There Has Been Problems
Pastor Erickson preaches from Matthew 25:31-46 on the time management of a disciple maker, teaching that how we treat people in need matters to God along with following the plan of salvation. He calls the church to stop passing by hurting people, join a connect group, and choose to be givers who love one another as Jesus loved them.
The message in 6 points
The sheep and the goats
He reads Jesus' words in Matthew 25 about the Son of man dividing the sheep from the goats, and says this is a message on the time management of a disciple maker. The church is called to make disciples, not just to enjoy the glory of God.
55:00More than Acts 2
He affirms that repentance, baptism in Jesus' name and the Holy Ghost are essential, and rejoices over a couple who came to be baptized after watching the services. But Matthew 25 shows it also matters how we treat one another and people outside the building, so we do not get so used to having church that we forget to be the church.
59:00Sheep stay with the flock
Sheep and goats look alike but act differently: sheep love company and stay in the fold, while goats wander off on their own. He had planned a lesson on schedules and saying no, until a note asking for prayer showed him that true time management means making time for people who need you.
1:06:07Passing by the man in the ditch
From the good Samaritan he admits how easy it is to be too busy getting ready to minister to stop for someone who is hurting. Many wear a mask at church and act like everything is fine, and he confesses that as a youth pastor he gravitated to the easy students and missed the ones who needed him most.
1:18:35Four friends who carried him
In Mark 2 a man sick of the palsy was healed because four friends broke up a roof to bring him to Jesus. Everyone needs people who will carry them, so he urges the church to join a connect group, the way Jesus gathered His twelve to talk things through.
1:31:37Choose to be a giver
The sheep did not even know they were serving Jesus; they were just being sheep. He says each person chooses to be a giver or a taker, reads Jesus' new commandment to love one another, and makes the whole room an altar to pray for eyes to see the hungry, the hurting and the lost.
1:43:46
In his words
“Sometimes we get in our little apostolic society and we get used to having church that we forget to be the church. What we're doing for others is being recorded in heaven.”
“There's two choices. We're either people that see the need to add value to others or people that want others to add value to us.”
“God help us to realize it's our responsibility to bring the lost into the house. It's our responsibility to not only see them but to carry them.”
Taken word for word from the video, with punctuation added.
Scripture
He reads
Matthew 25:31-40
31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
King James Version.
Matthew 25:45-46
45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
King James Version.
Mark 2:1-3
1And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. 2And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. 3And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
King James Version.
Mark 2:5
5When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
King James Version.
Mark 2:11-12
11I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 12And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
King James Version.
John 13:34-35
34A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
King James Version.
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