I'd Rather See a Sermon

October 21, 2016

I'd Rather See a Sermon

Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you.

1 Thessalonians 2:9

Reading Paul’s description of his life in Thessalonica I am reminded of Saint Patrick and his missionary journey to Ireland. When Patrick was about sixteen he was abducted from his home in Great Britain by Irish pirates and taken into slavery in Ireland. Six years later he escaped and returned to his homeland. Patrick entered into the priesthood and later returned to Ireland where he is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Actually, his work in Ireland spilled over and brought revival to Great Britain.

Patrick’s work in Ireland was modeled after Paul’s missionary journeys. He became one with the Irish people and shared life with them, and he invited them to share in his life. This relationship evangelism had a profound impact in the first century world of Paul and the fifth century world of Patrick. Relationship evangelism can have just as profound an impact on our twenty-first century world!

Every disciple of Jesus has been called to the vocation of making new disciples. We would do well to follow the examples of Paul and Patrick and invest ourselves into the lives of others.

I'd Rather See A Sermon

Edgar A. Guest

I'd rather see a sermon

than hear one any day;

I'd rather one should walk with me

than merely tell the way.

The eye's a better pupil

and more willing than the ear,

Fine counsel is confusing,

but example's always clear;

And the lecture you deliver

may be very wise and true,

But I'd rather get my lessons

by observing what you do;

For I might misunderstand you

and the high advice you give,

But there's no misunderstanding

how you act and how you live.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.