“By the Wayside” | Sunday AM | Tyler Moss

Matthew 25, verse 37 says, Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry and fed thee, or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

Matthew 25:37

When saw we thee a stranger and and took thee in, or naked and clothed thee, or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee?

And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as you have done it unto the one of the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto me.

I want to speak to you from this title by the wayside.

By the wayside.

Every principality, every distraction, and everything that would come to stop this service.

And God, I pray that you will lose your spirit and your power and anointing over this place.

And that every ear would hear and every eye would see, and that every heart would be open to this word, that every word spoken, God, would go and not return void.

But God, let there be an increase, God.

Let it be on good ground in my heart, Jesus, so I can receive and respond to what you're calling us to do today.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

You may be seated.

Matthew 25 gives us the picture of responding to people's needs.

This group of scriptures in Matthew 25 is speaking directly to the sheep and to the goats.

And those who obeyed the voice of their king.

And he calls out the challenge for the sheep and the goats as a symbolism of who are those who will be able to respond to the love and the spirit that is drawing them to reach out to those who are on the wayside.

He says in these scriptures before, I was hungry and you gave me meat, I was thirsty and you gave me drink.

I was a stranger and you took me in naked and you clothed me, I was sick, and you visited me, I was imprisoned and you came unto me.

And he challenged them, who are they?

Who are the people that we need to do this to?

Those who are the least of these.

And those who are the least of these, if you've done it to them, you have done it unto me.

And it's the least of these that becomes the challenge for most.

Because it's the least of these that may be broken, it's the least of these that may be hurt, it's the least of these that may be dirty, it's the least of these that may not have the greatest of reputation.

But God did not call us to save the righteous, but God called us to save the sick and to go to the hurting and to the broken and to the hungry and the thirsty, because that's what's us.

We were just like they were.

We were just like they were.

Amen.

Ministry is not primarily about position, recognition, or applause.

Ministry is about serving people.

Our character, our passion, our priorities become visible when someone interrupts our plans.

But sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is stop what we are doing and help someone.

If I have to be interrupted to minister to someone, lead somebody to Christ, pray with someone, or meet a need, so be it.

If I have to interrupt my day and my schedule, my plans to meet someone who is hungry and thirsty, so be it.

Because as a church, we all like schedules, we all like routines, and our culture has really set us on schedule for we don't like disruption in that.

We like everything to be done a certain way.

And if you're a particular person who likes things done a certain way, it might be irritating for someone to come and interrupt what you're doing for the day.

We all like knowing what's next, but the lost rarely arrive on our schedule.

The hurting person may show up in the hallway, the workplace, the school cafeteria, right in the middle of what we thought was our important moment.

The question is not simply, what am I doing for God?

The question is, who am I reaching for God?

Jesus paints us a nice picture of some different personalities that some of us may have or had, but an example of a man called the Good Samaritan.

Luke 10, 30 through 34 says, and Jesus answering his disciples said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.

He fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment.

Can you put that picture up as I'm saying these scriptures, please?

The title slide.

I want you to think about this as I'm reading this.

Stripped him of everything.

Wounded, beat up, departed him, leaving him dead.

Half dead.

He probably felt like he was dead.

And by chance there came down a certain priest that way.

And when he saw him, he passed by the other side.

A priest.

And likewise a Levite, when he was at that place, came and looked on him and passed on the other side.

I can't imagine how he must have felt seeing the people that could have helped him just pass him by.

But a certain Samaritan, who no one would want to associate with, led by example.

As he journeyed, came where he was.

And when he saw him, he had compassion on him.

This man who was helpless went to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

A man is beaten, stripped, wounded, left half dead.

A priest sees him, a Levite sees him, and the only person that stopped was a Samaritan man.

Three people saw the need, but only one allowed compassion to change his plans.

The priest.

The priest represents someone who knows the religious system, has responsibilities, serves regularly, and may be respected by others.

Yet when he sees a broken man, he chooses the other side of the road.

He saw the need, but he did not respond to the need.

The appointment became too important than the person.

