How did Jesus minister?

 Many Christians begin by proclaiming biblical doctrines.

‘Jesus is the Son of God, who was in eternal fellowship with the Father before creation. We are sinners and need forgiveness. Jesus died for your sins. If you repent and believe, God will forgive you and give you eternal life.’

I believe this is the truth, according to the Bible. There are also Christians who have heard this message and have come to faith as a result. The apostles in the book of Acts also preached this truth often, but not without signs and wonders.

But did Jesus start like this?

What did Jesus say?

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Mt 4:17 NIV

What does this mean? What did the Jews understand at the time? What did ‘the kingdom of heaven’ mean?

We Christians study the whole New Testament and we have other theological explanations, but the Jews at that time were thinking of prophecies in the Old Testament.

After his resurrection and shortly before his return to the Father in heaven, the apostles were still thinking about the restoration of God's kingdom in Israel.

Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1:6 NIV

Why didn't Jesus try to clear up this misunderstanding right from the start? Jesus did not explain theology. He did not start with doctrines.

Later, Jesus asked his disciples what they believed about him.

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Mt 16:13–14 NIV

Then he asked them what they themselves believed. Only Peter gave the right answer.

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Mt 16:16 NIV

How did Jesus respond? Should the disciples proclaim the whole truth everywhere?

Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. Mt 16:20 NIV

Why? The Jews believed that the Messiah would appear as an all-powerful king and commander and force the enemies of God to accept the rule of God. That is what they read in the Old Testament, but we are still waiting for that time. It hasn't come yet.

How did Jesus minister? He preached trust in God, inner purity and love of neighbour, and he healed and healed and healed.

He was rejected by the Bible experts of his time.

When Christians today minister in the same way, with practical love, genuine kindness and miraculous healings, they are rejected by many Bible experts and conservative Christians.

Nothing has changed. God has not changed. He still wants to show his practical love with miraculous healings, and many religious professionals reject this approach, as they always have.

Doctrines are important, but doctrines are often not a good starting point in mission.

In the Gospel of John, we read that Jesus was full of grace and truth, not truth and grace.

What is grace? Undeserved favour and unconditional kindness. Only if this is our starting point, will many people be willing to hear the message of truth.

It is not enough to tell people about the undeserved favour of God. We must demonstrate and practise the genuine kindness of God in our own attitudes and actions.

Healings and Miracles Today

There are Christians who are enthusiastic about signs and wonders. Some of these Christians love Jesus with all their heart and have an intimate relationship with God.

Others seem to be enthusiastic about miracles, but their lives show no deep love for God and little love for their neighbour.

Jesus is our role model. His love for God and for us human beings moved him to sacrifice his life on the cross.

Through his death on the cross, his love was most clearly seen, but not only that. Everything Jesus did was motivated by his love.

We find the human life of God's Son in four books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

At the age of 30, he began his ministry as an itinerant preacher. Three years later he was arrested and executed on the cross.

A central aspect of his ministry was the signs and wonders, especially the very frequent miraculous healings.

We read again and again how his miracles were motivated by great compassion and mercy.

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Mt 14:14 NIV

His teaching and preaching were motivated by the same compassion and love.

His healing ministry was inseparable from his ministry as a teacher and preacher.

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Mt 4:23 NIV

There was no sickness before the first man and woman disobeyed God. In a sermon by Peter in the book of Acts, we see that sickness is the work of the devil.

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 NLT

After his resurrection, before he returned to the Father in heaven, Jesus declared that his disciples should continue the same supernatural ministry.

And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;  

they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” Mk 16:17–18 NIV

This is supposed to be the normal behaviour of Christians.

‘’These signs will follow those who believe...‘’ so not only apostles.

We find a similar statement in the Gospel of John.

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. Jn 14:12 NIV

But didn't Jesus warn that we can work miracles and still be condemned as sinners?

Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Mt 7:22–23 NIV

That is the tragic reality.

But some want to claim that all preachers in our time who really or supposedly work miracles are hypocrites.

Is it possible that a preacher blessed by God can work real miracles but end up being condemned as a sinner?

Judas Iscariot healed the sick, just as Peter and John did, but he betrayed Jesus and was condemned.

But if Jesus taught signs and wonders were important, we should also value miracles. He is our role model. We should believe for miracles and make sure we are motivated by love, as Jesus was and is.

