Homelessness

The Crew (sorry bad pic but left clockwise around the table.. Morgan Staloch, Audrey Sebastian, Rachel Abercrombie, Dale Nelson, Luke San Hamel, Jacob Peterson, Colby Kornoelje, and Josh Miller)

For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison; and you came to Me'.

Matthew 25:35-36

You know it's amazing when you start to ponder the fact that Jesus our King emptied himself took on the form of a bondservant (Phil 2:7) and allowed himself to be homeless for the three years of his ministry (Luke 9:58)!!  The King who lived in a palace was born in a stable, he who walked on streets of gold in heaven allowed himself to become a street person on earth!!  Astounding.... For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake he became poor (2 Cor.8:9). 

Is it any wonder that Jesus had such an appeal and following from the down and out in society.  He knew exactly what they were going through from the standpoint of His omniscience but also from the fact that he was under the same living conditions!  He knew what is was like to go without:  house, bed, pillow, good night's sleep, sometimes food.... He knew by knowledge and by experience.  He is our great High Priest and he was made like his brethren in all things (Heb 2:17).  Put very simply Jesus has a heart for the poor!!!  

This month in our D-Groups is Serve Month.  We serve because Jesus served us=  He who came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many (Matt 20:28).  The pic above was taken from earlier in the year where we put a towel around our waist and went and served the homeless of downtown Minneapolis.  We were armed with 8 large pans of ribs (what we thought would last 2 hrs went in 30min), clothes from the clothing closet, and the love of Christ in our hearts.  It's pretty cool when your entire hope in doing this is to see someone's life changed and then at the end the people really transformed was US...............It truly is a blessing to serve people!!