Care Month: Let’s Care
1. It all started with Care being given.
Acts 6:2-5 (ESV) 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit,
1.1. The Apostles cared about the complaint made.
1.2. All the disciples were known – important to remember.
1.3. They appointed a team to provide care to the widows.
1.4. We ended last week with the stoning of Stephen.
1.5. Had they not cared, had Stephen and team not been formed, would events have gone down differently….
Acts 7:58-60 (ESV) 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
2. Persecution Began.
Acts 8:1-3 (ESV) 1 And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
2.1. Saul, seemingly antagonized and motivated by the stand the man Stephen made, ravished the Church.
2.1.1. Persecution serves a purpose.
2.1.2. A result of the ravishing is the scattering.
2.1.3. It is always a goal of the enemy to scatter, divide, sow seeds of discord by way of lying stealing and killing God’s people.
2.1.4. The blood of martyrs only succeed in fertilizing the ground for the Gospel to flourish.
2.2. Those who were scattered began preaching.
Acts 8:4 (ESV) Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.
2.2.1. Preaching the Word is what unites.
2.2.2. Preaching the Word brings light.
2.2.3. Preaching the Word dispels darkness.
2.2.4. You will not really know who is planted with you until the whole Word is being preached and heard.
2.3. Persecution, hard times, difficult teachings, high standard living, all cause people to make important decisions.
2.4. Stephen was not saying with his last breath *he should don’t have cared* instead he continued to care by praying for his executioners.
3. The goal is a caring community.
Hebrews 2: 6 But one testified in a certain place, saying: “What is man that You are mindful of him, Or the son of man that You take care of him
3.1. It is a mind boggling character trait of God that He chooses to care for His people as He does.
3.2. A culture of care is the like the difference between Halloween and Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner or maybe July 4th Picnic.
3.2.1. One is intimate with mostly if not entirely with blood family.
3.2.2. The other is kind of open free for all, family, friends, plus those that you wonder how did they get invited anyway.
3.3. Some people intentionally avoid an intimate atmosphere and/or are not invited to an intimate atmosphere.
3.3.1. Some people only want to be where it is easier to avoid contact or any conversation real substance.
3.4. Caring is one of the most challenging things to do.
3.4.1. Trying to care for someone can be intimidating if you feel you should have their solution.
3.4.2. The potential for rejection.
3.4.3. You try to care for people and they up and decide one day that they don’t need your care or like you any more and disappear.
3.4.4. But you have to get up the next week and try again.
3.5.Caring does not mean you have to know the answer or solve all their problem.
*SO WHY DO WE ATTEMPT TO DO IT!!!!
Why not just have great music and noninvasive preaching and quick time together on a Sunday morning.
4. Know the condition of the flock.
Proverbs 27:23 (ESV) Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds,
4.1. Ones that has to give an account.
Hebrews 13:17 (ESV) Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
4.1.1. The watching out over your souls.
4.1.2. Obey and submit – hard for anyone to do.
4.2. Know and Give – to action items.
Philippians 2:19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. 20 For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. 21 For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus
4.2.1. The goal is always to know the state.
4.2.2. Knowing the state of people is encouraging or at the least removes
4.2.3. Paul’s mind was to know and to care.
4.3. Knowing well requires help.
4.3.1. For all seek their own.
4.3.2. It would be easier to turn and look the other direction.
4.3.3. And many times tempting to do so.
4.4. Make yourself known.
Acts 2:28 (ESV) You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
4.4.1. All that God has made know to us.
Colossians 1:26-29 (ESV) 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
4.5. Anonymity is not the goal.
4.5.1. Anonymity is easier but not healthier.
4.5.2. Being anonymous is the reaction of one wanting to hide.
5. Give a cup of water.
Mark 9:40-41 (ESV) 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.
5.1. Let people make their own decisions.
5.2. They went out from us.
1 John 2:19 (ESV) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.
5.2.1. You don’t know who is for you until they stay with you through hard times.
5.3. Sometimes you have to let people go.
5.3.1. Other times you have to fight to keep them.
5.3.2. We have to know the people to know when is which.
5.4. Many times you may not know why people leave you until the fruit of their decisions begin manifesting for all to see.
5.5. So we just keep giving cups of water.
5.5.1. Cups of water to those who belong to Christ.
5.5.2. Cups of water to our enemies.
Proverbs 25:21-22 (ESV) 21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, 22 for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.