 

Mercy and Judgement

 A man took two dogs for a walk. When both dogs were disobedient, he chastised both dogs. He gave one dog a pretty hard punch on the nose, but he only scolded the other dog in a sharp voice.

A passer-by asked him why he was being so unfair. Surely he should treat both dogs equally. The man with the dogs replied that he loved both dogs, but they had different temperaments.

There are some people who never take God seriously except to hear harsh talk about the flames of hell. There are others who respond humbly when they hear only a gentle message about God's love and holiness.

There are those who have been deeply hurt by bullying from the pulpit. Even though they sometimes need to hear about God's holiness, they cannot endure harsh speech without feeling intimidated by the preacher or by God Himself.

There are Christians who need to hear harsh sermons often, and others who need God's gentle reassurance again and again.

There are Christians who have been so hurt by many harsh sermons that they overreact until they no longer want to endure the clear biblical texts about God's judgement.

Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mk 16:16 NIV

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. Jn 3:18 NIV

They imagine that everyone will end up in God's heaven at some point.

How would the believing Jews feel if they were to face Hitler in heaven one day? How could God be considered just in this case?

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. Jn 3:16–18 NIV

God loves us all, without exception and without conditions. We can never earn God's love, but we can accept or reject his grace and forgiveness.

Partnership With God

It is very important that we recognise our human limitations.

As a human being, I am only a very flawed part of a world that has been badly corrupted and mismanaged by my fellow human beings.

As a human being, I can only partially resist the corruption of this world with great effort and willpower.

In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Rom 8:26–27 NASB95

Despite all my endeavours, I remain a human being who is not fit to live in the presence of the holy God.

As a human being, I cannot save the humanity around me because I myself need salvation.
Jesus told his chosen apostles:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. Jn 15:5 NIV

The apostle Paul reminds us:

… it is not that we are so competent that we can claim any credit for ourselves; all our competence comes from God. 2 Co 3:5 NJB

God created you to enjoy a close relationship with Himself.
He loves you completely. His love is so warm and tender.

He wants you to stay safe and secure in His beautiful love every hour of your life.

This is such a sweet experience but God not only wants to give you joy but also the fulfilment of a meaningful life with Him.

He wants to give you a share in His great mission to save the world.
God is calling you into partnership with Jesus, the Saviour of the world.

You cannot even begin to work with God without a close connection with Him through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus told His disciples:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Ac 1:8 NIV

This power enables us to heal the sick, bring people to faith in Jesus, and minister to drug addicts.

But we must always be aware that this power is not ours, and we cannot minister without the help of Jesus himself.

‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Mt 11:28 NJB

Our goal is to bring people into intimate fellowship with Jesus through God's love so that they come to know God as their Heavenly Father.

This makes no sense if you yourself do not live in close fellowship with God.

Ministry is what you Do.

 As I read Acts and the NT letters, I see a lot about what believers did, and what they were called to do. 

On the other hand, when I read about prominent ministers or missionaries, I very often see no mention of what a particular person’s ministry title was or what rank or position that person held.

When I look at the churches of today, I see an enormous emphasis placed on titles, offices, positions, and degrees of authority.

One church says the pastor is the supreme authority and final decision maker. The pastor also appoints the elders.

Another church is governed by elders and the elders hire or fire the pastor.
Both churches claim to have a government based on the NT. Who is right?

The NT is so imprecise about ministry offices and systems of church government. Some of the most prominent ministers in the NT are identified by name but neither Luke nor Paul tells us what their ministry titles or offices were.

Paul often refers to both men and women by name and tells us they were co-workers in the work of the Gospel, but that does not tell us what ministry title they had, if any.

Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus.
They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Ro 16:3–4 NIV

Clearly they were both very prominent ministers of the Gospel with a very fruitful ministry to many churches in different places. They are both mentioned 6 times by name. No other couple in the NT is named repeatedly.

Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.

He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervour and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.

He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. Ac 18:24–26 NIV

What ministry titles or offices did this man and woman hold? Neither Luke, nor Paul nor the Holy Spirit considered it important to tell us.

When Paul wrote his letters to the church in Corinth, he addressed his letters to the believers, not to the pastors, not to the elders.

We have got it all wrong. We focus on titles, offices, church government structures, hierarchies …

Are we biblically correct? Absolutely not. We need organisational structures, but good theology is not just determined by a list of doctrinal statements, but by our priorities and what we emphasise.

