The famous evangelist and Bible teacher, D.L. Moody, loved children and had a significant Sunday School program which he called “Mission Sunday School.” Moody desired to reach the lost youth of Chicago—the children with little-to-no education, less-than-ideal family situations, and those with poor economic circumstances. The Sunday School outgrew the converted saloon he was using as a meeting hall. As the group explanded, associates encouraged Moody to begin his church. Eventually, on February 28, 1864, the Illinois Street Church (now The Moody Church) opened in its building with Moody as pastor. Eventually, the D.L. Moody Bible Institute was established and flourishes still today.

In reflecting on his own life, however, and all that God accomplished through him, Moody said this: “If I could relive my life, I would devote my entire ministry to reaching children for God.” This man of God knew the impact of a young life changed and lived out for Christ and all that could accomplish. 

SERMON MANUSCRIPT

Some of you may be familiar with an evangelist and Bible teacher named D.L. Moody. Dwight L. Moody loved children and had a significant thriving Sunday school program which he called Mission Sunday School. Moody desired to reach the lost youth of the city: the children with little-to-no education, less-than-ideal family situations, and those with poor economic circumstances. The Sunday School outgrew the converted saloon used as a meeting hall. As the classes grew, associates encouraged Moody to begin his church. Eventually, on February 28, 1864, the Illinois Street Church (now The Moody Church) opened in its building with Moody as pastor. Eventually, the D.L. Moody Bible Institute was established in Chicago and flourishes today.

In reflecting on his own life, Moody said this: “If I could relive my life, I would devote my entire ministry to reaching children for God.” Why did Moody say that? He knew the impact of a young life changed and lived out for Christ and all that could accomplish. 

One of the most well-known accounts in Scripture is how much Jesus “Loves the Little children.” Consider Mark 10:13–16.

Whoever does not receive the Kingdom like a child will never enter it. This is an acknowledgement of God’s heart that all would receive him. Ever notice how trusting children are – how easily when you tell a child something, they believe you because they trust you? They do not think you would be kidding or tell them a lie. Children trust, And God wants us to trust him.

There is an openness and receptivity that children have. Faith in Christ must be received as a gift, and we know children love receiving gifts. There is not much else that excites a child about getting a gift for their birthday, Christmas or a surprise more than a gift. 

Vs 15 – I tell you the truth, anyone who does not receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. 

God desires for us to welcome him as adults like children do as children – with openness and excitement, and exuberance. Imagine for a moment the excitement of receiving Christ Jesus in the same way as a child receives a gift.

Jesus provides this insight for us and sets up our posture towards him.

In fact, 86 verses refer to Jesus loving little children, and 458 times children are mentioned in Scripture. That is more than something to be acknowledged; it is something to be studied and applied. IF children mean that much to God, they ought to mean that much to us.

You see, for children and families around our world in Low-Income countries, the reality of living in Poverty is all too real, and they have little to be excited about. Hopes and dreams are shattered just trying to live day to day to survive.

I am going to suggest today that…there is a Hope more powerful than poverty. 

And that Hope is the person of Jesus Christ. 

We’ll see an example of this lived out in Luke 10 this morning, but first, I want to introduce you today to a five-year-old boy named Muluken. 

Muluken’s life story intersects with MY story, orchestrating a series of God moments that have changed us. 

Muluken lives in Ethiopia, in a very poor city called Jimma, which is a 6 ½ drive outside the capital city of Addis Ababa. 

When I first saw Muluken, it was at a church service just like this. A volunteer got up to share about her visit to the DR, meeting her sponsored child. As I listened, I was drawn to every word and decided to sponsor him that September day in 2003.

This was just the very beginning of our story. 

*As I looked at all the children in need, I thought about our text this morning inLuke 10 – “The Parable of the Good Samaritan”

Read Luke Chapter 10: verses 25-37

Go and Do Likeside:

Sounds pretty simple, right? Is it? Let me ask you – Do you find it just that easy these days to “Go and Do Likewise”? Some say Yes, some say, “it’s more complicated than that,” and I understand. There is something inherent in you, and I, as a Christ follower who wants to extend a hand to help a person in need.

I don’t think I need to convince anyone here this morning what the scriptures say about helping those in need – it’s a significant biblical narrative. In fact, there are over 2000 references in the bible about the poor and the vulnerable and how to treat, care for and Love them.       

In fact, around here as a church, you Oakridge exist to: 

• Exalt our God 
• Equip the saints 
• Evangelize the lost 

3 points from this parable:

First, Go. Nothing happens unless we Go. It is an Action word. 

Not just head knowledge, but the application of that knowledge and living out our faith in action. *Jesus came to model mission and ministry- so that we can be equipped to Go and share his good news, Love God and Love our Neighbor. 

During his time on earth did you know that Jesus had the largest feeding program the world had ever seen? Feeding 5,000 or more at a time? – 5,000 in Matt 14, then another 4,000 in Matt 15? Is that why Jesus came to feed people physical food? Jesus didn’t come to feed people food, he came to share his message of salvation and reconciliation to him. So Why did he feed them? He fed them because he loved them, and they were hungry. He was fulfilling his own Great Commandment. Love God & Love Your Neighbor = Proclamation & Demonstration.

*So, What does Go look like? – It may look different for all of us – For some, it’s local, for some, it’s global, but for ALL OF US, it’s Go responding to needs and loving one another. Jesus gives the Good Samaritan parable so that we don’t get too comfortable at home watching church, as much as we need to be the church in Faith and Action.  At Compassion, our invitation is to become a missionary to one child in need through 1:1 relational sponsorship.

