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Illustration
Object:
A friend from work asked Denny if he would like to go on a mission trip with him and other members of the church. Denny's first reaction was to politely decline the invitation. Besides not having any skills that would benefit the mission he really did not want to go. Every time he saw his friend he was talking about the up-coming trip. The church Denny attended did not emphasis short term mission trips; they were an older more established congregation.
Denny's friend continued to gently urge him to go with them. "When you see the faces of the children that will make the whole trip worthwhile," he told him. Denny prayed about the opportunity and felt the hand of God guiding him to step out in faith. His family was less than supportive, asking him why he would want to do such a thing.
The group would be in a small Caribbean country for one week. The more Denny learned about the trip the more impressed he became. A dentist from the church would provide free dental care to anyone in need. Some of the adults in that small country had never been under the care of a dentist.
The week went fast. Denny would sit and talk with the children, sometimes holding them before they visited the doctor, sometimes after the routine exam. Denny saw human need in a way he never did before. What surprised him was that there was such need less than a day's plane ride away.
Once Denny was home he started collecting items to take with him on the next mission trip. He told his Sunday school class which contributed clothing and money to support this missionary effort.
Jesus has a way of disrupting our lives. At those times when we feel comfortable, Jesus challenges us to step out in faith in some new way. From the beginning of his ministry Jesus showed care and concern for the poor, down and out. In today's lesson Jesus forthrightly informs his followers, "Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!" When we follow Jesus' footsteps there may be times when other people, even within our own families who do not understand why we do what we do.
Denny's friend continued to gently urge him to go with them. "When you see the faces of the children that will make the whole trip worthwhile," he told him. Denny prayed about the opportunity and felt the hand of God guiding him to step out in faith. His family was less than supportive, asking him why he would want to do such a thing.
The group would be in a small Caribbean country for one week. The more Denny learned about the trip the more impressed he became. A dentist from the church would provide free dental care to anyone in need. Some of the adults in that small country had never been under the care of a dentist.
The week went fast. Denny would sit and talk with the children, sometimes holding them before they visited the doctor, sometimes after the routine exam. Denny saw human need in a way he never did before. What surprised him was that there was such need less than a day's plane ride away.
Once Denny was home he started collecting items to take with him on the next mission trip. He told his Sunday school class which contributed clothing and money to support this missionary effort.
Jesus has a way of disrupting our lives. At those times when we feel comfortable, Jesus challenges us to step out in faith in some new way. From the beginning of his ministry Jesus showed care and concern for the poor, down and out. In today's lesson Jesus forthrightly informs his followers, "Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!" When we follow Jesus' footsteps there may be times when other people, even within our own families who do not understand why we do what we do.