In the Jewish religion at the time of Jesus, only the testimony of men had legal standing, but God chose Mary Magdalene to be the first official witness to the resurrection of Jesus.

What ministry rank or title did Mary Magdalene have, if any? God did not consider it important to tell us.

If you are a believer, whether male or female, you are called to do something, not be a somebody.

Don't misunderstand me. You are a somebody because you are a son or daughter of God, but your ministry title must not be the main thing in your life.

Did Jesus Appoint Peter?

Who was the chief apostle? Who did Jesus leave in charge?

Abraham appointed Isaac; Moses appointed Joshua; Elijah appointed Elisha and David appointed Solomon but did Jesus appoint a supreme leader to take over after He returned to Heaven?

The Bible tells us about the sins and faults of the Apostles and preachers love to preach about them.

A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.

And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors.

But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. Lk 22:24-26 (ESV)

What were the Apostles disputing? Was each of the twelve claiming to be number one? I don't think so.

What most preachers fail to notice is this. Jesus had not conformed to the perfectly reasonable expectation of any group of leaders.

If Jesus had appointed a supreme leader, this discussion would be unthinkable.

Peter, James and John were obvious favourites, but Jesus had not named a number one man.

But who was the chosen one? Since Jesus had not told them, they did what any group of men would do. They tried to work it out themselves.

After Jesus returned to heaven, Peter seemed to take the lead in Acts chapters 1 to 3. Nevertheless, the writer of Acts emphasises the collective leadership of “The Apostles.”

In Acts 2, Peter preached the first sermon but the main emphasis is on the inspired and inspiring unity of all the disciples.

All this is not because of any neglect or forgetfulness of Jesus or the Father in Heaven.

In Galatians, we read how Paul visited the leaders in Jerusalem. He spoke of Peter, James and John “who seemed to be pillars.” (Gal 2:9)

Jesus declared a whole new approach to leadership in Matthew 23.

But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.

And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Mt 23:8-9 (ESV)

This is so radical, that most of us have not even begun to understand it. I have been a member of Pentecostal churches for 35 years and I have never heard any preacher explain this important text.

The mystery does not end here.

The first witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ was not an Apostle.

It was Mary Magdalene, a woman with a sinful past and a testimony but not an ordained leader.

When she told the Apostles, they did not believe her. Then Jesus came and rebuked the men of God for not receiving her testimony!

Leadership is important but God’s idea of leadership is not always what we expect.

The founders of the first mission to the non-Jewish pagans were not Apostles, and they were not appointed or sent by the Apostles.

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.

But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus.

And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. Acts 11:19-21 (ESV)

These Spirit led pioneer missionaries were not ordained preachers and we don’t even know their names.

Peter emerged as the chief apostle in Jerusalem, but there was no strict hierarchy.

In the book of Acts we something new, team leadership and spontaneous initiative directed by the Holy Spirit.

What can we learn from this?

If the Holy Spirit inspires you to reach out to your neighbours, your workmates or whoever, don’t wait for a leader to give you permission.

Just do it!

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Mt 18:20

JUST DO IT

What do these people have in common? 

• Joseph, Ruth, Amos, Elijah, Esther, Joseph, Mary, Luke and Mary Magdalene.

God used their faith to change history. 

What else do they have in common?

• Not one was a priest or pastor. 

In the Bible, we see two kinds of faith heroes. 

• On one hand there were leaders, priests and kings, elders, apostles and pastors. 

Aaron was the first High Priest; Ezekiel was a prophet but also an officially ordained priest. Paul was a trained Pharisee before God made him an apostle.

• On the other hand there were people who changed history through prayer and bold faith but they were never in charge of anything. 
• Noah built an ark with the help of his three sons. He did not have a network of followers to gather the animals. The Holy Spirit brought the animals into the ark. 
• Amos was a farmer and land owner before God sent him to prophesy to Israel. 
• Ruth was a pagan widow before she married a Jew and became the grandmother of King David and an ancestor of Jesus the Messiah.
• Mary Magdalene was a woman possessed by seven demons until Jesus delivered her from the power of darkness. After Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene. 

When she and some other women were the first to announce the resurrection to the apostles, they did not believe but then Jesus Himself appeared to them and rebuked them for not believing the women. 

Does that mean Mary Magdalene was prophet or a pastor? No it does not. 

• It means that so-called ordinary believers outside the five fold ministry are called to play strategic roles in God’s plan to shape history.