Second, Living out our faith includes a Stewardship component to it, a responsibility with all he has provided to us = The Good Samaritan that day gave 2 Denari to the innkeeper to take care of him, AND he would return and repay him any extra he also spent when he returned.   

So How much is 1 Denari? Anyone know? – (Pastors cannot answer).

(It’s a day’s wage), so 2 Denari is 2 days wages. This Good Samaritan gave two full days’ wage to a stranger in need. 

The Good Samaritan was minding his own business that day, walking along the Jericho road, when he came upon this stranger in need. 

*That first day I met Muluken from Ethiopia, he was a stranger to me, but not to the local church or to Compassion, and certainly not to our Lord. 

Third, Living out our faith, and fulfilling ministry, includes interruptions.   I’m sure even the Good Samaritan was busy that day. I’m sure he had plans, was going somewhere, and it was not convenient to stop and help at that moment. But isn’t that the point. 

This interruption is an example. We pray and ask Jesus to lead, guide and direct us, and he does that because he knows where and when the needs are greatest, we just have to be in a posture of listening, responding, Going and Doing Likewise.

What if Interruptions are really Invitations?

At Compassion Loving God and Loving your Neighbor, Living out “The Good Samaritan” example in a global context, in partnership with the local church, is what we believe is God’s plan. 

As a ministry, we exist to Release as many children as possible From Poverty in Jesus’ Name… and several of you have joined us in this mission to disciple and develop children through the global local church. We are grateful to you. Thank You, but were not done.  

I also recognize Compassion may be new to most of you, so allow me to share 3 distinctions that are important for you to know about us.

Compassion’s Distinctives – We are Christ-Centered, Child-Focused and Church-Driven – Why?

Christ-Centered meaning we Love the person of Jesus Christ, we value discipleship and evangelism. We believe that the Good News and Good Works work together to address poverty. Proclamation & Demonstration.

Child Focused meaning we love children as scripture has much to say about them. We know that each child is unique and made in the image of God. We help them identify their passions and talents, fostering their skills, providing resources so they can be equipped to overcome poverty. 

Church Driven meaning that the local church is God’s plan for humanity. We partner with globally local churches where Compassion children live. 

Children are Known, Loved, and Protected by people they know and trust in their local church. 

All of this is the culmination of strategically Releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name.

Every church partner – all 8,500 churches in all 27 countries. 

The global local church knows the names and faces of the children and their families.

Just like you, they know the community, and the context, and are uniquely positioned to Care for, Love, and Protect these children living in poverty, and it is why we partner and work so closely with them.

It costs $47 a month to live out this missional call to develop and disciple children like DL Moody did so that they can be equipped not only to survive but thrive. 

For me, living out the Good Samaritan Parable was fulfilled that day in September 2003 when I first started sponsoring Muluken. I began writing him letters, corresponding through Compassion, and getting to know him and his family. 

Over the next several years, Muluken was growing up, and his letters became so much more descriptive and engaging. He shared his favorite bible verses and told us that when he grew up he wanted to become an engineer – that was his dream.

My wife Sarah and I had a front-row seat to the changes in his life. 

We watched him grow up, and as Muluken was getting older, we had been sponsoring him for 15 years, he would soon graduate and complete his child development program through sponsorship. Sarah and I always wanted to visit him in person, and we had been praying for the Lord to provide an opportunity to go – but it seemed only a dream. 

One particular night after many years Sarah and I prayed one more time and began to realize and accept that a trip to meet Muluken seemed unlikely. We had supported and sponsored him for 15 years, watching him grow up, sharing bible verses, photos and letters, but trusted in the Lord that the investment we made would be all Muluken needed to live out his life, and be Released from Poverty, In Jesus name. And that would be enough.

It was just then that my wife Sarah received a confirmation email from her workplace. She had recently been nominated to go on a trip to Kenya and do some missionary work at a hospital. This email confirmed that she in fact was selected to go. This also meant that once Sarah completed her work in Kenya, I could fly to meet her, and we could together fly to Ethiopia to meet Muluken.

This prayer and dream was becoming a reality.

We booked our flights, began planning our portion of the trip, and submitted the visit request to Compassion. It was approved, and we were so excited that this trip was actually happening.

As we were getting ready for the trip, just Two weeks before, I received a call from Compassion. They had good news and bad news.

 Which news do you like to hear first?

Bad news – The bad news was that by the time we got there, Muluken would not be there…

 The Good News was, that is because he has been accepted into University, and will already be at Dire Dawa University 800 kms to the East. Muluken had been accepted to complete his under-graduate degree in engineering and Compassion also made plans to fly us there to meet him on campus to spend the day with him.  

*Engineering was Muluken’s dream, Visiting him was our Dream, and so God in his wisdom and timing decided to bless us both at just the right time. 

This 15-year span of time, This life-story for Muluken and us was about to become a reality. And so it did. We picked him up at the University, took him for lunch and spent the day together.

We reminisced over the many letters that we wrote back and forth over the years catching up. 

We laughed, cried and prayed together that day, and Muluken described his personal relationship with Jesus, and what that meant to him. He told us about growing up in Jimma. His mother, his father, his brothers and his sisters were all so proud of him to be the first in their family to go to University. 

*That day, Muluken asked us one very important question, which we will always remember.

He asked, “Why?” 

He wanted to know “Why” of all the children available, we chose to sponsor him?

I told him there’s a story in the bible called the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. Jesus tells us to help the stranger in need, To Go and Do Likewise.

 I told him I asked God that day while looking at his photo alongside so many others, who HE wanted me to sponsor, and HE chose you, not me.  I was following the scripture example given, and we encouraged him to “Go and Do Likewise.”  

 

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