Churches We Can Do Better‼️

No one should go without food, shelter or help.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
You are listening to Crosstalk nine one one. I'm Pastor
Laurie and today's sermon, it's coming straight from my heart,
and it's a sermon that needs to be heard nationwide, worldwide,
to every single church that has their doors open. The

(00:22):
church must rise, and it's a call to action for
the least of these. So here's a scripture reading in
Matthew chapter twenty five, verses thirty five through forty, and
Jesus says, for I was hungry, and you gave me
something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me

(00:44):
something to drink. I was a stranger and you invited
me in. I need a clothes and you clothed me.
I was sick and you looked after me. I was
in prison and you came to visit me. Truly, I
tell you, whatever you did for one of the least
of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Church, family, friends, acquaintances,

(01:15):
anyone who listens to this sermon. We are living in
a time where our priorities are backwards. We pour millions
of dollars into stage lights, fog machines, coffee bars, and
bigger buildings, while right outside our doors. People are starving,
sleeping in tents, battling addiction, and suffering with untreated mental illnesses.

(01:43):
The Church is called to be the body of Christ.
And if Christ walked this earth today in the flesh
and blood, he would not be sitting in the front
row of a megachurch admiring the lights. No, no, no,
He would be sitting on the curb beside the homeless man,
touching the attict who's been rejected, and restoring the dignity

(02:06):
of the woman who has lost everything. So here is
the question, are we the Church truly reflecting Christ? Or
have we grown too comfortable? Jesus came for the oppressed
and the broken, and Luke Chapter four, verse eighteen, it says,

(02:31):
the spirit of the Lord is upon me because he
has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the
oppressed free. Jesus didn't come for the wealthy, the powerful,

(02:52):
or the comfortable. He came for the poor, the broken,
the addictedly ill, and the rejected. If we are his disciples,
we must walk where He walked, touched who he touched
and loved who he loved. The church is neglecting its

(03:15):
true mission. We have megachurches with megabudgets, while homelessness, hunger,
and mental illness grow worse in our communities. Nationwide, millions
are spent on things that entertain believers, while people made
in God's image are treated as disposable and James chapter two,

(03:40):
verse fifteen through sixteen, it says, suppose a brother or
a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one
of you says to them, go in peace, keep warm
and well fed, but does nothing about their physical needs,
What good is it? What good is our worship? If

(04:03):
we ignore the suffering right outside our doors? What would
Jesus have us do? In all the churches in this nation,
especially the megachurches? Band together, we could build homeless communities

(04:27):
with safe housing, not bulldoze their only home they're tents.
Provide food and clothing without condition. Create educational and job
training programs so people can regain their independence and dignity.
Fundamental health and addiction recovery centers. Root it in compassion

(04:49):
and Christ's healing power. This is not optional. This is
the command of Christ. In John chapter twenty one, seventeen
records Jesus words to Peter, feed my sheep. He wasn't
just talking about spiritual food. He was commanding care for
the whole person. Judgment begins with the church and one Peter,

(05:15):
Chapter fourteen, verse seventeen. It says, for it is time
for judgment to begin with God's household. When we stand
before the Lord, he will not ask how big our
buildings were, how great our worship team sounded, or how
polished our programs looked. He will ask did you feed me?

(05:35):
Did you clothe me? Did you visit me? Did you
love me? In the least of these church family and friends,
we must repent for neglecting Christ's by neglecting the poor.
I call every church to rise, every person to rise.

(05:57):
Brothers and sisters. This is the moment for the church
to rise. We cannot wait for the government to fix homelessness, addiction,
and mental illness, even though it is truly their responsibility
as well to take part in the solution. All of
us we are the hands and the feet of Jesus.

(06:20):
The question is not can we? The question is will we?
Will we trade comfort for compassion? Will we open our
wallets as well as our hearts. Will we stop entertaining
the saved and start reaching the lost. Because Jesus is clear,
whatever you did for one of the least of these,

(06:41):
you did to me. Church. It's time to stop building
empires and start building people. It's time to stop hoarding
wealth and start healing hearts. It's time to feed his sheep.
We can do better. We must do better.