Gumbo and Grace

Gumbo and Grace is the new blog of Pastor Johnny Touchet of Mount Moriah Baptist Church- better known as Brother Johnny. He is known as the Ragin Cajun by some, raised in New Orleans, saved by the grace of God, set apart for gospel ministry by the living Lord Jesus Christ, husband of Kerry, and proud father of six children!  Some of Johnny’s best thoughts come when he’s been plowing through the Scriptures and stops long enough to get a little gumbo!  

 

Some thoughts from my sermon on March 4th on loving our community from Luke 15.

The first principle of loving our community is seeking!

15: 4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?

15:8     “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?

15: 20     “So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him,

In all of these stories, there is a sense of urgency in seeking! This is the heart of God searching, seeking, and calling His children. Even those who do not know they are His children yet.  There are OT witnesses to this truth…Abraham, Moses in Midian, David, and Gideon. There are NT witnesses to this truth as well…the Apostles, the woman at the well and in Acts 16-Lydia. The list goes on and on even today!

Application: We need to be seeking the lost community for the glory of Christ because that is the heart of God!

The second principle of loving our community is receiving!

 

15:5 “When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

15:9     “When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’

15:20     “So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

In every one of these stories there is a receiving-an embracing. When the man who found the sheep that was lost, he received him back and laid the sheep over his shoulders. The woman who looked for the coin received it back with joy and the father received his son back by embracing him and kissing him! When we pray and seek out the community with our whole heart, we need to be ready to receive them. The religious people missed their opportunity because they did not love the community! But we must have the heart of God and be ready to receive sinners into the family!

So the principles of loving our community are seeking, receiving, and celebrating!

6     “And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’

7     “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

9     “When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’

10     “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

22     “But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; 23     and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate 24     for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

32     ‘But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’ ”

Every one of these stories had the people celebrating after their hunt! And the best place to celebrate a new life in Christ is at their baptism! Let us celebrate what God has done among our community as we love them into the kingdom of Christ for the glory of God! Are we seeking, receiving, and celebrating the work of God in our lives?

 

 

 

Brother Johnny