I’m super motivated tonight. I just listened to Eric Ludy’s message “The Band of Rescuers” and of course I was completely humbled and wrecked by it. Even more convicted, which just means the Lord just awakened me once more and with much more motivation this time. Since 12th grade of high school, the Lord has pressed on my heart mission work. Rescuing. Ever since then it is something that I cannot go a day without thinking and pondering and wondering when the Lord will call me back overseas. Especially at a hard time in my life right now as I’m waiting patiently to go, I ask myself “What can I do in the mean time to rescue God’s cast system?” (These are my notes).
If you haven’t heard of Eric Ludy. You better move your butt over to the ministry him and his wife and family are doing. Google “Ellerslie” and watch those short-films and sermons he posts weekly. Although he is human like all of us, he is a radical follower of Jesus Christ. For me, I’m tired of meeting people and even just BEING a “Christian” on the sideline. I want more. There is MORE and we know it. But we are so self-centered in our own little world in our own little house.
God’s cast system are the royalty. The world recognizes the royalty in an opposing view. God sees the weak, the lowly, the orphan, the widow, etc. He asks us to SERVE the royal. To RESCUE the royal.
Matthew 25: “…and the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, in as much as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethern, you have done it unto me.”
Eric’s boy asked him “What’s an orphan? What made them orphans? Can we bring them back here and have them live with us?” He was 3 1/2 years old. I’m completely blown away by what children see through their lens. Remember why God said the chosen and special ones are the children. This boy was willing to give up his very best for this little orphan he didn’t even know. Why do adults rationalize this? “Oh it costs so much to adopt, I don’t think God has called me to this, but they live so far away, I dont want more children…” Do we continually make excuses? But God has COMMISSIONED us to reach out! To a little child, there was no question about this. If a child doesn’t have a mommy and daddy, why wouldn’t we bring him home so the child could share his/her mommy and daddy?
The simplicity of a child sees what needs to be done, Eric says. Children see that injustice, they know something is wrong and want to fix it and it just doesn’t make sense we we adults wouldn’t do anything about it! WE NEED TO RETHINK THIS WHOLE THING.
So what is the solution? Adults, are we rationalizing and figuring out the details before we accept such a challenge? Adults, are we saying “yes I’m willing” or are we saying “others are called to this sort of thing, i’ll let someone else do it”. The SOLUTION IS OBVIOUS. Can’t we see it? It’s amazing how obvious it can be to a child. We need to stoop down and understand and listen to these children. The LORD works through them. These actions of Christians are so obvious but we make too many adult answers.
We need to give up our rights. Our rights to everything. In Mali, for a class we had to read a book that allowed us to rethink the rights we did have, we really don’t have anymore. For example: the right to a normal standard of living, the right to safety and security which we highly take for granted in the US, the right to privacy and our own time, and physical health and much more. But God asks us to submit these, and instead to be ready in our souls, minds, and bodies for whatever task lies ahead of us.
A Seeming Contradiction: are we saved by works or grace? No, we are not saved by either. We are saved by Christ’s blood alone, by the work on the cross. That was His grace to us. But we can go to heaven with receiving no blessings down on earth. Christ wants us to live life abundantly and to the FULLEST, not on the sideline as a “Christian”. The RESCUER lives in you. Not only Jesus living in you, but Jesus giving you the power, strength and HEART to rescue His cast system, His royalty. Yes I know this may be “inconvenient” to alot of us. Was the cross convenient to God though? Did He really want to leave His Mighty position in Heaven and lower Himself onto this earth? No, but He had to! It was the ONLY way. Christ EMBRACED the convenient.
Discipleship 101:
1. The Word of God must be our primary foundation to living.
2. The Gospel is the first work. We were rescued and filled with Christ.
3. Honor- to live as Jesus did as He lives in and through us.
4. Intercession is the rescue work, it is where we pour ourselves out, it is the INCONVENIENCE.
“Caring is evidenced in our behavior”. We can say we care that people are dying and going to hell, that the devil is swallowing up the cast system (the weak) faster than we can speak, but do we really care? We must act!
“Burden Me Lord, I am willing.”
In the army/military, there are 3 types of protection groups. They are all ordered to win and protect the weak though. The Advanced or Van Guard is in the front-line, they lead the troops, it is a difficult position, but it is significant. Secondly, the main or Middle Guard is the section where most of the soldiers are at. Thirdly, the Rear Guard protects the backside, or the weak.
Proverbs 31:8-9 says “Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” We are COMMISSIONED by GOD to take up the Rear Guard. If we take up the cause the enemy cannot defeat us. Satan’s mission is to destroy everybody, but he starts with the WEAK and the SLOW, the easiest prey.
WE WILL ALL GO TO THE WEAK BECAUSE OF THIS!
But remember, the body of Christ is about rescuing the weak, but we are also about more than rescuing the weak. The Church needs to be our body of TRUTH to stand in such terrible times. It has to live on God’s Word alone!
Remember, all to the glory of God.
“I’m the kind of person who sees owies and fixes them”, as Eric’s son said.
Three types of people:
1. We see owies and fix them.
2. We see owies and don’t fix them.
3. We cannot see other’s owies so we cannot fix them.
What sort are you? One or the other? A little bit of everything? We ought to learn from Job.
Don’t think someone else is going to do it. Who is? If we don’t, (“we” as in true followers of Christ), then who will. There aren’t many of us!!!!!
STAND NO MATTER WHAT. You shouldn’t have to stand alone, the Church of Christ is the body band of rescuers, but if no one else stands, YOU STAND ALONE.
We are BIG in this battle. God says so. But Satan says otherwise.
What are you gonna do now?
http://ellerslie.com/Eric_Ludy_Sermons/Entries/2012/1/15_The_Band_of_Rescuers.html
