But increasingly in John’s gospel we find the suffocating regulations of the perfect Law, starkly contrasted with willing, gentile acceptance, of Christ’s grace and truth. Jesus came as the Jewish Messiah and the Saviour of the world, but during His earthly ministry we are reminded that He only came to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
The Mind of Christ
John the Baptist cried: He must increase but I must decrease – John 3:30. Christ in His ministry to Israel encourages them to learn of Me.
All in All
When Christ is not a Christian’s fullness, that one is filled with self, not Christ. When Christ is not all in all to the body of Christ, it becomes an empty vessel. When the Lord Jesus is not preeminent in our lives, we fail in our ministry.
Christ in Me
Being His witnesses does not necessarily mean going out and talking. Being a consecrated man or woman – ‘being a sign’ may not mean what you think. It may not mean becoming a missionary or starting a ministry… This may be a fraction of the call on a sanctified life.
Pre-Cross Gospels
The gospels were written about a period of time in world history, that was pre-cross. The life and ministry of the Lord Jesus took place before today’s church age started. God sent His Son to the world at the right time – born of woman, born under the law.
Israel’s Messiah
The beautiful words and works of the Lord Jesus are worthy of our regard and study, but we must never forget that His ministry was primarily to the lost sheep of Israel.
Veiled Life
In the main God chose to veil our view of Jesus until the time of John the Baptist’s ministry, when Jesus started to walk in and out among the disciples of John. And yet there is much that we know of His character – His spirited zeal for the Lord – His love for the Scriptures of God and His humble dedication to His Father in heaven.
John stood his ground, maintaining his testimony in the face of every foe, and as a consequence has exercised a mighty ministry of life down through the centuries. -T.
The present and eternal ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Son; the past, present, and future ministry of the Son is to glorify the Father.
Our life and ministry will bring glory to our Father to the extent that we abide in the Son, and are controlled by the Holy Spirit.
When one's ministry or outreach flows from close communion with the Father, one's influence and moral authority will be recognized.
Moreover, such a workman is not carried beyond what he has received from the Lord, so that his ministry finds sanction in hearts without any pressure. -J.N.D.
The object of all Christian life and ministry, of whatever kind, must surely be to bring glory to God.
Inner Ministry
I doubt the disciples could have imagined that Christ, going away as He did, would have resulted in something even better for them– for the Lord Jesus could only walk beside His disciples – while the Holy Spirit indwells the very heart of a believer. This intimate, inner ministry of the indwelling Spirit, surpasses our wildest thoughts.
Man of God
Paul was a man who loved his Saviour and a man whose service to his Lord is one that we hold up as an example of a great man of faith – a man of God that we ourselves would seek to emulate, and yet his comparatively short life in the ministry was one that was engulfed by an overabundance of problems and difficulties – a ministry that was packed from start to finish with unbelievable severities and significant hardships.
Servant of the Lord
And yet we discover that the apostle Paul was hounded by those who sought to destroy his ministry and discredit His reputation.
It was proclaiming Christ Jesus the Lord that was Paul’s ministry.
Christ as Preeminent
A ministry that does not have Christ at the centre is an abortive mission. A man or movement without Christ as preeminent is of no consequence. Preaching Christ, proclaiming Christ, publishing Christ is God’s pleasure.
Christ Crucified
But down through the centuries so much Christian work excludes Christ. Proclaiming a mission statement is too often the abortive work of a ministry. Publishing a programme has become the norm in much evangelistic work. Preaching anything and everything except the only thing of importance.. that I might preach HIM – that I might preach Christ – that I might preach Christ Jesus and Him crucified.
Surely there is only one answer:- On the one hand, a ministry which has as its substance or object the rooting and grounding, the establishing, the building up of believers, and the real increase of the measure of Christ.
Different Empowerment
In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit gifted a few people for their particular ministry or their specific service – or for a certain office such as prophet, priest, or king.
It is a new day to your soul when you realize that Christ is the Source of everything, and that it is from Him you must draw, and not from ministry about Him.
