“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. —10 And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? —-11 And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?—-12 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”
Offering Song
Spiritual people make a difference in the lives of those around them. Ex: Jesus spoke… To the woman at the well. — John 4 ( Salvation , renewed hope ) Jesus touched Peter’s mother in law… And the fever left her. ( healing ❤️�� )
Paul and his team spoke to Lydia at the riverbank—- God opened her heart ♥️ A. Believe you can make a difference. Pray for them. Witness to them. Invite them. Pray with them for healing, salvation, the Holy Spirit. B. There are many unchurched Christians that need to be restored. C. Love restores. It does not condemn. D. If we are spiritual, we look for opportunities to connect and reconnect people to Jesus. E. Meekness – gentleness, humility. F. We don’t act like we are perfect, remembering we too can fail. G. Get close enough to people to help carry their burdens. H. Being truly spiritual shows in our actions. Do the little things that help people feel loved. James 2:14-17 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? —-14 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, —-15 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? —-16 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.—17
II. Love brings people to Jesus. Rom 2:4 …the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
The Holy Spirit —- points to one sin John 16:8-9 8 ——-And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me.——-9 1 Peter 3:15 TLB Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord, and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way.
III. We who are spiritual bring salvation, healing; love and hope to those who are lost and hurting. Luke 15:11-32 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 11 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. 12 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 13 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 15 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. —-16 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!—— 17
I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, —18 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 20 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ —21 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. —-22 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; —-23 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. ——24 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. ——25 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. —-26 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’ ——27 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. ——29 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ ——30 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. —-31 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”——32 A. We represent the Father who receives His lost son. B. We are not the bitter son who had it all but did not enjoy or appreciate it.
C. We rejoice over everyone who gets help from God.