Tuesday, May 15, 2018
Ministry markers
Luke 9:1,2
He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
Jesus was clear in stating what are the marks of ministry. Ministry for Jesus is to be marked by power over demonic activity, by the healing of sickness and disease, and by a spread of the gospel of salvation in His name.
We are often using other markers to determine how successful ministry is. Some boast of their facilities, some others of their membership, and there are some who boast of their money, and so on. All of these, in one way or another, are necessary for ministry but are not the real markers of a ministry that Jesus defined.
The better the facilities we have the easier it is to carry out the ministry. Likewise, a large membership that comprises significant people of means is also a big boost to a ministry. But the core of the ministry should be deliverance, healing, and salvation.
Jesus established this at the beginning of His own ministry in a synagogue in Nazareth. Reading from the prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18,19.
Later, when those who Jesus sent out, the seventy disciples, again with instructions to heal the sick, Luke 10:9, they returned and reported: “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” Luke 10:17. For them, deliverance was a high point of ministry in Jesus name. Jesus, though warning that the key for us is that we are saved and are in His Kingdom, reconfirmed what are the marks of ministry, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19.
If we examine the ministry of the apostles, we will see, like we established in the previous devotional, the signs followed them. After conflict broke out in Antioch, when the gospel of Jesus was spreading among the Gentiles there and in the whole region, Paul and Barnabas were expelled from that region. They got to Iconium and, as had been their pattern, started to preach to the Jews and then the Gentiles. More conflict arose. But Doctor Luke was clear to establish for the record, what was taking place at Iconium, “they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.” Acts 14:3.
The Apostle Paul, writing to the church at Corinth, reminded them that his ministry among them was not based on eloquent speech and high-sounding reasoning, although we know that he was capable of both. Rather he sought to confirm that he was a minister of the Gospel of Jesus on the basis of the true markers of ministry. “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,” 1 Corinthians 2:4.
This defence of ministry through the establishment of the markers that Jesus outlined, was again used by Paul to the church at Thessalonica. At the beginning of his first letter to them he wrote, “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.” 1 Thessalonians 1:5
It is interesting to note how the Thessalonians had responded to Paul and his companions showing up in their city. Clearly, the word had spread ahead of them that they were preaching the life-changing gospel of Jesus but also that they were operating in power that was causing much upheaval. The Thessalonian mob, stirred up by the Jews, declared that “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.” Acts 17:6.
The primary goal of ministry is to preach the Gospel of Jesus so that those who don’t know Him might be saved, and that those who are saved might be built up in the most holy faith. However, many to whom the Gospel is preached are bound up through demonic activity that leads to sickness, disease, and other disorders of the mind and soul. For the Gospel to reach them they must be set free from for the bondage in which they are held. Effective ministry must not just address this, people must be set free that they might hear and respond to the Gospel and that they might grow in grace and knowledge of God.
The Apostle James also addresses this mark of an effective ministry in his general letter. He said that when we are sick, we should notify the elders of the church and invite them over, you might be at home or at a hospital, but invite them over. The ministers must respond to the call and show up to anoint the sick one and pray. “And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” James 5:15
Think on these things:
- Do you pray for the sick actually expecting to see them healed?
- Have you had to confront demonic activity?
- What would you say are the main characteristics or markers of the church you attend?
Prayer focus:
Let us pray today we would participate in ministry that is effective and that is marked by power over demonic activity, healing of the sick, and the spread of the gospel of salvation in Jesus.
In His Grace
Pastor Alex