THE WORLD IS MY PARISH

SPECIAL NOTE: Today, March 29, 2023 marks the 24^th anniversary of this SOUND BITES Ministry. It was begun in memory of our son, Dustin, who had died from a brain tumor on this date the previous year (1998). Since the beginning of SOUND BITES 5569 quotes, including today’s, have been sent out to our e-mail subscribers or Facebook followers or Blog readers around the world.

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, once said, “I look upon all the world as my parish; thus far I mean, that, in whatever part of it I am, [it is my] duty to declare unto all that are willing to hear, the glad tidings of salvation. This is the work which I know God has called me to; and sure I am that His blessing attends it.” (From Wesley’s journal entry on 11 June 1739)
 
As we continue through Lent, let today’s SOUND BITES quote speak to you, and then let it overflow to others everywhere. If you live outside of the United States, we would love to hear from you. Simply send an e-mail to SOUNDBITESMinistry@gmail.com with where you live and, if you would care to add, how God is using SOUND BITES to minister to you or through you to others. You are welcome to comment below as well. – DW

 

THE WORLD IS MY PARISH

 “Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’”  (Mark 16:15 NIV)

I remember when television first came out. Many Christians shunned it, believing it was run by the prince of the power of the air. The evil one certainly had his influence in the medium (and still does), but why not use television as a means to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ? Why not use radio? Why not use print? Why not use the Internet? Why not use any means at hand to take the message of the gospel and spread it throughout the whole world? The farther the better. The faster the better. The sooner the better. Until Jesus returns!

What Jesus was saying, in essence, to His disciples was this: “While I was on earth, I was localized. I could only touch individual men and women in My travels and speak to a few local audiences. But believe Me, after I am gone and the Holy Spirit comes to fill and empower My sons and daughters, then My ministry will be as far spread as Christians are.”

So wherever there is a Christian, there is Christ. Wherever there is a believer, there is ministry. 

-- Adapted from David Jeremiah

#5569

PRESSING ON TOWARD THE GOAL

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 3:12-14 NIV)

I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others do the same.   

-- C. S. Lewis in “Mere Christianity”

#5568

JESUS CAME TO GIVE HIMSELF

“Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”  (Isaiah 53:4-5 NIV)

Jesus did not come merely to disclose God’s character. He came to make it possible to be remade in the likeness of that character. He came to redeem us from what we are and remake us in the likeness of what He is. He is not merely a teacher, a doer – He is a redeemer.

He came not merely to give His word, His example. He came to give Himself. He became like us that we might become like Him. He was baptized into the world’s toil for thirty years, baptized into our temptations for these years, and baptized into our sin at the end. He became sin for us at the cross. He died between two malefactors like one of them and cried the cry of dereliction that you and I cry when we sin: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” If “life is sensitivity,” then there was infinite life, for here was infinite sensitivity – every [person’s] hunger His hunger; every [person’s] bondage His bondage; and every [person’s] sin His sin. “He bore in His own body our sins upon a tree.” (1 Peter 2:24)

Don’t ask me to explain it. I can’t explain it; I bow in humility and repentance at the cross, at the wonder of it, that God should give Himself for me. I bow and I am redeemed! 

-- E. Stanley Jones in “A Song of Ascents”

#5567

AN ETERNAL MANSION

James A. Michener once said that, "If a man happens to find himself, he has a mansion which he can inhabit with dignity all the days of his life." Christianity teaches that one who believes in Christ can take that one step -- one giant step -- further. If one finds God in Christ, that person has a mansion which can be inhabited all of his/her eternal life.

Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe in Me also. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may also be. And where I go you know, and the way you know… I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:1-4,6 NKJV)

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson, SOUND BITES Ministry

#5566

TOUCHING CHRIST

“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”  (Matthew 25:37-40 NKJV)

I’ll never forget during the Bangladesh suffering: we had ten million people in and around Calcutta. I asked the government of India to allow a number of other congregations to come to our aid, to help us, because we were working the whole time.

They allowed them to come: about fifteen or sixteen different sisters came to help us, and each one, on leaving Calcutta, said the same thing, “I have received much more than I have given and I can never be the same person again; because I have touched Christ, I have understood what love is. What it is to love and be loved!” 

-- Mother Teresa in “My Life for the Poor” 

#5565