We often hear about the many churches that are closing their doors because they can’t meet budget or seem to attract a crowd from the neighborhoods in which they are located. While Jesus became well known for the many attributes he displayed, I bolded three actions in today’s Scripture that seemed to have made His ministry effective. Needs still exist today, so I thought we might look deeper into Jesus’ style of ministry and see if we could learn from it. Stay with me as we dig into the Word today.

 

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-01-19
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

BY: Ed Algreen

 

SCRIPTURE FROM: Matthew 4:23-25
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

 

BIBLE TEXT: 23 Jesus traveled all through Galilee teaching in the Jewish synagogues, everywhere preaching the Good News about the Kingdom of Heaven. And he healed every kind of sickness and disease. 24 The report of his miracles spread far beyond the borders of Galilee so that sick folk were soon coming to be healed from as far away as Syria. And whatever their illness and pain, or if they were possessed by demons, or were insane, or paralyzed—he healed them all. 25 Enormous crowds followed him wherever he went….

 

APPLICATION: Some of you may have served in church leadership, or on a committee charged with organizing events designed to entertain different age groups in your church’s community. If your experiences were similar to those in which I participated, then you will agree with me that church leaders spend many, many hours behind closed doors in planning and organizational responsibilities. I’m not sure that we could ever succeed in ministering of the Gospel just through planning, but what if we concentrated on the proven methods of Jesus? Let’s examine the three main parts of His ministry, as mentioned in our Scripture:
—> TEACHING – We send our children to school to learn everything they need to survive in a workplace and in life overall. So, because they are lacking in these areas, we find help for them by well learned teachers. Most of us will pick up the Bible and try to read it, but we are quickly stumped by everything written. I would dare say that just as in Jesus’ day, many of us could benefit from the teaching of God’s Word. Our churches are blessed to have good teachers who do a fair job in teaching through Sunday School, Bible Study and small groups. But it is becoming more and more challenging to encourage attendees of the need to join others in this important learning experience;
—> PREACHING – I found it interesting that some translations said that Jesus ‘announced’ the Kingdom. Research shows that this means He preached about the kingdom of God. I believe this helps us to better understand why most churches still preach the Word of God. Please remember that for the preaching to be most effective to you individually, it is just as vital that you pray for your pastor or preacher, as it is to pray that God would open your heart’s door to accept what He has to say to you that day. You see, God’s Word is designed for us individually and God will speak to us personally and very directed as we tune our hearts to hear Him.
—> HEALING – I believe this is the area that you will tune into most intently, because you have seen so much fraud and false teachings/actions in this regard. I’m with you, because only God can heal, and I detest the idea of men or women proclaiming healing power of their own. However, I believe what the church needs most today is the man/woman of God who acknowledges the sole power of God in healing, and the love of God who sees the need for physical, mental and personal healing in everyone who crosses their path. For there are so many who are hurting in so many different ways, and they are hoping that the church will not only accept them as they are, but also empathize with them over their challenges in life. Especially since Covid, it seems that there is less connection between church leaders and their members who are in desperate need. Many times healing will come to hurting people just from someone who shows that they care. Leave the computer. Close the office. Call someone without worrying if you are disturbing them. People need the Lord, and their first step in that path towards the Master, is through knowing that His helpers and supporters care about, and love each other, especially in their times of need.
As I stated in my introduction, if churches spent as much time in ministering as they do in planning events, the Word of God will quickly extend to all ends of the earth, and the world will know who Jesus is, and that He cares for them, because they could see it in His representatives.

 

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Jesus’ ministry was effective and fruitful because He mastered three of the same areas that we try to perform today. Perhaps today we could emphasize even more on Teaching, Preaching and Healing of the whole person for even more effective ministry.

 

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for caring enough for mankind that You were pliable in the hands of Your Father and followed through with being captured, crucified and buried so that we might know perfect love. I am in awe about Your resurrection and I praise God for such a miracle, because we are left with a risen Lord who still loves and cares for us. Forgive us Lord when we think it too much to sacrifice time to check on, and/or visit one another when there is a known need. How else will we prove Godly love for our Brothers and Sisters? You taught us how to love, and the extreme that one could go through to show love. You showed us how to minister effectively and You have blessed us with great churches, awesome ministers/pastors and also wonderful congregations who need to know about Your love for them, and see it practiced in reality every day. Please forgive us where we fail in this Lord. Help us to follow in Your footsteps for effective ministry to Your children we are blessed to associate with. AMEN!

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