JESUS WENT: To the Homes

Hi this is breathing welcome to the Salvation Army's words of life. Welcome back to words of life. I'm Cheryl Gillingham and I'm here again with my special guest cohost Tim Gillam welcome Tim were glad to hear again. It's great to be back last week we began a new Easter series with Maj. Luis Melendez in today's study. Luis is going to be looking at one moment in Scripture where Jesus visited someone's house and Luke chapter 7. In this study manageable and this is going to be discussing the importance of meeting in homes for learning from the heart of God by watching Jesus. Obviously this was very important right and so, especially during this pandemic that we've been going through and everything has shifted from the corporate worship. The way that we are used to doing it in our time. Really the heart of the home and having Bible studies and and meeting together in smaller groups has really been what we've been experiencing and what has been really fueling and propelling the church during these days, but you said something we've experienced in the last few weeks and last few months or so. Also, I think one of the highlights of our week is when we can get together with our small group called our tribe, which we are able to share intimately with each other and break open the word of God and prayed together, look up each other's concerns are distinct so vitally important, and we've even done that with our children in an electronic way zoom but the best was such an important part of our daily lives meeting in the small groups I held timely with with the pandemic going on. We know discipleship is really about relationship and so when we are able to meet in the small groups like that in our homes, whether virtually or however that's happening in our small groups. We really sense the father's heart and all of this regarding discipleship are regarding our walk together becomes a very special time that Lisa has for us.

I know and as we prayed with our children in our home.

Virtually, or even met with our close friends through our small group.

It's really been a special time of just walking this journey together in discipleship and following Jesus and so we really look forward to what Luis has to say to us through this Bible study this week.

We hope you're enjoying Lisa's messages and we pray that the blessing and not only to towns and villages including the synagogues to get a step further. Jesus entered the houses of Jesus went into the homes of many that invited in. So Jesus considered family, a place to visit. Like for example the household of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, home of some of his disciples, or even social events like weddings, the Gospels share many of these moments I will share few. The gospel of Matthew chapter 8 verse 14 when Jesus came into Peter's home. He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with fever, he touched her hand and the fever left her and she got up and began to wait on Luke chapter 4 verse 38 puts it this way.

Jesus left the synagogue and went to the house of Simon now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever and they asked Jesus to help her and you know what Jesus did he shield her so the gospel of Luke chapter 7 verse 36 has another story.

When one of the Pharisees named Simon invited Jesus to have dinner with him.

He went to the pharmacy's house and reclined at the table. In other words, he got comfortable because he had been invited was welcomed in the home and they had a place for Jesus at the table. Luke chapter 19 tells the story that Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through and a man was there by the name of Zacarias was a chief tax collector and was wealthy and wanted to see who Jesus was because he was short, he could not see over the crowd, so he ran a good and climbed a sycamore fig tree to see him since Jesus was coming that way when Jesus reached the spot he looked up and said to him, second is come down immediately. I must stay at your house today so he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

All the people saw this and began to motor he has gone to be the guest of a sinner.

What's amazing are the words Jesus said to him today salvation has come to this house because this man to is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost. Let me tell you something when Jesus enters the house.

The sick are healed. When Jesus enters the house needs are met when Jesus enters the house. Salvation is made available when Jesus enters the house, the dead are raised, yes even the dead and gospel in the gospel of Mark five Jesus enters the house of gyrus, whose daughter is David.

She had no life. She was just a corpse lying there, but Jesus took her by the hand and said to her little girl, I say to you, get up in the girl immediately came back to life. Ministry of hospitality by Jesus while on earth, Jesus went to the homes of many and provided for their needs. The invitation is still present today.

You may ask in house so will listen to what Jesus promises in Revelation chapter 3 verse 20 here I am, I stand at the door and I knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person and they with me.

We should do as Jesus did and knock at the door of homes to bring Jesus to offer salvation to share a testimony to fellowship to accompany a solitary individual to bring food to the poor to visit the sick to do a small group Bible study or prayer meeting community care ministries is a unit of the Salvation Army formed for the express purpose of providing a spiritual and social ministry to those in a community. It seeks to provide comfort and cheer and when possible, material assistance to those in need. This ministry also provides the hope of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said it this way. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I with them. So the question arises if Jesus went during his earthly ministry to houses, and enter the homes of many without discrimination and met the needs are you doing the same.

Are you going are you teaching and preaching and healing those in need in your communities are you going into homes with the blessing and presence of Jesus Christ himself, always following the example set before us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. While we do have a reality that we live in today. It's the circumstances that we know as covert, 19 pandemic and social distancing, and how can we connect and enter into the homes like Jesus did. So for quarantining isolation has created a longing for community and personal interaction with others you can provide the most nurturing and healthy form of community. For those seeking one can't quarantine the gospel. The nature of the gospel is such that it doesn't shelter in place, it spreads share the good news bring Jesus into the homes in the hearts of those in need.

Today, how can we do this call someone text people leave messages, leave a note on the door even if it's a sticky note offer and gather prayer requests use the online tools to communicate the gospel distribute war cries use social media to encourage and share your testimony utilize media based evangelistic platforms get creative with Facebook, and video apps and soon and Lifestream etc. etc. for the sake of entering the homes just like Jesus did. And with Jesus present with you as you do so, we must solidly step into the challenge of caring for the vulnerable and the sick. We must address the anxieties and fears of those ministering on the front lines of this epidemic and comfort those dealing with the loss of loved ones.

We must usher in the only one that can heal us, deliver us, restore us and save us, and that is Jesus. So I say to you, go and teach go and preach going witness go and make disciples going to heal goal where Jesus went go into the homes and provide the needs of those in your community.

Let me pray with Lord I thank you for the opportunity to share to share the reality of the gospel and to share the need to go to those places, like you went we went into many homes and you provided many needs, by the power of your Holy Spirit, open our spiritual eyes to see where we need to knock where we need to go and share the gospel and teach about Jesus and heal and provide the need. Thank you for being with us in your name we pray. The Salvation Army's mission doing the most good means helping people with material and spiritual needs to become a part of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army visit Salvation Army USA.org to offer your support and love to hear from you. Email us radio USS.Salvation Army.org. Call 1-800-229-9965 colitis PO Box 29972, Atlanta, GA 30359 tell us how we can help share prayer request or share your testimony. Would love to use your story on the air. You can also subscribe to our show on iTunes. Your favorite podcast store and be sure to give us a rating to search for the Salvation Army's words of life.

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