It does not effect what is the Lord's desire as the end of the ministry, which is to lead the soul to Himself, because it is not spoken in communion with Himself.
In a somewhat extended life and ministry, again and again I have seen dear people of God who were out in the open going on with the Lord in the liberty of the Spirit with great promise and then they’ve been caught in some “ism.” They simply are helpless to escape themselves from the tenets of that “ism.” Again and again I’ve seen it!
But that is the error of holiness by faith.' The objective (position) is that we are clear before the Father; the subjective (condition) is that we are cleared from ourselves by the growth ministry of the Holy Spirit.
“As the believer grows, and his path becomes more involved, he is taught more about the Holy Spirit’s ministry, for he needs this doctrine increasingly for his comfort and rest in trial.
In these days of spiritual dearth there is an ever-increasing need for the ministry of nurturing new believers, that they may be rooted and built up in Him, and established (Col. 2:7).
The great burden of the Christian ministry should be that Christ may be formed in men, and that they, in turn, may be living witnesses to others.
Sinless Life
Oh, there are many false and spurious legends that have grown up surrounding the early life of the Lord, with untrue and foolish stories of childhood miracles He did – but all are erroneous and blasphemous and are the product of a vivid imagination. But what we do know is that the Boy Jesus lived a sinless life, which is equally true of the many silent years of His childhood as it is of His three intense years of ministry, for He was God and He was Man – not just for 3 years but throughout His whole life.
One Foundation
If a ministry is dependent on the name of its leader it is doomed to fail. If Christ is replaced by a man, woman or denomination, a death knoll has sounded, for other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” 1Corinthians 3:11
Centrality of Christ
It is folly to spend time and energy building up a Christian work unless Christ is central, but many Christian works are founded on ‘Christian’ principles alone and not Christ – and any ministry that neglects His rightful place, is doomed to collapse. Jesus said I, if I am lifted up will draw all men unto Myself” John 12:32
Wise Warning
There are numerous establishments and foundations that are labeled ‘Christian’, but we must beware when Christ is not central to a church or ministry. There can be worldliness within the ‘church’ and a spiritual immaturity – there can be lack of scriptural knowledge or a tickling of ears with pleasantries.
Remain Alert
There are plenty of things that are being constructed in the name of the Lord – We must beware when a denomination is simply following the traditions of men. We must be careful of a body that is a fawning over a man-made ministry. We must be alert to the false doctrines and deceiving spirits many proclaim today.
The Spirit's ministry is to present a Person, rather than to produce an experience.
In the latter we have the surrender, but it is not to get, or to attain; it is because he has entered into what is his; he has accepted the wondrous fact of his death with the Lord Jesus, and of the Spirit's presence and ministry.
Without His scriptural revelation we cannot commence the course, but without the discipline of His ministry we cannot complete it.
Had I never come up against it, never would I have believed the terrific force there is lying behind Christian institutions if your ministry touches them.
When the suffering soul reaches a calm sweet carelessness, when it can inwardly smile at its own suffering, and does not even ask the Father to deliver it from suffering, then it has wrought its blessed ministry; then patience has its perfect work; then the crucifixion begins to weave itself into a crown. -T.W.
Paul says he counted his life dear only in order that he might fulfill the ministry he had received; he refused to use his energy for any other thing.
Acts 20:24 states Paul's almost sublime annoyance at being asked to consider himself; he was absolutely indifferent to any consideration other than that of fulfilling the ministry he had received.
They are absorbed in something else, and this not only distracts them from their work, but when they do set themselves to it, there is not that maturity, that finished condition of soul, that knowledge of hearts, and of the way in which the Word suits itself to their needs, which gives lasting value to ministry. -J.N.D.
There is no snare or any danger of infatuation or pride in intercession, it is a hidden ministry that brings forth fruit whereby the Father is glorified.
High Calling
My work and ministry is worth nothing unless sanctified in Him. For all my work and ministering is as filthy rags in my own, immature state.
