Latest / Eurasia Region Podcast / S1-E83 | Everyday Eurasia | Scott Armstrong

Transcript

S1-E83 | Everyday Eurasia | Scott Armstrong · Eurasia Region Podcast

• 0:00
  Hello and welcome to the Everyday Eurasia podcast,
• 0:04
  Inspiring Faith for Every Day. Each day we are on a journey
• 0:08
  with Jesus in our churches, our homes, our workplaces, and in so
• 0:13
  many different places around the world.
• 0:16
  Is it beautiful that no matter where we are, we can walk with
• 0:20
  him every single day? Jesus is the one who connects us
• 0:24
  all and stands at the very center of our lives day after
• 0:28
  day. Through this podcast, you'll
• 0:30
  hear voices from across the region sharing devotionals that
• 0:34
  reminds us of God's presence in our everyday moments.
• 0:42
  This week is the Global Week of Prayer.
• 0:45
  We join Nesserines across the nation's in a sacred united
• 0:48
  calling to pray for the needs of our global churches and
• 0:52
  districts. So requests shared from every
• 0:54
  region. We are reminded that we are one
• 0:57
  body serving 1 Lord with 1 mission.
• 1:01
  This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Global Week
• 1:04
  of Prayer by Nazarene's Missions International, a beautiful
• 1:08
  milestone in a legacy of faithful intercession.
• 1:12
  Today we will listen to Scott Armstrong from the South America
• 1:15
  region. He is an ordained Elder in the
• 1:18
  Church of the Nazarene. He has served as a missionary
• 1:21
  for more than 20 years in Latin America in the Caribbean.
• 1:25
  He's currently the Integrated Ministries coordinator for the
• 1:29
  South America region. He's married to Emily and has
• 1:32
  two children who are studying in Nazarene universities.
• 1:36
  He loves sports, good barbecue and equipping the church to
• 1:40
  transform the world. Let's read from Matthew 1246 to
• 1:45
  50. While Jesus was still talking to
• 1:49
  the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside wanting
• 1:53
  to speak to him. Someone told him, your mother
• 1:57
  and brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you.
• 2:01
  He replied to him, Who is my mother and who are my brothers?
• 2:06
  Pointing to his disciples, he said, here are my mother and my
• 2:10
  brothers, for whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is
• 2:15
  my brother and sister and mother.
• 2:19
  Teaching, preaching, healing. Matthew does a good job
• 2:25
  recording the purpose of Jesus's time on earth.
• 2:28
  You can see that in Chapter 9, verses 35 to 38.
• 2:34
  In Matthew 12. After traveling around a lot,
• 2:37
  proclaiming many controversial things and receiving death
• 2:41
  threats, Jesus withdraws from the hubbub of the crowds, Or so
• 2:47
  he thinks. Many needy people follow him,
• 2:51
  and Jesus continues to heal, cast out demons, and respond to
• 2:55
  his critics. The day is getting hot.
• 2:59
  The teacher is getting tired. Jesus needs to recharge his
• 3:04
  batteries. So what better way to do that
• 3:07
  than by spending time relaxing with family?
• 3:11
  He probably has not seen his mother and brothers in many
• 3:14
  months. Imagine his joy, then, when
• 3:17
  someone tells him that his family is waiting outside and
• 3:20
  wants to talk with him. They had surprised him.
• 3:24
  Surely he would end his sermon, disperse the crowd and greet
• 3:28
  them with open arms, right? But that isn't what happens at
• 3:33
  all. In fact, his response seems a
• 3:37
  bit harsh. He seems to say who cares about
• 3:41
  them? They aren't my true family.
• 3:44
  You are. And then chapter 13 says that
• 3:48
  same day Jesus continues his ministry as if nothing had ever
• 3:52
  happened. We need to be careful here.
• 3:56
  The point of this passage is not that we need to abandon our
• 3:59
  families in order to serve God. The key is found in Jesus's
• 4:04
  response verse 50. Whoever does God's will is truly
• 4:10
  part of Christ's family. There's something that
• 4:13
  supersedes even blood relationship here.
• 4:18
  My wife and I are missionaries living in Argentina.
• 4:21
  There are times that we are able to visit our parents homes in
• 4:24
  the United States. When we do, it is always good to
• 4:28
  relax and be with family. I miss them.
• 4:33
  I value my relationship with them almost more than anything I
• 4:38
  say. Almost because there came a
• 4:40
  point years ago when it became clear to us that God's will for
• 4:44
  our lives was to serve Him far away from home and family.
• 4:50
  That's never easy, but we have no regrets.
• 4:55
  Following God's will has brought us closer to Him and closer to
• 4:58
  our family as well, in many ways.
• 5:00
  Don't ever let anyone tell you that following God's will and
• 5:05
  being part of Jesus family is not worth every sacrifice you
• 5:10
  make. Let's pray Father, nothing is
• 5:17
  more important than loving you, serving you, and enjoying you.
• 5:23
  Thank you for inviting us to be a part of your family.
• 5:28
  Help us to do your will today and always, even if it means
• 5:35
  great sacrifice, in Jesus name, Amen.
• 5:41
  Thank you for listening to the Everyday Eurasia podcast
• 5:44
  Inspiring Faith for Everyday. For more Everyday stories,
• 5:48
  subscribe on this podcast channel, follow our socials,
• 5:51
  Facebook and Instagram, or our newsletter snapshots.
• 5:55
  For our newsletter and further information about the Eurasia
• 5:58
  region, visit our website, eurasiaregion.org.