His position became more important than having compassion.

And if ministry becomes more important about the things we do than the people we reach, we have missed the heart of ministry.

If people passed you by and didn't feel a tug or a sensitivity to how you are hurting and how you were feeling, and the doubt that you have and the hunger you felt, you may not be here today.

James 127 says this pure religion and undefined before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherless and the widows and their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

You want to minister then get into the lives of the people around you.

Without your witness, your worship will become empty because the people need you.

They need your voice, they need your light, they need the strength, they need the spirit that's inside of you.

You have more power and more authority than you know of.

Because the Bible says that you have power over all the enemy.

Nothing can come against you, nothing can take away the words and the testimony that you have.

It is so powerful.

The Levite.

The Levite represents the worshiper.

He's prepared, he's involved.

Focused on giving God praise and working in the temple.

These are the responsibilities of the Levites to help prepare the temple.

Later on, they became those who helped lead in worship.

Worship is powerful, amen, and it is important.

But worship cannot become an excuse to ignore the person God has placed in front of you and in front of me.

We become more uh focused on your worship and what people think about you, and not about reaching the lost.

You have missed the point of living for God.

We are not healed and redeemed and set free by the blood of Jesus and baptism and filled with the Holy Ghost and say, okay, I'm good.

No, it is now your burden and responsibility, and go and be the light into this lost and dying world.

God has called all of us.

He did not give you the spirit so that you have a free access ticket to the kingdom of heaven.

But the kingdom of heaven is exemplified.

It is shown by the way we live and how we act and how we behave.

Amen.

Matthew 15, 8 through 9 says, and quotes Isaiah 29, 13.

It says, These people honor me with their lips.

And he was talking about the Pharisees.

These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

They worship me in vain.

Their teachings are merely human rules.

When we don't live what we teach, it is nothing but human rules.

When we don't live what we believe, all it has become is a list of rules.

Because if we don't have an outward transformation of the work of God in our lives, we've got a heart problem.

Because I get it.

I was that way too.

We get it, and we're like, okay, we're good.

Now we don't have to mess with everybody else because I've already done everything I can do.

But then it doesn't become about you anymore.

It's about becoming a minister, about being selfless and reaching out to others, not washing other people's feet literally, although you may feel that to do so at some point.

But it's about surrendering your heart and a humble spirit, like we have talked about over the last few weeks to serve people.

It's not about me.

Worship is about God.

We can give God glory while telling somebody what God has done for us.

If someone is in need of something, we should be willing to respond, even if it interrupts our plans, even if it interrupts our day.

I remember the other day uh uh the boys were we were working out and the boys were outside playing, and and I I see these two young men down the street with white shirts on and they have these black badges uh from the Latter-day Saint church.

I I love talking to the Latter-day Saint church because they all want to always want to talk.

And I love that.

So I'm not gonna have an issue about talking to him about God.

Amen.

But you have to be able to respond to be willing to take the time out of your schedule.

If God presents a door to you right in front of you, you have the opportunity.

Don't walk away in fear.

Uh go back and listen to Brother Thornhill's uh lesson, and you can learn more about that.

But we cannot become so focused on ourselves that you miss the cry of the hurting on the side of the road because they're calling by the wayside.

And if we are just gonna walk on by, we're gonna be like that.

Levite and that priest who ignores this man, this problem.

He's I don't have time for you right now.

We can't be like that, it's not about us, it's about the kingdom of God being preached to the lost and dying world.

The Samaritan man, he has compassion that moves.

He did not merely notice the man or combined, kind of look at him.

He moved toward him.

He had compassion, went to him, bound his wounds, cared for him, carried him, paid for his continued care at the hotel where he dropped him off and made sure that he was taken care of.

Sometimes it's about not going, not just doing what you think you should do, but going beyond that, doing more, to show compassion, to be selfless.

He was willing to be interrupted, he was willing to get involved, he was willing to spend what he had, he was willing to risk inconvenience and discomfort.

I'm sure he smelled, I'm sure he was dirty, I'm sure he was sweaty, I'm sure he was bloody.