Our one responsibility, that of concentrating upon the Lord Jesus, has a three-fold result: (1) fellowship with Him; (2) growth in His image; (3) ministry of life to others.
Oh, yes, God gives us a ministry and then we get hold of it and become jealous about our ministry and afraid of other people getting in our way and taking our ministry away from us; interfering with our ministry, you see.
which I share with you today. Our great Helper in prayer is the Lord Jesus Christ, our Advocate with the Father, our Great High Priest, whose chief ministry for us these centuries has been intercession and prayer.
Godly Instructions
And in Romans 12, Paul tells us how to live:- we being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another – having then gifts, differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: If prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering.
Jesus, when He began His ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as it was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli...Luke 3:23
Now Jesus Himself, when He began His ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli – the father of Mary.
some see it as their job and responsibility to convert the world – some are quickly pushed into a ministry or service by other people.
I watched some similar clips of 4 years olds, 7 years olds and other minor ‘preachers’ – infants and children given the pulpit who were evidently considered ‘gifted’ – and yet the Lord Jesus Himself waited until he was 30 before starting His public ministry.
Man or Ministry
If God’s word is true then God is more interested in developing a man than a ministry.
To Know Him
At the start of his life we are told that it was God’s pleasure to reveal Christ in Paul, but at the end of his life Paul longed to know the Lord Jesus more and more and more, and throughout his ministry it is Paul’s longing that we also come to know Him more. I want to know Christ–yes, to know the power of his resurrection… and have fellowship in His suffering… Philippians 3:10
An Instruction From Paul
Give no offence in anything, that the ministry be not blamed, but in all things – Approving ourselves as the ministers of God… Behold – this is the way we should live….
If you are not getting the hundredfold more, not getting insight into God's word, then start praying for your friends, enter into the ministry of the interior.
And Job also was being prepared for an eternal ministry.
An Eternal Ministry
God prepared Job to be His ‘Vessel of Comfort‘ – and you have that same choice.
And Job has been engaged in the “Ministry of Comfort” – for the last 4000 years or more..
a lasting prayer ministry that cries: “Thy Will Be Done on earth as in heaven…” until God’s Way is completed and Christ is ALL in ALL. This has not happened yet and over 1000 years of ‘time‘ yet remains – before the start of the eternal ages to come. So… what think ye of Christ ?
You will not get far before you are in the company of those who opposed Christ at every step, and of the Judaizers who pursued Paul across the world with the one object of making his ministry impossible.
If you are not coming to help their thing or things with your ministry or presentation, of course they won’t have it, and it resolves itself into this: they won’t have Him; that is not the kind of Lord they want.
A ministry and work that is linked with the very Spirit of God, for He shall baptise with the Holy Spirit, and with the fires of judgement, for He was made a quickening, life-giving spirit. 1Cor.15:45
Continuing Ministry
Yes..
His is a ministry that He is continuing today at the right hand of God the Father..
Humble Submission
It seems that for a little time at least; the Lord was among the followers of John! He had humbled Himself for many silent years under the authority of His parents, and He seems to have spent some time learning from the ministry of the Baptist. What a wonderful example we have in the silent years of our developing Saviour. Though little is written of His life and learning there are many little clues that demonstrate that the Lord Jesus lived His entire childhood and early adult life in humble submission to those that were in authority – as He waited for God’s timing when He would continue His long, painful..
The Church's real ministry is not multitudinous public services, so-called, but the forming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the lives of His people; the reproduction of Christ; epistles made alive by the Holy Spirit, to be seen and read of all men. -C.A.F.
So then, to gather that up in one word, it means that for our lives and for our service, our ministry, our heavenly vocation, there are, in union with Christ, resources at our disposal which are heavenly, inexhaustible, and incorruptible.
It rebukes the haste and readiness with which many now enter the ministry, attempting to impress others with a measure of the truth which they have not proved for themselves.
Even if we were perfect in ourselves, that would not make us ministers, for ministry consists in the Spirit's manifesting in our lives something more of Christ that was not there before, and then making it shine out for the blessing and transformation of others. -H.F.
