Word@Work Luke62 - Luke 4:42-44
Published: Thu, 03/18/10
Word@Work from BeaconLight
THE PRIORITY OF TELLING THE TRUTH
Luke 4:42-44 At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent." And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea. (NIV)
Jesus had demonstrated His power to heal and expel demons. But early the next morning, He left Simon Peter's house, disappointing new crowds of sick people who were desperate for His touch. Somehow they found out where He was, but He seemed to shrug them off and tried to move on. To some it might have seemed strange that He did not want to exploit His popularity. Others would have been bemused that the 'Master of Mercy' seemed no longer to be interested in healing the sick. What had happened overnight to change His mind, some might have said?
Of course, Jesus had not changed. His heart was still full of compassion, but healing was not His mission. Even if He had spent every day healing throughout a natural lifespan, many sick people would have remained unhealed; and some healed people would have died of other diseases. No, Christ's mission was not to fix the imperfections of earth but make the imperfect people ready for heaven.
Mercy ministry remains an important part of the infrastructure of the gospel. But while it validates the gospel, physical healing does not save people from hell. Jesus knew that only His death could provide the way of salvation. Unless people knew why Jesus came to die, and how that act was the centrepiece of God's rescue plan, there would be no gospel to believe. That is why Jesus made preaching His priority. So, He taught in the synagogues explaining from the Old Testament Scriptures who He was, what God loved and hated, and why He had to die.
Nobody should like being ill. But some think that health and prosperity are the only things that matter. Wrong! Most important of all is to be forgiven, loved, cleansed and accepted by God. 1 Timothy 6:6&9 says, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction." Healthy bodies and bank accounts will not get us to heaven, but believing the gospel of God's grace will. That is why Jesus wanted to preach the gospel.
Today's church falls seriously short of its purpose if it fails to do the same. Have you thought that many people are more likely to hear the gospel from a believer in their workplace, than in the church they never attend? So please share www.crosscheck.org.uk with your friends and colleagues; whatever their earthly trouble, they need a heavenly home. And believing the gospel is the only route (Romans 10:14-15). It is not just a nice idea. It is vital for their eternal destiny.
Prayer: Dear Lord God. Thank You for the person who introduced me to Your Words of Truth, so that I might believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Thank You for all those in my workplace. May I want to do good to them, helping in whatever way I can, but realising that their greatest need is met by Christ alone. So, please help me to be responsible to share the truth of the gospel, praying that my friends and colleagues will be willing to hear You speak to them, and that they may respond by welcoming Jesus In His Name. Amen.
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You can read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: - in English, and many other languages
Jesus had demonstrated His power to heal and expel demons. But early the next morning, He left Simon Peter's house, disappointing new crowds of sick people who were desperate for His touch. Somehow they found out where He was, but He seemed to shrug them off and tried to move on. To some it might have seemed strange that He did not want to exploit His popularity. Others would have been bemused that the 'Master of Mercy' seemed no longer to be interested in healing the sick. What had happened overnight to change His mind, some might have said?
Of course, Jesus had not changed. His heart was still full of compassion, but healing was not His mission. Even if He had spent every day healing throughout a natural lifespan, many sick people would have remained unhealed; and some healed people would have died of other diseases. No, Christ's mission was not to fix the imperfections of earth but make the imperfect people ready for heaven.
Mercy ministry remains an important part of the infrastructure of the gospel. But while it validates the gospel, physical healing does not save people from hell. Jesus knew that only His death could provide the way of salvation. Unless people knew why Jesus came to die, and how that act was the centrepiece of God's rescue plan, there would be no gospel to believe. That is why Jesus made preaching His priority. So, He taught in the synagogues explaining from the Old Testament Scriptures who He was, what God loved and hated, and why He had to die.
Nobody should like being ill. But some think that health and prosperity are the only things that matter. Wrong! Most important of all is to be forgiven, loved, cleansed and accepted by God. 1 Timothy 6:6&9 says, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction." Healthy bodies and bank accounts will not get us to heaven, but believing the gospel of God's grace will. That is why Jesus wanted to preach the gospel.
Today's church falls seriously short of its purpose if it fails to do the same. Have you thought that many people are more likely to hear the gospel from a believer in their workplace, than in the church they never attend? So please share www.crosscheck.org.uk with your friends and colleagues; whatever their earthly trouble, they need a heavenly home. And believing the gospel is the only route (Romans 10:14-15). It is not just a nice idea. It is vital for their eternal destiny.
Prayer: Dear Lord God. Thank You for the person who introduced me to Your Words of Truth, so that I might believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Thank You for all those in my workplace. May I want to do good to them, helping in whatever way I can, but realising that their greatest need is met by Christ alone. So, please help me to be responsible to share the truth of the gospel, praying that my friends and colleagues will be willing to hear You speak to them, and that they may respond by welcoming Jesus In His Name. Amen.
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