I am amazed by the servant ministry of our church over the last several days. While we were all busy praying for and getting ready for Family Day and Parent Child Dedication last Sunday, our church family ministered to two families that had experienced the death of a loved one. Our ladies prepared food last week for 36 in one family and again prepared food for over 70 this past Wednesday afternoon. Both families were hosted and fed by our church family and greeted with the warmth and love of a caring church of believers in Jesus name. It was genuinely an outreach of compassion equal to what Jesus commissioned His church to do, “…whatever you do for one of the least of these my brethren, you have done unto me” (Matthew 25:40).
I am grateful for all those who cooked food, served tables, cleaned up after the meal, greeted our guests offering encouragement to over 100 people during their time of grief and loss. The Bible says that believers who pass away are ushered into the heaven where they have a place prepared at the “BANQUET TABLE” of the Lord, “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean was given her to wear. Then the angel said to me, Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’” (Revelation 19:7-8). There is no better way to minister to a family after the death of a loved one that to offer them a great meal to enjoy. I felt both last Saturday and this past Wednesday that our church had prepared food, set the table and offered the hospitality of the Lamb so that while people ate around the table in our church, those who had gone on to be with Jesus joined in. Let’s call it THE MINISTRY OF THE BANQUET TABLE.
Then we enjoyed fellowship and worship Sunday morning with 89 attending Sunday School and 184 present during worship. We dedicated and committed ourselves to assist parents and grandparents in raising children to follow and honor Christ. There were 10 families who participated in the dedication ceremony. The church was electric with the spirit of the Lord and the worship was genuinely an exaltation of Christ.
After reflecting all week on what happened this past Sunday, it seems to me that our ministry of compassion and care results in the continuing growth of our church family. Multitudes of people followed Jesus wherever he went, not because of what they could get out it, but because of what he gave freely to them. He gave them compassion (Matthew 9:36). He ministered to and healed their infirmities (Matthew 4:23). He preached the good news of the kingdom of God (Matthew 4:17). He fed the multitudes (Mark 6:30-44). When the ministry of our church looks like the ministry of Jesus, multitudes of people respond. Let’s keep on serving, preaching, and doing the things that Jesus did. When we do, the multitudes will show up.