The fact is forgotten that He, while living under, keeping, and applying the Law of Moses, also taught the principles of His future earthly kingdom, and, at the end of His ministry and in relation to His Cross, He also anticipated the teachings of grace.
Early in Christ’s ministry the disciples believed the Lord because of His signs, but to develop into mature believers, they were to be participators of His life.
Lack of Faith
Men that walked with the Lord throughout His ministry showed a great lack of faith. The disciples were frequently told – oh you of little faith. The same men with the authority to drive out demons and heal the sick – lacked faith!
Every fear to go down into daily death, ever clinging to that which belongs to us, every grasp on our own personal position or ministry, will only hinder the manifestation of His life.
But when we are not allowed to do anything, when we are cut off from ministry and work and service, and shut up to the discipline of inaction and the discipline of delay, God is preparing for better service than we would ever have fulfilled otherwise.
John 13:1 (NIV)
No ministry of the servant of Jesus Christ can be a triumphant ministry unless there is a deep, strong, abiding love.... Love is going to solve our problems and to bring us into victory; but apart from a sufficient love, the problems of human make-up, the many differences of disposition and character and all that goes to make up a company, and the continuous drain and strain, with all the pressure that comes from the enemy, will present a problem, a perplexity and a paralyzing task....
The Throne Ministry
Much of scripture is devoted to intercession and prayer – the throne ministry of God. Simple, dynamic power-packed instructions – to help us withstand in the evil day. This is so that God’s plans will be fulfilled in His way, in His time and for His glory – and God’s perfect plan always results in the best outcome for all of His children.
We are part of God’s throne ministry of prayer and we are exhorted to:- be diligent; be watchful; be thankful; be faithful; be obedient, and trust the Lord.
It is a mark of going on when we can come to the place where it is true before God that we have let go all the prosperity and success even of Christian work and Christian ministry as men would count it.
Where there is no Cross there is no life, and no ministry of life.
The object of suffering is that there may be a full and abundant ministry. . . .
The Holy Spirit Himself takes responsibility for our experience, leading us in paths where we encounter, in body, heart, or spirit, that measure of the dying of Jesus' that will mean enrichment of our ministry.
This is a general difference, but it is a very great one, and it may represent all the difference between bondage and liberty, between limitation and fullness, even between Life and death in ministry.
The need of the hour is not only for a higher spiritual level of ministry in general, it is for men with a specific revelation which will meet the situation as it is now.
The very fact that you are jealous for the Lord will bring you into conflict with that trend that there is in this world, in man.... When there is the purest testimony, the fullest expression of what is of God, the heavenly over against the earthly, the spiritual over against the carnal or the natural, the enemy gives a turn to things, a twist to things, and lays the responsibility at the door of a spiritual and a heavenly ministry.
Great High Priest
His life of obedience qualified the Lord Jesus to become our great High Priest, and as such, He sits at the right hand of the Father carrying out His high priestly ministry on behalf of all who are part of His body – all who believe on His name. As our great High Priest, He comforts and succours all those who are weary and heavy-laden and who come to Him for rest.
His high priestly ministry is founded upon the life that He lived on earth.
The ongoing outpouring of the riches of God’s amazing grace from that uniquely special occasion, on all believers, has been thru the beautiful ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Future Mysteries
We are to know more fully the exceeding riches of His power toward us who believe.. divine mysteries that are unlocked to our understanding – by grace through faith.. to know the surpassing power that is ours through the ministry of the Holy Spirit - to know the matchless riches of God’s grace and glory that are ours - by believing.
Spiritual Strength
Sometimes we misunderstand the reason that Paul prays for our spiritual strength. Often we pray for strength so that we may be successful in our work or ministry. Sometimes we pray for special strength in one particular aspect of our physical lives, but Paul prays for strength for us so that we may be rightly related to the Lord Jesus – for when we are rightly related to Him, everything falls into place.