That was in the Bible. What about later times? 

• Copernicus and Galileo both believed in Jesus and the Bible, but they made scientific discoveries that changed our understanding of God’s creation. They showed that the earth was not the centre of creation but rather that the earth orbited around the sun. 

These great scientists were persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church. 

• Martin Luther also rejected these scientific discoveries because they seemed to contradict the Bible.

These scientists used their faith and their God given intelligence to challenge the church, and not only the Roman Catholic hierarchy.

In every generation many ordained leaders of God’s people are right about some things but ignorant or mistaken about other things. 

• Again and again God raises up believers who are not official leaders and uses them to change the thinking of generations to come. 
• Sometimes the new ideas are quickly accepted by church leaders but not always. 

If God has given you an unusual gift or unique vision, it may not be appreciated by your local church or your pastor but if you believe your calling and gifting is from God, don’t be put off or intimidated. 

DO SOMETHING!

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:16-17 (ESV)

If your gift is from God, God will bless HIS gift in your life if YOU step out in faith. All pioneers have been misunderstood by other believers. Every man or woman of God has been criticised by leaders who followed conventional thinking.

FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. James 2:26 (ESV) 

Parts of the Body of Christ are barely alive because the leaders follow conventional wisdom and the people follow the leaders rather than listening to the Holy Spirit. 

If God shows you a way to go which your church will not accept, don’t talk about it, just do it. 

Don’t start a fight in your church. Just go and do what God shows you to do. 

The Source of True Life and Love

You are the light of the world. … let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)
 
Moses was the light of his generation. After forty days alone with God, Moses came down from Mount Sinai a changed man. His face shone.
 
The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light ... Matthew 6:22 (ESV)  
When a woman is in love, her eyes shine. Her whole face lights up. If we love Jesus, and we are living in His presence, we are like young people in love and the world can see it. 

This love is not based on achievement or good work. It is comes from the revelation that God loves you with all His heart.
 
We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (ESV)
 
CHILDLIKE TRUST
 
How does a child grow up? By experiencing his parents´ love and trusting in their guidance.
 
Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. Mark 10:15
 
In a healthy family, the parents exercise sacrificial love and the children enjoy that love. It is in enjoying the love of God, that we shine like lights in a dark world. 

Nothing makes a person’s face like up like the enjoyment of loving because you know you are loved. God IS Love.
 
If we focus on our own striving to keep God’s commandments, we lose the childlike enjoyment of God, which is our source of love, joy and power.
 
But isn’t obedience also important?
 
If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. John 15:10 (NKJV)
 
Disobedience is not childlike trust in a good Father. Jesus spoke about good works that draw unbelievers to His light.
 
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? Matthew 25:37 (ESV)
 
And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. Matthew 25:40 (ESV)
 
When we heal the sick or buy food for a homeless person, kindness motivated by the love of Jesus shows the goodness of God to the world.
 
The obedience that Jesus loves is not based on an obligation to a ministry. Jesus is not impressed when we strive to win approval, escape criticism or please leaders.
 
And he said to them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Luke 22:25
 
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Matthew 23:8-9
 
Preachers who intimidate and control are trying to make people good, but they destroy the childlike love, joy and faith which is the real source of Christian goodness.
 
Fear is the opposite of faith. The fear of man (including church leaders) actually undermines trust in God.
 
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 1 John 4:18 (ESV)  
Should preachers always be soft and comforting? Jesus was not. Godly ministers lead, teach and challenge, but they do not control people with guilt, duty and intimidation.

Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30

I pray you will find the right Christian friends and mentors. They will see you as Jesus sees you, a unique son or daughter of God.

Your Assignment from God

Your life is a gift and also an assignment.

Imagine that God gives you a loving husband or wife. You must then learn to love. That's much more than being in love.

You're a woman, and you're praying for a baby. Your longing is fulfilled. Then you must learn to be a mother. It's not just biological reproduction. Fatherhood also needs to be learned.

Adam and Eve were given a great gift, life, with the nature of God himself.

So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.  Gen 1:27

With this amazing gift came a great assignment.

God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.” Gen 1:28

The gift was a blessing and the assignment was also a blessing.

You can read this because have received the great gift of life. You are alive.

God appointed the man and the woman to rule the world together. They should do this as a partnership. 

Some people do not want to understand this because their thinking is dominated by hierarchy, men ruling over women, leaders ruling over church members.

