denver, Colorado and Seattle, Washington.
So what is God's will?
"To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world." 1 Corinthians 4:11-13
When you read the words, ‘scum of the earth’, what do you picture in your mind? Before you read further, just close your eyes and picture the scum of the earth...
...what did you see?
A man..a woman?
What were they wearing?
...doing?
Why are they the 'scum of the earth'?
Are they unlovable?
Untouchable?
Maybe you do not see someone who is unlovable or untouchable, but someone heartbroken, wounded, destitute and hopeless, one who carries shame or lives in fear. Or maybe you saw a drug addict, prostitute, felon or inmate, drunk, someone full of tattoos and piercings, one who is weak or eating trash from a dumpster. The latter is what most people would envision. Society refers to them as outcasts or scum of the earth. Scripture refers to them as 'the least of these'.
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew 25:40
The Apostles were authorities on what Jesus taught, yet were also considered outcasts. They were a spectacle; fools who were dishonored and weak. They were treated horribly and went without anything to eat or drink and lived homeless. They were hard working men but were cursed and persecuted. This was their life in Christ. How can one chosen by Jesus Christ and anointed with His Spirit to speak in tongues and cast out demons live such a life? In all their humility and love, the believers who truly loved Jesus followed in spite of what was going on in the rest of the world. I can imagine the pureness in worship among them.If Jesus' Apostles were homeless scum of the earth (1 Corin 4:11-13) and Jesus told us to love the hungry and sick stranger or prisoner (Matthew 25:31-46), then does it not make sense that an unlovable, untouchable stranger may just be a follower of Jesus and hungry for fellowship with other believers? As followers of Jesus Christ, it is our purpose to fellowship together in unity with the Holy Spirit while sharing our message with unbelievers.
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me...The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" Matthew 25:35-36,40
Let us ask the Lord in all humility desiring to return with a sincere heart. As we pray, let God search our hearts and reveal where He wants to lead us. Let’s believe in His divine appointments with ‘like-minded’ disciples of Christ so we may too be in unity within the Body of Christ. Let us not be ashamed of our tarnished past or even the things we still carry today.
You were born for a purpose; your passion and talents are to be used to benefit all of God’s people, even if it is one life at a time. My prayer is for all of us to walk alongside the unlovable and untouchable and tell them of what the love of Jesus Christ can do for them.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:14-15
Blessings brothers and sisters!
Please visit Scum of the Earth Church Denver, Colorado and Seattle, Washington.
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May the words shared here bless you in some way and inspire you to draw closer to God. Your input is welcomed and appreciated, my friend!