1Timothy 6:17-19 "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. "
We have also been in poverty stricken areas, and seen that so many have their eyes on the flesh, of what other people have, and despise God for not giving in to their desires. Many pray that God will give them the things of this world and when God does not oblige, they assume He does not care. This is also not true, a selfish outlook that does not understand the serious nature of sin.
Romans 1:19-23 "For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Romans 1:29-32 "They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Either way, rich or poor, sick or healthy, the problem is sin. Each of us have sinned and separate ourselves from God. The road to eternal life is not just for the broken down bicycles or for the Rolls Royce. It is a path that none can walk on their own, for no one is righteous but God. We need not worry about any of that, but be true to the message of the Gospel, for it applies beyond racial, cultural, or "class" barriers. Sin's penalty knows no bounds, and God's mercy in Christ knows no limits if only one will humble themselves before God and repent, trusting in the work of Jesus Christ to impart His righteousness on our account.
Jonah's problem was not with rich or poor, but that God was even giving them a chance to repent. It would seem Jonah assumed that such a wicked lot of people would never repent, or maybe that God should not show them mercy. This is one example of spiritual pride, as Jonah assumed he knew better than God who should and should not hear the message of God's mercy. It was not Jonah's place to call the shots or hand God his travel plans, hoping God would agree. God makes the plans, and His people are to obey.
God commanded Jonah to leave his home country, to preach repentance to the city of Ninevah. Now, Ninevah was a wicked place, and those people needed to repent before God for their great iniquities.But when God sent His prophet, Jonah to speak in His name to them, Jonah disobeyed God and ran away. God then forced Jonah's hand, one might say, and he finally went to Ninevah. The sadly true moral of this story is that Jonah was displeased when the whole city repented, putting on sackcloth, and humbling themselves before the Lord. Why would Jonah not rejoice, as we know there is joy in the presence of the angels of God when just one sinner repents? We all lament Jonah's disobedience, but too often mirror his story. Let us examine why Jonah's story is so relevant today?
Would you be willing to invest time and effort, and open your home up for Bible studies? I ask because the most likely fruits of this type of labor for the Lord will be that people come into your home that have addictions, broken marriages, financial woes, and a million other problems. These are the people that Jesus came to save, sinners such as we all are. There may be some along the way that dress and look like you, but that would be an exception rather than the rule. We have seen first hand that the business of Gospel work is dirty work, and it is amazing to see the Lord transform hearts and conform even the worst sinners(think of Saul/Paul) to the image of Jesus Christ. Are we willing to get our hands dirty? I pray that we are, and if we are not, that God will change our hearts to conform to His image in this way.
So, what can you expect if you walk in obedience? In most places where I have seen a true passion for souls, you see Christians regularly spending time sharing the Gospel with alcoholics, sex offenders, liars, thieves, and adulterers. It is not necessarily my idea of a good time, and I love spending time with Christians of like mind, that appreciate and love the things of the Lord. But if you want people to love the Lord, we must first introduce them to Him. You see, these are the people of the world, dead in their sins, without the life that is available in Christ. Even after they are saved, often in their early Christian walk they will struggle, they may fall, and they may take advantage of your love and hospitality. If this sounds too hard, or if you get discouraged along the way, remember how much God has forgiven you. Remind yourself that you too were dead in your sins, and someone took the time to love you and wait patiently on the Lord for you to mature. None of us were born perfect, and we all have much room to grow still.
Would you be willing to invest time and effort, and open your home up for Bible studies? I ask because the most likely fruits of this type of labor for the Lord will be that people come into your home that have addictions, broken marriages, financial woes, and a million other problems. These are the people that Jesus came to save, sinners such as we all are. There may be some along the way that dress and look like you, but that would be an exception rather than the rule. We have seen first hand that the business of Gospel work is dirty work, and it is amazing to see the Lord transform hearts and conform even the worst sinners(think of Saul/Paul) to the image of Jesus Christ. Are we willing to get our hands dirty? I pray that we are, and if we are not, that God will change our hearts to conform to His image in this way.
So, what can you expect if you walk in obedience? In most places where I have seen a true passion for souls, you see Christians regularly spending time sharing the Gospel with alcoholics, sex offenders, liars, thieves, and adulterers. It is not necessarily my idea of a good time, and I love spending time with Christians of like mind, that appreciate and love the things of the Lord. But if you want people to love the Lord, we must first introduce them to Him. You see, these are the people of the world, dead in their sins, without the life that is available in Christ. Even after they are saved, often in their early Christian walk they will struggle, they may fall, and they may take advantage of your love and hospitality. If this sounds too hard, or if you get discouraged along the way, remember how much God has forgiven you. Remind yourself that you too were dead in your sins, and someone took the time to love you and wait patiently on the Lord for you to mature. None of us were born perfect, and we all have much room to grow still.
Will we walk in obedience and reap the rewards God has in store for us, or will we go our own way and disregard the dozens of Scripture passages that directly command us to proclaim the Gospel? Will we obey, will we go wherever He leads us? Or will we continue to see churches shrink, entertainment take over where worship used to stand, letting our home towns turn into Ninevah more and more with each passing day? You can only change you, and I can only change me. May we all walk worthy of the calling we have in Christ.
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Mark Cowperthwaite- cowperthwaitefamily@gmail.com