But that's how people's souls look like in this world.

And if we don't have the confidence in the spirit and we don't have the boldness, you know what?

You need to come to the altar today and pray through and get refilled with the Holy Ghost and get that desire and that conviction for the lost again.

He looked beyond the outside and saw a hurting soul.

Compassion is not just feeling something for somebody, but compassion moves us toward them to meet the need.

That's why love has to become action.

1 John 4, 20 through 21 says, if any man say I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar.

That means if you have an issue with your brother or you have hate in your heart, every time you lift up your hands, it is vain unto God because you hate somebody else.

You cannot love God and hate your brother at the same time.

I didn't say that.

That's what the word says.

If you have an issue, you need to pray and ask God, why did you write that down?

It's probably because it's for you and for me.

I'm just speaking from the heart here.

For he that loveth not his brother whom you have seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?

And this commandment, this isn't a suggestion.

This commandment we have from him that he loveth God, loves his brother also.

That every time you lift up your hands, every time you pray, every time you read, I gotta say, Lord, I have an issue.

God help me love like you do.

If I've got an issue, I gotta humble myself and ask God to remove it from my life.

Because I don't want anything to hinder not only his plan for me, but if you're a leader of your home, it can hinder your house, it can hinder your children.

You don't want that in your home.

It's a commandment from him.

We cannot say we love him and remain indifferent to people.

We should not be afraid to get involved because something is messy, someone is broken, or someone is struggling.

If we are constantly falling because of someone else's sin, we need to let God work in us.

Who's the example here?

The spirit that's inside of you or the strong influence of sin on someone else's life over you.

We got to be confident in the work of God in our lives.

We can't let those things allow us to stop loving people.

We have to look beyond the outside.

We have to hear the call of those calling on the wayside who are hurting and hungry and beaten and need someone to show them the way.

And he asked us directly when he asked Peter, John 21, 15 through 17, he asked Peter three separate times, do you love me?

Because we know what happened three other times that Jesus said he would do before the cock crow the the rooster crowed.

What did he do?

He denied him three times.

So he's like, alright, do you love me?

He asked him three times.

I mean, can you imagine like someone asks you over and it's like, I said I loved you.

But he wanted to make sure that he was serious about that love.

Because we can say we love somebody, but if love is not followed up by action, do you really love them?

Spouses don't look at each other.

No, you should.

But he connects his love for him with feeding his lambs and his sheep.

If you love me, feed my sheep.

This is the bridge from compassion to mission.

Jesus does not leave Peter with a feeling, he gives him a responsibility.

The same way he gives us a responsibility.

We should be honored that he trusts in us enough.

I'm not that intelligent, I don't have great words, eloquent words.

Sometimes I hear someone say something like, Man, I gotta look that up in a dictionary because I have no idea what that means.

But he gave me responsibility.

If you love him, feed his lambs, feed his sheep.

Reach the hurting.

If you love him, share what we has done for you.

What has he done for you?

And because there's a harvest, there are people that are hurting, calling out.

Who's gonna respond to the call?

Romans 10, 14 through 15 says, How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?

How shall they believe in him whom they have not heard?

How shall they hear without a preacher?

This is he's talking to the Church of Romans.

If he was wanting to talk to a distinct preacher or pastor, he would have said their name.

He's like, who's gonna preach the word?

Are you gonna do it?

Preaching is not a title up here, preaching is just what we do.

Whether it's with a mic on the side of the road, on a corner, in your office, and Bible study, and one on one conversation, that's preaching the word.

You don't have to have a loud, booming voice.

You have the authority of the Holy Ghost to preach and teach the gospel.

Amen.

My voice is going out, it's not.

Booming.

But I want God to use me so someone can hear the gospel being preached.

You may not have eloquent of speech, but didn't he call you?

He called Moses.

He's like, giving all these excuses, but I called you Moses.

What do you have?

I'll use whatever you got.

He even had grace upon him and told his uh Aaron to help him.

And that wasn't such a good idea later, but he redeemed himself.

