Does Jesus Love the Homeless?

[Guest lovinghim4ever]

"Yes, Jesus loves everyone, but I'm His favorite!"

I thought I was.

How could Jesus love someone that does not own a home? In that it is God that gives all things to all men, He choses who does and does not have a home. He liked Abraham, and Abraham wandered in tents all his life.

But I do own a home! I do! I do! I do own a home!

It is being prepared for me at this very moment.

It is a great mansion on a street of pure gold.

You see, I'm a pilgrim just passing through.

[Guest stevej]

I was attracted to this post on the basis of the title. Finding that the Title was not what the poll was about was a little disconcerting.

Jesus is God and therefore was never homeless. He never was, isn't and never will be homeles!

[RustyAngeL]

Yes, Jesus loves everyone, but I'm His favorite!

You just ruined my whole day, I thought I was. Yes of course Jesus loves them. His heart breaks when He sees their situation I"m sure.

[Guest lovinghim4ever]

Yes, Jesus loves everyone, but I'm His favorite!

You just ruined my whole day, I thought I was. Yes of course Jesus loves them. His heart breaks when He sees their situation I"m sure.

Sorry, didn't mean to ruin your day, but the truth is the truth.

Wow! It feels great to laugh.

[spiritman]

I believe that physically Jesus was homeless, and yes He does love the homeless.

[apothanein kerdos]

So we've established that Jesus loves the homeless. The question is, do the homeless of our time know this through our actions toward them?

[Marnie]

So we've established that Jesus loves the homeless. The question is, do the homeless of our time know this through our actions toward them?

I think what we've established is that Jesus loves everyone. I don't think he cares more for the person on the street, than for someone living in a fine home. People that are homeless are in that state for differen't reasons. Some are there through no fault of their own, and some are there because they prefer it over being a productive member of society. I would love to see some type of program offered to these people to give them a helping hand towards getting a job and a place to live, but I would imagine that many would turn such help down.

How would you suggest that Christians show the love of Jesus towards the homeless? Would it simply be to keep enabling them, or do you have some suggestions of how we could give them practical help in ceasing to be homeless?

Our church did something in Vegas in October. We went to one of the sidestreets, where many homeless gather, and told them that we were looking for a dozen men to come and work on our church--cleaning, sweeping, nothing particularly difficult. In exchange we would pay them $50.00 for an afternoon's work or give them food vouchers their choice. What a surprise...they all shuffled off in the other direction; we had not one volunteer. So, pardon me if I seem a bit jaded with regards to the so-called homeless.

[Kfender_thornton79]

The church I attend help the homeless on Sun. they get breakfast,shower (if needed),clothes,and the word of God and then lunch afterwards. I believe to me that if we show kindness to them by helping them even though it maybe not much. *not saying give them money* and then they will also see the love of Jesus in us and maybe it will touch there heart and want that what we have which is to show the love of Christ. Just because they look different and maybe not in the same class we are in doesn't mean we should treat them like outcast.

[Guest liarsandmartyrs]

So we've established that Jesus loves the homeless. The question is, do the homeless of our time know this through our actions toward them?

I think what we've established is that Jesus loves everyone. I don't think he cares more for the person on the street, than for someone living in a fine home. People that are homeless are in that state for differen't reasons. Some are there through no fault of their own, and some are there because they prefer it over being a productive member of society. I would love to see some type of program offered to these people to give them a helping hand towards getting a job and a place to live, but I would imagine that many would turn such help down.

How would you suggest that Christians show the love of Jesus towards the homeless? Would it simply be to keep enabling them, or do you have some suggestions of how we could give them practical help in ceasing to be homeless?

Our church did something in Vegas in October. We went to one of the sidestreets, where many homeless gather, and told them that we were looking for a dozen men to come and work on our church--cleaning, sweeping, nothing particularly difficult. In exchange we would pay them $50.00 for an afternoon's work or give them food vouchers their choice. What a surprise...they all shuffled off in the other direction; we had not one volunteer. So, pardon me if I seem a bit jaded with regards to the so-called homeless.

This has taken a bit of an unexpected twist, but I like where it is going. So just what and how do we prepare our homelss to become "a productive member of society?"

I think the answer is that we can not. There are many that I see on a nightly basis up at the minstry that I coordinate, that is souly homelss. MAny have come into the family of God because of this ministry, not because anything I or my ministers have done, but soley by the love of Jesus Christ that is offered to everyone who walks through our doors. Most of them have jobs, but it does not meet the needs that they have for housing. City, county and state governments all claim that they give ample monies towards bettering those on the streets for rehabilitation and transition off the streets and into society, but those monies are not even accountable. 90% of those who come to the Pottter's House ministry, (No affiliation with teh Potter's House Church ministries) we are just a small Methodist church , with a ministry called the Potter's House), are infact believers in Jesus Christ. They come for one reason and one reason only. The love of Jesus Christ that they recieve. Mainly because it is the ONLY place that they are treated like a "productive member of society" without stereotyping, or being looked down upon. But of course there are those who we see that no matter what they just want to see what they can get out of you for nothing. But praise God for that task, because i have seen several come in with that attitude, and I now have at least 1 who has not only joined the church but has become a believer in Jesus Christ. If only one person out of 99 has fertile ground, it makes it all worth it.

So, pardon me if I seem a bit jaded with regards to the so-called homeless.

It is not our jobs to be jaded, nor is it even supposed to be anything that we feel. Our jobs are to love all man as we love ourselves. Paul said to be not forgetful to entertain stranges, by doing so some have entertained angels unknowingly. John Wesley comments on this passage in his biblical notes as say, "So may an unknown guest, even now, be of more worth than he appears, and may have angels attending him, though unseen."

So how can we help the homeless. It is a never ending job, Jesus said that the poor will be with us always, so Praise God we have a lifetime of ministry opportunity.

http://www.geocities.com/potters_house_min...ttersHouse.html

Edited December 24, 2006 by liarsandmartyrs

[Marnie]

So how can we help the homeless. It is a never ending job, Jesus said that the poor will be with us always, so Praise God we have a lifetime of ministry opportunity.

http://www.geocities.com/potters_house_min...ttersHouse.html

The other way to look at that verse is a statement of fact: the poor will always be with us. You are correct when you say that being jaded is not our job. I did not say it was my job, I said it was the result of seeing the flip side of poverty. There is no virtue in a person just because they are poor. There there is no virtue in poverty. You cannot help a person unless they want to be helped. Our Lord Himself told His disciples:

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. (Matt. 10:14)

Now, this verse is referring to the reception of the Gospel, but the principle is clear: you cannot offer anything to people if they won't take it. You can offer a helping hand, but the person must reach out and take hold of it. Even salvation, Christ died for all, but not everybody will benefit from His atoning sacrifice until and unless the appropriate it.

We're on the same side, maybe I am a little less idealistic.