Chapter – 15 ‘Rebekah visits a Site’
The next evening as the sun was just going down; the colors were amazing as Rebekah looked to the west and watched as the dimness started to fade. Earlier as she worked beside the two college girls; she was able to share the Gospel; then talk about many of the stories she had learned of Israel. Later, she was sharing the experience with Jaye and in turn he shared another story with her that he had heard his dad preach years earlier.
He had been told that every Christian has a calling. It happened before he had met Rach’ so probably about 6th or 7th grade was when his dad had presented the message. His dad had told him to pray and seek to find out what his mission was to be. Not everyone has to travel to a foreign country but somewhere there is a job that needs to be done concerning the Lord. Jaye said, “I think you are fulfilling the great commission spoken of by the Lord.” Matthew 28:19. That very first generation of Disciples had to flee the local Sanhedrin to stay alive.” He told her that in a way, they were forced to leave their home and go into the next city or country. “Jesus, the greatest of missionaries had to also leave home and travel; he left heaven and came to EARTH.” John 17:17-18. He began the great spiritual mission that is still in progress.
“Think about it Rebekah, when Jesus completed his mission, where did he go? Sooo, what about it, when our mission is completed, where will we go?” Valentine chuckled, then he spoke again, “It better be the same place that Jesus went.” She told him that his dad was a wise and godly man to understand the scriptures and then share the good news with his congregation.
He told her that she was on her mission, “You are bringing the good news to lost souls. Your message is in tune with the Holy Spirit and together you make the difference in many lives. One day you will get to hear the mighty voice of Christ proclaim ‘Well done thy good and faithful servant’.” Matthew 25:31-40…vs.21
She told him that when she was young, her family were practicing Jews, “We did all the rituals and practiced the festivals as Moses proclaimed but it was in duty to our religion [Exodus. 20, 21, 22, 23]. When Yosef became a Christian our family exploded in a sense. I was the only one to visit him, almost weekly, for a year.” She told him that Yosef took the Jewish scriptures and showed me in the Christian Bible where the fulfilments happened. “When I TRUSTED in Christ and became a believer, I understood that my atonement could only be fulfilled in HIM; that’s when my family went double bonkers!” She told him that her grandpa visited both Yosef and her; he listened to the scriptures we shared. He wasn’t totally convinced, at the time, but he was able to bring our family together. She exclaimed, “It was a blessed time when we were invited to a family gathering!”
Rebekah was feeling nervous inside but she had to know about Rachel, Jaye’s first wife. “Yosef told me that you had lost your wife several years ago; he told me she was Jewish. Did she trust in Christ as her Savior & Lord?” He told her that Rach’ had called upon Jesus when she was fifteen. It was at our home and my dad kind of took over our conversation one evening; I will say this, she was sincere and that evening changed her life until she died. “I don’t think she would have ever been a mission minded Christian like you but she would have been a godly wife and mom teaching the children about the Lord.”
Rebekah touched his hand to show her sympathy. Valentine closed both eyes for a moment and then he spoke, “I suffered mentally for several years; I blamed the Lord for her death until one evening on a hill top. I was reminded of the story of JOB and the sufferings he endured.” He told her that it wasn’t the Lord who inflicted bad things; it was the evil one; that it had taken almost ten years to comprehend the fact. He commented, “God does allow some things from the evil one in our lives; our test is, do we overcome and endure or do we falter with those life lessons that we encounter. I think I’m going to be o.k. now.”
The stars were just coming into view as they started to walk back to camp. “It had been a good evening talking with Jaye,” Rebekah thought.
What do you think, is Rebekah fulfilling the GREAT COMISSION?
Attached
Matthew 28:19, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, * * [A disciple is also a missionary, in a sense they both share God’s love with others.]
John 17:17-18. Jesus speaking, Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18 As You [the FATHER] sent Me into the world, I also have sent them [the Disciples] into the world. * * [To do mission work and proclaim the Gospel]
Matthew 25:31-40, “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 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; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
Have you ever been tempted?
Job 1:6-12. Now there was a day when the ‘sons of God’ came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From roaming around on the earth and walking around on it.” The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered MY servant Job? For there is no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does JOB fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has on every side? ….. vs.12 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord. Job 2:6
[The sons of God are angels; Satan is a fallen angel along with 1/3 of the original angels who followed him]
Satan has authority to tempt mankind to do evil.
Judas was called to serve; he made a bad choice OR else he was not chosen of GOD.
Is it our choice to follow the teachings of Christ?
DG