How shall they preach except they be sent?

God calls us to go.

As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things.

These are good things.

There are people who will never walk through our doors unless somebody first reaches them where they are.

You've got to go to where they are.

They're not all gonna come to you.

You can have the biggest smile on your face and wave.

Everybody does that at work.

I've seen so many come by me and say, Hey, how you doing?

Hey, how you doing?

I'm like, this is getting boring.

One day I'm gonna be like, my day is terrible.

Just to see if they'll change.

You know how everyone says, can't wait till Friday.

Almost Friday.

One time I said, almost Monday, and they just turned around, like, what?

Just so I could change it, so I can get their attention.

But you gotta go to where they are.

You've got to be sensitive.

You've got to be go walking in the spirit, like we have talked about before, being sensitive to people around you.

A word must be preached, a gospel must be proclaimed.

Why not me?

Why not you?

Lord, here I am.

Use me.

Like he says in Isaiah.

We must not be afraid to say something.

We must be confident in God to help us.

Isaiah 41, 10 says, Fear thou not, for I am with thee.

Be not dismayed, for I am thy God, and I will strengthen ye.

Yea, I will help ye.

I will uphold thee with my right hand of my righteousness.

Amen.

We can be confident in what He has called us to do.

We encourage one another, we pray for one another, we go together, but we have to trust the Spirit of God to lead us.

Amen.

If you got filled with the Holy Ghost, you have to trust that even though it may seem uncomfortable for you, it may seem out of place for you, God's gonna help you, anoint you, strengthen you, and you will see that God's gonna use you to bless somebody.

I think you should all be inconvenienced this week.

I'm gonna pray that God will send you the most annoying person possible.

And next Sunday I want you to come be like, Tyler, you look what you did.

Just so that God can interrupt your schedule so that you can reach out to somebody.

Amen.

We all have different ways of doing it, we all have different talents and abilities, but if you don't use the things that God has given you and answer the call and have compassion to those on the wayside, what is the point?

I don't know about you, but if you're living your life purposeless and you're just sitting and just waiting for God to return, your life is gonna make you miserable.

Because now you're not living out purpose.

You're gonna be, well, why do I feel so antsy?

Why do I feel so aggravated?

Because you're not doing the call of God.

If you're waiting and you need to go do something, then you better go to the HTB and just walk around the aisles, pretending to get groceries, and just interact with people.

I don't know what you need to do, but you gotta be doing something for the kingdom of God.

If you lack purpose, talk about Jesus.

If you don't have a job and you're waiting on someone to call you, go to the store and talk about Jesus.

Go walk in the park, make purpose of your life.

God is calling you to fulfill his mission, but who's gonna answer the call?

Amen.

And Matthew 25 talks about the sheep and the goats.

Matthew 25, his words, Jesus' words, force us to look outside of ourselves.

The issue is not whether we can fill a schedule, complete a ministry assignment, or have a powerful worship service.

The issue is where the love of Christ is reaching out, reaching to people through us.

The repeated question in this about the sheep and the goats is what they did or what they failed to do for those in need.

We talked a lot about heaven and hell this month.

And the difference between the sheep on the right and the goats on the left, it says in the scripture, the goats on his left side is that then they will go away to internal judgment.

The goats who chose not to do what God had called them to do.

It says they will go away to internal punishment.

Brother Jared mentioned it today that the Bible says that those will come to me saying, Lord, Lord, didn't we do all these things in your name and pray in your name and cast out demons in your name?

He said, Yeah, but I never knew you.

You have the authority to me use my name, but where's the relationship here?

Are you doing what you called what I called you to do?

Are you loving people?

Are you reaching out to others?

Are you saving a soul?

But the righteous, the sheep, he says he gave to eternal life.

So the only thing I can pull from this is that we must be the sheep who answer his call.

We gotta be the sheep who respond, respond to the voice of those who are on the wayside, who are calling out, who are hurting and thirsty, who need what we have to give them.

But you can't walk away from what God is calling you to do because He requires us to put our faith into action.

Can we all stand this morning?