SOCIAL MEDIA

PART 1

Churches is not what it was and the attendance is reducing at a fast rate. More and more people turn to social media where they can read or listen to a debate or idea and then give their opinions. Social media is a comfort zone in your own home where you can relax and interact at your convenience. Let us then take a look how we can be a value to this phenomenon of the computer world.

A SOCIAL MEDIA THAT INCLUDES YOU

The need to belong is perhaps the most powerful emotional need experienced in modern times. Society continues to fragment, families disintegrate and technology isolates until the opportunities to truly belong become more and more limited. But the need to belong has not diminished. Individuals today are seeking those things where they can belong to and then giving themselves fully to the relationships they find. It is by targeting inclusion, that social media can establish its ministries. By becoming a place of belonging, your local social media opens itself up to ever-broadening opportunities to proclaim its message, a message of love and belonging in the family of YHVH. How does the social media establish this kind of ministry? Many times, Yeshua provided the example through His own ministry of including people. Let us take a look at one such occasion: “And it came to pass afterward, that He went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the Kingdom of YHVH: and the twelve were with Him, and certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, and Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto Him of their substance.” (Luke 8:1-3) There are few people that we read about in the Bible who evidence more commitment to Yeshua than Mary Magdalene who is mentioned here as one of Yeshua' companions. Such commitment does not just happen; it must be carefully cultivated and developed. Yeshua the Master shows us the way to include those who have a need to belong in his treatment of Mary.

1. WE MINISTER TO PEOPLE'S NEEDS:

We just read the names of three women that followed Yeshua as a direct result of Him meeting their needs, along with other women not named. We specifically want to focus on Mary Magdalene as we know more about her than the others. “And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils.” (Luke 8:2) Here is a lady who had a very serious need that was met by Yeshua Moshiach. There are at least three areas of meeting Mary's need that we can examine and see how they stand as an example of how we can meet people's needs today.

A. Her Need Was Identified: Yeshua saw Mary as an individual, not just as part of the crowd. He did not just see her as a generic human being but as an individual person with her own experiences, history, intellect and emotions. Mary was distinctly Mary and there was no one else like her. Yeshua recognized this and treated her as a person created in the image of YHVH. He does the same for each of us. He calls us by name; He sees us for who we really are and He cares about us as individuals. And this is what we are called to do as in a social media set-up. Oftentimes when we talk about growth, outreach and numbers, it can all sound so impersonal, can it not? But behind every number is a name, a history and a person for whom Yeshua died for and a person that has specific needs that we can meet. We want everyone we try to reach to realize that we do not think of them as a number on the attendance board; but that we recognize their individuality and that we love them for who they are.

B. Her Need Was Prioritized: The needs of the people that we meet on social media, oftentimes must be met before we share the Good News of the Gospel with them. Yeshua prioritized the need of the individual first and then He shared His heart. While the most intrinsic need of us all is to come into a relationship with Moshiach, sometimes the other needs that people have must be met first. If I talk to a person that is starving and say to them, "I have this Gospel newsletter that you need to read" I do not think I am going to get very far. But what if I give them some food first, then begin to get to know something about them and let them know that I value them as a person first? What happens then? They see that I am not just out to win converts, but to take care of real physical, emotional and spiritual needs. They see that I am not out to gain money or to become famous or to just get another member for a social media ministry, but that I am really there for them, even if they never respond to Yeshua Moshiach. Before Yeshua shared the Gospel with Mary, He prioritized her need. If we expect people to open their hearts to the message we bring, we must first open our hearts in prioritizing their needs.

C. Her Need Was Met: Yeshua cast seven demons out of this woman. We do not have all the details of this encounter, but it is evident that Yeshua took care of her problem. I am well aware that we cannot fix every problem that every person has. I also know that we do not have every material resource at our disposal. Some needs we can meet immediately; some we can meet by networking with other people and some needs will never be met completely. But those facts cannot be legitimately used as an excuse to not at least try to meet the needs that are out there. The biggest need of most people that we come across can be met. It is the need to know that you are loved and cared for. This has always been true, but is perhaps truer today than at any other time in history is that people are lonely, confused and have lost direction. They need us to show that we care and are willing to assist them on their journey to fulfilment in Yeshua Moshiach.

2. WE BUILD RELATIONSHIPS:

I need to ask you a question and I want you to just keep the answer in your own head; it would be a great thing to discuss with others later, but for now, just think about it on your own. Here is the question: “How many unsocial media people are you in a relationship with?” I can already tell you that most of us that have been in a social media for a while would have to answer "None." It seems that the longer we are Moshiach followers the more disconnected we get with those that are not and that is a real problem. The problem is that I cannot possibly hope to reach people for Moshiach if I am not in a relationship with them. If I do not have any non-believer friends, how can I tell anyone about Moshiach? This is the biggest detriment to fulfilling the Great Commission that we have today, we do not know any non-believers well enough to share the Gospel with them. Yeshua went out of His way and we must go out of our way, to build real friendships with people outside of the social media. By building a relationship with a Mary Magdalene, Yeshua was able to change her life.