But there is an even sadder error in thinking that has ruined humanity. Men want to rule the world without recognising God, without understanding this responsibility as a gift of God.

In the beginning God did not say that men should dominate women. He also did not say that men should rule over other people.

On the contrary. Men and women together were appointed to govern the earth. 

In the New Testament Jesus trained his apostles as a team. He sent out his disciples two by two. 

Jesus also recognised women his disciples.

But He replied to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?”
And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! Mt 12:48-49 (HCSB)

Men and women were called to rule the world, but they needed a small beginning.

And the LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and preserve it. Gen 2:15

When God gave you your life, you were very small. You were supposed to receive love and care, to learn and grow. It is a tragedy that many small children do not receive healthy love.

Adam and Eve had the great blessing of being loved and taught by God Himself. Tragically, they rejected this blessing, because they wanted to go their own way, instead of developing their life and mission with God's fatherly love.

God gave Adam and Eve the gift of life, but not a life as orphans, but a life as his beloved children, a life with his care and friendship.

Life with God included the assignment to rule the world with God, as God's children and co-workers, all within the framework of love and partnership.

After Adam’s fall, people were like orphans in the world. Most no longer knew God's friendship and fatherly love.

Do you know God's friendship and fatherly love?

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (HCSB)

 

Adam and Eve had life from God and with God. God is eternal. Life with God is eternal.

God wants to give you the same gift that Adam and Eve had in the beginning, not only never ending life, but life with God, eternal love and fulfilment.

What should this life look like? Just a respectable moral life in a church?  This is the holy highway of the Gospel, but rather a parking lot.

Jesus calls us to an adventure to live as He lived on earth.

Jesus had a mission to save the world.
Jesus calls you and me to participate in His mission.

Are women to be only personal assistants? The first witness to declare the resurrection was Mary Magdalene.

What is your personal assignment from God?

Saved though Bearinng Children??

But women will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. 1 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)

Does this mean that women can only be saved if they bear children?

God forbid! Then all virgins would be damned!

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 

not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)

Or should we believe, as some people apparently think, that women have no ministry other bringing up children?

That is easy to prove wrong.

There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,

and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying. Luke 2:36-37 (NIV)

So what has salvation to do with having babies?

Nevertheless, she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control. 1 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV)

In our time in western countries, childbirth is not as dangerous as in poor countries or in former times. In bible days, many women died giving birth.

In the original Greek text we see the word SOZO.

In the New Testament this word refers to salvation from God's judgement, but also being saved from death or being delivered from sickness.

And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21 (NKJV)

The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" Matthew 8:25 (NIV)

Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment. Matthew 9:22 (NIV)

Paul wants to encourage women to expect deliverance from trauma and death in childbirth.

Leaders Must Encourage Initiative

It was Easter Sunday and the large church was filled. Suddenly a man dramatically stood up, stopped breathing and collapsed. The pastors did nothing. But a young man instantly came to the rescue. He had been trained as a paramedic, and he took the initiative.

The young paramedic quickly and expertly performed the necessary first aide. Six men carried the stricken man to the back of the church. 

A doctor from the congregation came and helped the young paramedic while they waited for the ambulance.

What happened?

In an emergency, the large leadership team and staff of the church were slow to react and therefore ineffective. The real leader was the young man who simply reacted to the need at hand. He did not wait for authorisation, but he took the initiative.

This story comes from an excellent book by Max DePree. “Leadership is an Art.” The author calls the spontaneous initiative of the young paramedic “Roving Leadership”.

The church also had hierarchical leadership. 

Hierarchical leaders must encourage and make room for initiative. Roving leaders must be celebrated. In fact, many hierarchical leaders frown on initiative. They micromanage their organisations and do not allow roving leadership to function at all.

In the New Testament, we see how believers took major initiatives as they were led by the Holy Spirit. 

 

Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 

Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.  Acts 11:19-20 (NIV)
 

These unnamed believers took a new initiative. They made disciples of non Jews and planted the first non-Jewish church. 

 

They were not appointed by the church leaders in Jerusalem. They just did what Jesus had said and as the Holy Spirit led them.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Mt 28:19 (NIV)

This new church was planted in Antioch. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard about it, they sent Barnabas to check on the new mission.

When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. Acts 11:23 (NIV) 

Leaders need to be careful. When something new happens, check it out. Not everything new is from God. 

