1SIGHTin

seeing god's heart

MARCH 2015

MARCH 2015

T h ree m ajo r missio n perspectives. . .

Hi Friend, Do Y o u Kn ow Him ?T h e impo rta nce of prayerlife

2SIGHTin

seeing god's heart

MARCH 2015

Editorial Board

Advisory Board: Viliamu Aufai

Aniyankunju K. K.

Chief EditorPastor Santhosh Joseph

EditorsBen Wilson

Vidya Santhosh

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3SIGHTin

seeing god's heart

MARCH 2015

T he parable of Good Samaritan is a classical narration told by Jesus in the New Testament (Luke 10: 25-37). It is found in the gospel of Luke only. We find this parable is a part of dialogue between Jesus and a lawyer. The lawyer asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit the eternal life. Jesus gave him the first table of the law: Love God with whole heart. Then He added the second table of the law: Love your neighbor as yourself. When the lawyer again asked Jesus to tell him who his neighbor is, He gave him the illustration of Good Samaritan.

The mission of God is all about eternal life through Jesus Christ. If so, this parable is an absolute example which portrays three major principals for a complete mission.

1. Reaching mission2. Receiving mission3. Restoring mission

T h ree m ajo r missio n perspectivesfro m t h e Pa ra ble of Go od Sa m a rita n

Pastor Santhosh Joseph

4SIGHTin

seeing god's heart

MARCH 2015

In the story of Good Samaritan, A Jew was attacked and robbed. He was left on the roadside with wounds. The priest and the Levite who passed by the wounded man did not do anything for him. But the Samaritan had cared for him. The whole humanity is attacked by sin and lay wounded on the road to hell. As true Christians, Jesus is our way and we are journeying against the hell to heaven. As we walk, we cant just ignore wounded ones on our way.

1. T h e Reachin g missio n - Luke 10: 30-33The verb reach means to stretch out or put forth. The first mission of the Good Samaritan was to reach the wounded man. But the religious people were reluctant to take care of the wounded man. To the Jews, faith seemed to be the product of reading the scriptures, worshipping in the temple and pious living. Therefore, Jesus caricatures the Priest and the Levite in the parable of Good Samaritan to show the futility of religious practices. Jesus was against the intellectual and religious spirituality. He showed practical spirituality throughout His life. In Jesus view, the journey to the temple does not take one to God. But straying from the way to the temple, and reaching the wounded man is the spirituality of Jesus.

In the book of Genesis, God was taking the initiative to reach out Adam and Eve when they sinned. The most important purpose of Jesus coming to the world was to reach the fallen humankind. Therefore the mission of God is to reach the sinners in spite of their caste, color, region, religion. The church is a divine community. It has the responsibility to be part of eternal plan of God to reach the sinners with the love of Christ. It is mainly a spiritual intervention of a believer to share the Gospel and win the souls. But it is also an act of rescuing humanity from the socio, economic, political and religious oppressive structures of the world. Jesus is concerned all the aspects of human life. He is not only interested in the religious life alone. He loves to take care of ones physical needs as well. Therefore the church must reach people with physical, economical and political needs.

2. T h e Receivin g missio n Luke 10:34 -35According to the Old Testament, priest and Levite is a mediator between God and man (Exodus 19:5-6). They are appointed by God to represent God to man. But both of them were interested only in the matters of ceremonial purity. They rejected to help the wounded

True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. It comes to see that an edifice which

produces beggars needs restructuring.Martin Luther King, Jr.,

5SIGHTin

seeing god's heart

MARCH 2015

man. They valued their opportunity to serve Gods temple more than they valued their obligation to serve the beaten and bloody man. The religious personalities did not find out the robbers to bring them under justice. Therefore the wounded man lost his human rights and social justice. The religious leaders were not able to help the helpless man with the law also. When ceremonialism meant more than humanity, the Godly character fails in us.