A. Yeshua Gave Her New Identity: Tradition holds that Mary made her living as a prostitute. There is no biblical text that completely supports that, but many times these traditions are true. Even if she was not a prostitute, we do know that she would have been an outcast from society based on the fact that she had been demonized by either seven demons or had demons cast out of her seven different times. Once Yeshua met her need by casting these demons out of her, He was able to show her how she could be a brand-new person. He taught her how she could move from being a sinner to being a saint; how she could change from demonized to being filled with the Spirit of YHVH; how she could go from being an outcast to being adopted into the family of YHVH. Our job is to build relationships with un-social media people and show them the same. We have the greatest job in the world. We get to tell people and show people that they can be remade and transformed into the image of YHVH. Some people say they do not like who they are or what they have become. I have great news; they can be made new and be identified as a child of YHVH.

B. Yeshua Gave Her Purpose: He showed Mary that there was more to life than getting up, going to work, taking care of the kids, paying taxes, watching TV or being occupied by a computer. He showed her that she could have an impact on the world around her, that YHVH could use her as a warrior-servant in His Kingdom that she was significant in the eyes of YHVH and could do significant things that would last for eternity. Concerning these women that were following Yeshua, our text says that: “and Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.” (Luke 8:3) She learned that she could make a lasting contribution to her world. Formerly she was despised and rejected, but now, as a remade human being, she found purpose in this life that would drive her until she experienced the life yet to come. This is the message that we bring; that there is more to life than what you think; that you were made for a purpose; that you can contribute; that YHVH views you as a significant person made to serve Him and experience His blessings. We build relationships by sharing and living out this truth.

C. Yeshua Gave Her Love: Jason Tuskes was a 17-year-old high school honour student. He was close to his mother, his wheel-chair bound father and his younger brother. Jason was an expert swimmer that loved to scuba dive. He left home on a Tuesday morning to explore a spring and underwater cave near his home. His plan was to be home in time to celebrate his mother's birthday by going out to dinner with his family that night. Jason became lost in the cave, then in his panic, he apparently got wedged into a narrow passageway. When he realized he was trapped, he shed his yellow metal air tank and unsheathed his diver's knife. With his tank as a tablet and the knife as a pen, he wrote one last message to his family: "I love you Mom and Dad." Then he ran out of air and he drowned. A dying message, something communicated in the last few seconds of life, is something we cannot ignore. YHVH's words to us are etched on a Roman Cross, they are blood red, they scream to be heard and they too, say: "I love you." These are the words Mary knew to be true when she met Yeshua. His words, His actions, His caring, all were a demonstration of His love. When He died on the Cross, Mary stood there and watched Him die. “Now there stood by the cross of Yeshua His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.” (John 19:25) Here again, she saw the ultimate demonstration of love. It is this kind of love, authentic, caring and willing to go to the ultimate extreme, this kind of love that shows people that we really care about them. It is this kind of love that we must demonstrate on a social media platform or ministry to those we are trying to reach. Again, Yeshua has set the example.

D. Yeshua Gave Her Belonging: Mary the outcast, Mary the possessed, Mary the one on the outside looking in, is now an integral part of Yeshua' band of disciples. She is listed here in our text, along with the 12 and the other women, as one Yeshua has chosen to announce the coming of the Kingdom of YHVH. She now belongs to something greater than herself. Yeshua has shown her what it means to be a part of a group that is on a mission from YHVH. That is what social media are supposed to be here for, to let people know that they belong, that they are a part, that they are included as an integral part of what YHVH is going to do through us, this is how we build relationships!

3. WE SHARE THE GOSPEL:

Sharing the Gospel means letting people know about the Good News that Yeshua, YHVH in the flesh, has come to this earth, has died for our sins on a Cross, has risen from the dead and that He wants to be in relationship with us. It is our great privilege, as a ministry, to have this message to share with all those around us. When Yeshua shared the Gospel, two amazing things happened.

A. Yeshua Revealed His Power: When Yeshua cast the demons from Mary he revealed that He had a power that was beyond that of the evil forces in the world. He showed her and us that His power was supernatural, that He could bind the forces of darkness and that He could heal the sick, that He could forgive sins and that He could grant to us eternal life with Him forever. Yeshua revealed that there was nothing beyond His power and in doing this He showed us that He had the power to save us. When we have met people's needs and are building relationships with them, we share with them the awesome power of Yeshua Moshiach Himself. Our job is to reveal to them what Yeshua revealed to Mary and what He has revealed to us; that He has the power to fulfil all of the promises that He has made, that He can make us whole and that we will be empowered ourselves to become His new creation.

B. She responded with passion: No one mattered more to Mary than this One who had loved her so. She responded to Yeshua' love with an undying loyalty to Him and His cause. When Yeshua was nailed to the Cross, Mary was there, after He was placed in the tomb, Mary went to visit His grave and found that His body was missing. “But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Yeshua had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, because they have taken away my Adonai, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Yeshua standing, and knew not that it was Yeshua. Yeshua saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Yeshua saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.” (John 20:11-16) Mary was the first of His disciples that Yeshua appeared to and she responded to Him again, with joy and love. The result of inclusion in the way that we have described in this newsletter is an undying passion for Yeshua Moshiach and His Kingdom. This is what happens to people when we share with them the Gospel of Moshiach. This is what happens when we are living out what we are called to be as a faith filled social media platform. Reaching out to the world around us is not an exact science, but we know that the need to belong, I widespread. As believers we are compelled to meet the un-social media people at their point of need and show them the way to true life. The faith in our Moshiach is more than a commitment to belief, it must also include the opportunity to belong.