On the other hand, we need to be ready for surprises. If we look at the ministry of Jesus in the Gospels, we see Him healing blind men in strange ways. In one case, He makes mud by spitting in dirt and anointing the man’s eyes. In another case, He spits in the man’s eyes.

If we demand all ministry to follow conventional procedures, we will restrict the moving of the Holy Spirit.

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8 (NIV)

You need the peace of God!

God's will for you is peace.

Peace in Hebrew is SHALOM. That includes safety, healing and complete well-being. This peace comes only from God. 

Herrmann Zaiss was a dedicated evangelist in Germany who was deeply hurt in spite of amazing success. He was full on charismatic. His ministry resulted in numerous conversions and healings, but in 1924 the resistance of the anti-charismatic Christians was much stronger than it is today.

The persecution by other Christians was very hard to take. His wife had a complete nervous breakdown and his marriage failed. His wife was apparently permanently psychotic in a psychiatric institution.

Herrmann Zaiss was a broken man despite his amazing faith.
How is that possible? In the Bible, Elijah became desperate and asked God to let him die.

Herrmann Zaiss could not take it any longer.

He did not want to have anything to do with God anymore. He still believed in God, but he did not want to live as a Christian. God could kill him, he knew that. He told God he could call him back after 20 years if He so willed. That was up to God.

Zaiss became a successful entrepreneur and married again.
In 1944 he was in Solingen and Germany was falling to pieces. In Solingen and elsewhere, allied bombs rained down day and night.

His wife told him that despite everything, he was a man of God. The time had come to re-activate his faith to encourage the suffering people around them.

Exactly twenty years after turning his back on God, he knelt with his wife, and they gave themselves completely to Jesus.

God forgave him and restored his miraculous ministry. His faith was stronger than ever.

One day they heard a bomber attack on Solingen from England was on their way. Herrmann Zaiss took to the streets and ordered the aircraft to return to England. Then they heard that the bombers had actually turned back.

His ministry increased. Hundreds of desperate Germans came to hear his message. Many were converted.

After the war, a businessman provided him with a bomb-damaged building.

People came from near and far, even from Holland. They saw amazing healings. Where despair reigned, new hope rose up.

Among the British occupation forces was a young soldier. His entire Jewish family in Germany had been wiped out by the Nazis. He was accepted as a refugee in England, and now as a British soldier he hated the Germans.

A Canadian officer was Christian and wanted to help the young Jew. He took the tormented you man to one of Herrmann Zaiss’s meetings. The broken-hearted young soldier heard the wonderful message and saw the amazing miracles. He felt the love of God and God gave him a new heart. Instead of blazing hatred, there was now a burning love.

At the same meetings there was an ex SS officer who had adored Hitler. He had been seriously wounded during the last days of the war, and he was cared for in an American hospital. He could not understand the love of American Christians, but Jesus also transformed his heart.

The young Jew and the no longer hate filled Nazi officer became close friends.

"I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near," Says the LORD, "And I will heal him." Isaiah 57:19 (NKJV)

God Still Heals. Do You Need Healing?

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John tell how the Son of God lived on this earth for 33 years. 

• In his last three years on earth, Jesus preached and taught the people of Israel. 

  • One of the most prominent features of His teaching was the way He consistently performed miraculous healings.

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 (NLT) 

• This is how the Apostle Peter summarised the healing ministry of Jesus. 

  • He makes no distinction between exorcisms and healing physical sickness. 

    • Jesus saw demon possession, deafness, blindness and physical sickness as manifestations of evil.

When John the Baptist was in prison, he was tempted to despair of his faith. He sent his disciples to Jesus, seeking reassurance.

 

And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 

• the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. Mt 11:4-5

Clearly Jesus also saw Healing as a central feature of His ministry.

• When Jesus appointed His Apostles, the first thing He did was to give them authority to heal.

 

And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. Mt 10:1 (ESV) 

 

If we look at church history and examine the practices of many churches in the Western World, we see only some churches emphasise healings and miracles.

• Many other churches consider this unbalanced, and yet they read the same Bible that shows Jesus was a healing evangelist. 

• For Jesus and the early church, healing the sick was an essential part of the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

Where did the Western church go wrong? 

Why have we strayed from the ways of Jesus so clearly presented in the New Testament?

After the fall of the Roman Empire in the Europe, most people were poor and illiterate. 

