Yesterday I posted my thoughts on what I perceive as a huge gap in the church today. We are well fed and love our identity as beloved sons and daughters and yet something is missing. If you missed that post I would encourage you to read it. It is entitled, “What’s Missing?” Today I want to follow up and look at what it means to do the works that Jesus did as he instructed in John 14:12. After all, if we are called to bring others into the Kingdom we need to understand the pattern that Jesus laid out for us.
So what exactly did Jesus do? The gospels are filled with examples. His ministry was twofold. One, minister to the needs that were presented to him and two, teach about the Kingdom of God. It was the act of ministering to the needs of the people that often opened the door to His Kingdom teaching. After Jesus resurrection the first century church continued this pattern and turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6).
Over the centuries the pattern has changed. Today the focus is on preaching and teaching and for the most part we only minister to material or emotional needs. As a result, we find ourselves defending or attempting to argue people into the Kingdom. There are variations to be sure, but we are far from the pattern Jesus modeled for us.
How then do we get back? The answer is simple, but not easily attained because we have years of conditioning to overcome. The simple truth is to follow Jesus’ example. And yet unless we are in tune with His Spirit and walking in obedience as Jesus did, that simple truth can be a difficult one to follow.
So step one is to nurture our relationship with the Holy Spirit while feeding on the Word of God so that we have the knowledge and discernment to respond to those who cross our path. After that we simply respond to the need and then share Jesus.
The need may be material or emotional, but most needs will be more physical in nature and this is where our faith is tested. Jesus healed blind eyes, crippled legs, deaf ears, even dead bodies. As a result people responded to His message and as we do the same, people will respond to our message as well.
I know I have lost many of you at this point. That’s why I said getting back to the pattern that Jesus modeled was not easy. Our own unbelief is our greatest hurdle and yet it’s all there in the Bible. Jesus patterned it, the New Testament church modeled it, and the world was turned upside down because of it. If we could get back to the pattern I am convinced the world would once again turn to the God who calls them out of darkness into His marvelous light.
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Luke 10:2 NIV)
I believe that is what He is doing today. Let’s heed the call and model the pattern Jesus gave us so that many more will come to know him.
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