But the Good Samaritan was not satisfied with reaching the wounded man. He went over to him, poured oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. He could have gone after giving some first aid medicines. He put one more step that is to accept him with his wounds and helplessness. He put the wounded man on his own animal and took him to an inn. Accepting someone in his painful conditions require a Christ minded character. The wounded man was probably a Jew. The Jews and the Samaritans mutually hated one another. Jews will not use the same cups and bowls that Samaritans use (John 4: 7-9). But the Good Samaritan received him as he is. He was also ready to spend his time and health. He also spent the resources like medicines for wounds, donkey for carrying him to the inn, and money for taking care of him. Jesus too gave up all he had and took the nature of a servant (Phil 2: 6-11). Jesus gave up His life on the cross of Calvary to receive the fallen humanity in to the Kingdom of God. When we give up something for someone, we actually accept him. The receiving mission is very important. But it is not the final step of Good Samaritans mission.

3. T h e Rest o rin g Missio n - Luke 10: 35-37The Good Samaritans mission did not end by reaching and receiving the wounded man. His third step was to restore his life into the normal stage. The Good Samaritan took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. Take care of him, he told the innkeeper, and when I come back this way, I will pay you whatever else you spend on him. The Good Samaritan could do all these things because he took pity on him. Until we are filled with compassion and love, we cannot reach, receive and restore someone. If anyone says I love God yet hates his

The restoring mission has two dimensions.

They are spiritual and physical. A man needs

to have spiritual restoration of salvation.

Men also need to have physical restoration.

It is to bring out the marginalized and

downtrodden people out of injustice and

social discriminations in the world.

6SIGHTin

seeing god's heart

MARCH 2015

brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20). The beauty of Christ- centered life is in loving others as ourselves. I believe that love is not an emotion but an action. Love cannot stay in the heart, it always wants to transform in to an action to help the fellow-human. In this parable love for Jesus means that meeting the wounded mans need. When we love God we can see only the affliction and agony of our neighbor. In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.

The Good Samaritan might have felt that he had done his duty when he deposited the wounded man at the inn. But he remained with him, inconvenienced himself by delaying his journey, and cared him throughout the night. It was not all what Good Samaritan could do to the man. The wounded man had been robbed, and had no money with him. Therefore, before continuing journey, he left two silver coins with the innkeeper. Then he promised that when he returns he would reimburse for any extra expenses the wounded man might have it.

The restoring mission has two dimensions. They are spiritual and physical. A man needs to have spiritual restoration of salvation. Men also need to have physical restoration. It is to bring out the marginalized and downtrodden people out of injustice and social discriminations in the world. Restoring mission is the dream and desire of God. The Bible says, Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly, defend the rights of the poor and needy. Thats where you really love God (Pro 31:8-9). Jesus stops this parable with a strong statement that Go and do likewise. Is this still sound in your heart? Then Go and do likewise.

The Christian mission is complete when the world church is united to apply this threefold (reach, receive and restore) strategies in world mission today.

7SIGHTin

seeing god's heart

MARCH 2015

Hi Friend, Do You Know Him?Friend, do you know the One hanging on that cross is the OneWhose birthday the world celebrated three months agoThey thought of cruelly ridding the world of HimKnowing not the world will be saved by Him

Everyone, except his killers, knows He is not worthy of thisHe always did good things that pleased the Father and allHe healed the sick, fed the hungry, raised the deadHe made the lame walk, the blind see, the deaf hear

K. C. Joseph

8SIGHTin

seeing god's heart

MARCH 2015

He loved, taught to love, not hate, even the worst enemiesRe-interpreted the Law - to obey not its letter but the spiritHated, exposed and opposed hypocrisy of the religious leadersAnd the people saw the real light of life, the light of God in him

The community leaders and elders grew jealous of himThey captured him and awarded him with capital punishmentThe human government approved and oversaw his executionKnowing not they were mere instruments, fulfilling eternal divine plan

Two hours before this they heard him cry from the crossFather, forgive them for they know not what they do.Even today many do not know what they do by rejecting himMy friend, I wish you are not one among them

He cried again from the cross, My God, my God,why have YouForsaken me? when the load of the whole worlds SinPressed him so heavily down as he agonised in pain and anguishNo answer came, as God turned his face away from him

They heard him say to the repented criminal on his side,I tell you the truth, today you shall be with me in paradise.Its never late to repent and seek him even in the eleventh hourSalvation comes instantaneously as he is ever near to everyone