• Faith in the Word of God was replaced with faith in religious traditions including prayers to saints and bathing with holy water. Healing and miracles became associated with very unbiblical practices.

When Luther and Calvin restored the Bible as the only source of spiritual authority, they rejected the papacy. They also condemned faith in miracles obtained by prayers to saints or touching sacred objects. This was idolatry.

• However they made the mistake of rejecting all healing miracles. 

  Calvin taught that the miraculous ministry of Jesus and the Apostles were not a model to imitate.  

  • He taught they did miracles to prove that Jesus was the Son of God and to confirm the truth of the Gospel of salvation. 

    Once the church and the gospel were established, they considered miracles were no longer necessary but were counterfeit miracles associated with Roman Catholic idolatry. 

Once the miraculous element was banished from much of Western Christianity, faith in scientific materialism was blended with biblical belief. 

• Faith in human reason began to supplement and then replace faith in the Word of God.

This is why many Christians in Britain, Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand find it difficult to receive divine healing or to exercise faith for miracles. 

Our whole culture has been corrupted by systematic unbelief in God’s supernatural power.

• Faith is a personal matter but it is also corporate. Faith is contagious but unbelief is also contagious. 

Conservative Protestant tradition and academic theology  have made unbelief respectable in in Europe and North America.

• The result has been a catastrophic decline of faith amongst professing Christians and the abandonment of Christianity by the majority of Europeans.

But God has not changed and the Bible has not changed.

God loves you. 

He knows you are broken and wounded in many ways. We all are. 

• We all have emotional issues that cause us pain and prevent us from being all we could be. 

• We all get sick from time to time and many of us have bodily functions that don’t operate as they should.

God wants to heal you, to change your life, to set you free of the painful limitations that stop you fulfilling your potential.

WHERE DID WE GO WRONG?

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

If you have been a church goer, you will be familiar with these words of Jesus. 

You have probably heard a minister, a pastor or priest preaching from this text. It is often used as an appeal for people to put their faith in Jesus and commit their lives to God.

The tragic reality is that it is often the preacher who is most in need of this text himself. 

Do a Google search for “pastors burnout rate” and you will find the horrible facts. 

• Why are huge numbers of pastors underpaid, neglected, mistreated and abused by professing Christian church members? 

• Why do some pastors overreact by becoming religious dictators and spiritual control freaks? 

• Why are so many pastors leaving the ministry? 

• Why do so many preachers’ children give up Christian faith? 

• Why do we so often hear of Catholic priests who abuse children?

The sad reality is that for close to 1700 years, Christians have fallen into a very damaging form of idolatry. 

Priests and preachers have been elevated to a position which rightfully belongs only to Jesus.

Does this mean we should no longer have any full time preachers or church leaders? 

I am not suggesting that. There were some full time preachers in the New Testament and God blessed them.

However, the enormous superhuman expectations we place on full time preachers are quite wrong.

In New Testament times, the apostles and some other preachers led the church but much of the work of ministry was done by the so called ordinary believers.

• So many Catholic priests are destroyed by the false expectations of celibacy and unlimited duty of service. 

• So many sincere Christians are crushed by the unbiblical expectation that they should unconditionally obey human church leaders. 

• So many pastors are destroyed by being expected to know everything, do everything and control everybody and everything.

I am not suggesting that we completely walk away from every known form of church organisation. Christian groups which do that often become exclusive religious cults which destroy people even more effectively than unhealthy traditional churches.

It is time for Christians everywhere to rise up and be what the Bible says we are, a brotherhood of priests and spiritual kings, respecting genuine full time preachers and working with them to extend the Kingdom of God.

"'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Acts 2:17 (NIV) 

Inspired spiritual ministry is the calling of all believers.We must not unconditionally submit to any man on earth.

"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Matthew 23:8-9 (NIV) 

On the other hand, we have no right to treat a pastor as an easy target to be exploited or bullied.

The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 1 Timothy 5:17 (NIV) 

The context shows that double honour does not mean unconditional obedience and submission to a separate and superior class of priests. 

The true meaning is that we owe respect, appreciation and generous financial support to genuine and gifted preachers who serve well.

Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. 1 Timothy 5:17 (NLT) 

So what is the answer? We are all like sheep who need a shepherd. 
Are you frustrated with routine prayer and bible study?

Have you ever gone for a quiet walk in the park and expected God to speak to your heart? Why not start today?