07/07/2024
In season 4, episode 1 of The Chosen, there's a scene where Simon Z is teaching Judas how to do laundry. It's a simple task that Jesus asked of them. Judas has never done laundry before. What's something you've never done before? It could be any task like cooking, doing laundry, fixing vehicles, growing plants, starting a family, praying, or studying.
In the scene, they wash their clothes to cleanse them by saturating the garment, cleaning it, and then rinsing it in the source water. This is similar to how we are cleansed in Jesus's blood and our sins are washed away.
Judas asks Simon why they don't pay someone to do their laundry and focus on more important tasks. It's important to remember that everyone has tasks to do. It would not reflect well on a ministry if we paid others to do a job that God teaches us to do ourselves. I often say that if I work a 8-5 job, I won’t have time to do regular tasks and then I'd have to pay someone to do them, which would mean working harder to pay them. In the end, I wouldn't be doing the tasks myself, so it's important to practice due diligence. It's important to remember that interacting with others helps us improve ourselves. We should do our work through God's will and power.
Ministries should remember that in order to effectively teach people about God, they need to be relatable. If they appear too important or lofty, their audience may find them unrelatable and be less likely to listen attentively which ultimatly takes away from the lessons you're trying to teach.
As a reverend I see a lot of people stress about money but God has a plan if you stick to the plan you will prevail. I've been asked if there's anything in my life that I would like to change or about myself that I want to change. The thing is, there's been a lot, just like clothes being washed or a cup being washed. What I have now is what I need until people around me change, then everybody changes together. It's like random synchronization. I will not be the only one changing because that's not who I am. I will make sure people around me change too.
Judas mentioned that he sees many opportunities to improve things and make more money, but Simon reminded Z that God only tasked him with holding the purse, not with making things better. While we may have many tasks on our plate, it's important to consider which tasks are actually asked of us by God. God knows the path of our lives. He knows everything that happens in between, but it's our free will to choose which tasks to do that lead us down different paths. God never specifically asked Natural Healing Ministries to purchase a building, gather people on Sundays, or even become a church. Instead, he asked us to fellowship, help those in need, and teach his word to guide people to him.
Judas suggested taking donations from the 5000 people that Jesus fed with two loaves of bread and one fish, but Jesus declined because that was not his purpose. They discussed the concept of accepting a fraction of any donation offered, indicating that they do not accept donations. People often question why I don't take most of the donations given to the ministries. It's because I desire nothing other than your devotion to Jesus.
Jesus asked Judas and Z to do the laundry. Judas claimed that he couldn't do it as well as Z because he didn't have the strength. The message here is to use your own strengths to get your tasks done instead of complaining that you don't have the strength of others. Find your own strength that God has given you. By using your ingenuity and your own strengths, you'll be able to achieve anything.
The main point of those clips is their discussion about washing, the struggles of taxes and budgets from a ministry that doesn’t ask for anything. This is why we have a dollar bill that says "In God We Trust" - to remind us to trust that God takes care of everything and that everything is going to be alright. It's not about worshiping money, but about reminding us to trust in God.
Mathew 23 25-28, 25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. 27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