Dont you know hes the One who made all the worlds water sources? Yet he cried out from the cross, I thirst in desperationDont you know hes the One who made sweet grapes and all juicy fruits?Yet they offered him bitter gall to quench his thirst, but he couldnt

To his mother he spoke from the cross, Dear woman, heres your son.To his dear disciple he said, Heres your mother, and she was taken homeThis you know my friend, he still wishes everyone everywhere cared forThis he still does: restores broken hearts, broken homes, broken lives

Later, knowing its all over, he cried out from the cross, Its finished.Leaving nothing undone, what his Father had asked of himLeaving nothing incomplete, what he came to accomplishLeaving nothing behind for man to do to make salvation complete

Finally from the cross he said, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.For no one could take his life, he offered it voluntarilyFair it is, he gave his life back to God from whom he came downFriend, take him to your heart and his life is yours today.

9SIGHTin

seeing god's heart

MARCH 2015

Intimacy with God should be our prime and highest goal. How can we make an intimate relationship with God? Through prayer alone we can make it. God loves to have us approach Him as His children, expecting Him to hear and to answer, and He loves to have us call Him our Father. It makes the relationship more real in our minds too.

The goal of prayer is to know God. Prayer actually means communication between man and God. Through prayer we can touch Gods heart. All through scripture God has worked in miraculous way to rescue His children and to answer their prayers. When we pray fervently God would come down to work for us. If we want to lead a very good Christian life we should pray well. Prayer is the backbone for a Christian. We can pray for anything and everything, and if it is a genuine ask, God works for us. God loves to give us everything that we need. He wish to work for His children. As we are children of God, we should ask our needs to our Father God in prayer. Then we can experience His blessings in every aspect of our life- spiritual, physical and material blessings.

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T h e impo rta nce ofprayerlife

Vidya Santhosh

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SIGHTin

seeing god's heart

MARCH 2015

We can pray for:

1. Forgiveness of sins: In our day to day life, we commit so many sins knowingly and accidently. Our thinking, relationship with our brothers and sisters, our talks, our deeds may have some problems and it may be wrong in the sight of the Lord. So, we should pray to God to forgive our sins and when we confess, He will surely forgive us.

2. Deliverance from troubles: We live in a world where we face a lot many troubles. We should go through troubles. Deliverance from troubles can happen only when God works. So how can God stand to deliver us from troubles? Through prayer we can ask God to deliver us from all troubles. When we pray God works and He deliver us from all our troubles.

3. Personal healing: Sometimes we need physical as well as mental healing. When we are physically ill, we rush to consult a doctor and it may work out. But if our mind is ill, nobody can heal it except God. God alone works for our complete healing. Bible says, when we pray for each other, we may be healed. Therefore, for our healing we should pray God, and He will heal us completely.

4. Material blessings: In this world, people always look for material blessings such as good house, valuable dresses, cars and other household things. Bible says like this when we ask God, He would surely gives us good gifts according to His will and wish.

5. Divine wisdom and revelation of Word: God gave us unique talents and gifts. Some people may excel in singing, preaching, writing and so on. Some may not have capacity to do so. But God says, if anyone lack wisdom, should ask God in prayer, He would give us wisdom. He will surely reveal us His Word.

6. Souls of men: In Jesus great commission, He asked us to preach His word and to win the lost souls for His nation. This world does not allow all of us to reach the unreached with the love of Jesus by public means. But all of us can pray for the unreached people to be reached with Jesus love. Prayer is the first step to win the lost souls. Praying for souls will not go in vain. One or the other day, they will come to know Jesus love and Salvation.

7. Holy life: The people of this world are leading a sinful life. As children of God, we should lead a holy life. As we live in this sinful world, we may tempt to do sins. But with the help of Holy Spirit we can overcome all temptations. We must try our level best not to commit sins. Living a holy life is one of the most important things to lead a Christian life.

God knows what counsel to give us in every situation and He longs to point the way for us. Therefore, we should pray God to guide us in every aspect of our lives. When we work, we just work, but when we pray, God works. That is why prayer life is important for a Christian.

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God knows what counsel to give us in every situation and He longs to point the

way for us. Therefore, we should pray God to guide us in every aspect of our lives.

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SIGHTin

seeing god's heart

MARCH 2015