“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jesus said to him, “ʻLove the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.ʼ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: ʻLove your neighbor as yourself.ʼ All the law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”(Matthew 22:36-40)
I do maintenance a couple days a week at a government assisted apartment complex for “tent making” funds to support my ministry. It also gives me ministry opportunities and access into the lives of the low-income residents who live there. A 19 year old mentally challenged young man moved into an apartment. It was the first time he has lived on his own. He and his mom were homeless. When they moved in they had nothing and they were sleeping in the floor with nothing in the apartment.. So my wife and I began gathering items for them: mattress, box spring, dresser, couch, carm hair, end tables, dining room table and chairs…ect. We had all these items I collected stored in my house and garage. We needed help loading them into my truck so we reached out to a couple of our neighbors and they came and helped load and strap everything down. We were blessed and grateful for their help and they were glad to help. This is because we have intentionally built relationships with our neighbors. The photo above is from a weekly gathering in our home in our neighborhood.
Building relationships and connecting with people and being a presence of Christ in your neighborhood is at the heart of Jesus’ command to Love your neighbor.” (Matt 22:39). Your obedience to this command is not fulfilled by driving out of your neighborhood to a church building, entering it, greeting the people who also drove there, sharing a cup of coffee with them and talking and talking about life. Jesus command to Love your neighbor is not fulfilled by praying with them in a sanctuary and participating in a Bible study in a classroom.
Loving your neighbor, obeying and fulfilling Jesus’ command to love your neighbor is accomplished by , wait for it, I know this is complex, loving your neighbors! It happens when you invite in and share a cup of coffee with your neighbors. It is fulfilled when you prayer walk and pray with your neighbors. It is obeyed when you do not drive from your home and neighbors to study God’s Word, , but open your home to your neighbors to study God’s Word. Loving your neighbor is simple as just takes getting out of your house, walking your neighborhood and doing it. In a few short weeks and the months to come you will have made a presence in your neighborhood.
Jesus’ commands you to love your neighbor. So what presence have you made in your neighborhood? Have you walked, reached out, and prayed with the neighbors in the neighborhood you live in? Jesus did send out people and tell them to go attend services in their synagogues (churches) on the Sabbath, he sent them out into the streets. Jesus is not sending you out telling you to simply attend a church service on Sunday morning, he is primarily sending you out into the streets of your neighborhood as well. You are to be a tangible example of The Church among your neighbors and “Heal the sick in it and say to them, The kingdom of God has come near to you.” (v.9)
My family, I pray this morning you pray into “to whom an I sent?” You are not sent to a church. That is where you receive encouragement and are equipped to be sent out. I pray you listen to who and where the Spirit is leading you, then obey what you hear and go. In Jesus’ name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!!
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I could use your financial support for One Direction Community, my family, and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