Future Mysteries
We are to know more fully the exceeding riches of His power toward us who believe.. divine mysteries that are unlocked to our understanding – by grace through faith.. to know the surpassing power that is ours through the ministry of the Holy Spirit – to know the matchless riches of God’s grace and glory that are ours – by believing.
Samaritans & Gentiles Added
We read in Acts 2 of the day that Jews were placed into the body of Christ – Pentecost. We read in Acts 8 that Samaritans were added to Christ’s body – thru Philip’s ministry, and in Acts 10 Gentiles were included in Christ’s body at the house of Cornelius, a centurion – when Peter was urged by the Holy Spirit to go to the house of a gentile.
We must not think the revelation as to the will of God is an end in itself; it is but the first phase of a prayer ministry.
His prayer ministry took him into the lion's den, but it also brought him out again, and he was able to see the things through to the glorious end. -H.F.
Ministry of Intercession
Intercession is a ministry for those that are of the Royal House of Faith.
Kingdom of Priests
Intercession is a ministry for those that are of the Royal House of Faith. Intercession is a privilege for those that are a kingdom of priests unto the Lord. Intercession is an office in which saints of old have poured their pleading prayers.
He has endowed us with a heavenly ministry, where angelic being hush their praise.
Voice of Warning
We are to be God’s voice of warning to a lost world that is dead in their sins. We are to be ambassadors of the Lord, entrusted with a ministry of reconciliation.
Reuniting Relationship
Reconciliation is a reuniting of sinful man back into tender relationship with God. It was conceived in heaven; applied in Eden; the prophets’ cry and God’s desire - and we have been made ambassadors for Christ with a ministry of reconciliation.
Our testimony and our ministry is jeopardized, weakened, limited and discredited if we are not ourselves in rest; and this is the object of the enemy's activity in this matter – to discredit us by taking from us that very birthright of our union with Him Who is never perturbed, never anxious, never in doubt as to the issue, the One Who reigns.
If positional truth, rather than the duties of attainment, were taught first to the saints, much more satisfactory results would follow the ministry of many Christian workers.
To truly minister to others is always to accept new happiness and new distress, both of them forever deepening and entering into closer and more inseparable union with each other, the more profound and spiritual the ministry becomes.
It is spiritual, not technical, not organized, and you may be as much a priest of the Lord in going round to some home tomorrow where the enemy is pressing in, and giving a practical hand in helping with the washing, as you may be a priest in standing on the platform.... There are many priests of God whose voices have never been heard in public, who have never been seen in a public way, who are unknown, hidden very often in the assembly and yet in secret history fulfilling a most valuable ministry.
Some may be wondering why there is so little up-springing from the inner well, when they are sitting back in a wrong kind of modesty, failing to bring in their own personal contribution to fellowship life and ministry.
Do you see there is something bound up with that; the undoing of the work of the devil, the registration of God's mind upon this universe, everything which is meant by priestly ministry, which is bringing God in, and is bound up with this: God having the ear.
When men or women are called by God into some piece of Divine ministry and, in the face of the demand, are conscious to the last degree that they have no ability, no resource, no power to fulfill that ministry, that in themselves the thing is utterly impossible, that for them to attempt to do it would be the utmost folly and absurdity – when in such circumstances they recognize that they have a living Christ in whom are resources more than enough to meet that demand... and by faith lay hold of Him and go forward in the ministry with that consciousness... that is spirituality; and that is practical, tremendously practical.
Throne Ministry
Unsung lovers of God who’ve seasoned the path of the body of Christ over time; each adding tears of intercessory love to the brimming bowl on the heavenly alter – all combined to contribute to heaven’s plan – in the throne ministry of God’s will.
a man whose earthly ministry was expressed in sacrifice for others… a man whose self-life and pride was being ground to powder – a life that cried in the end, that I may know Him.
To some, He gives a leadership gift to be exercised in public ministry and service but to most He bestows the quiet endowment for the hidden life of helping others.
We may be assigned a vast ministry; a high public profile – the ear of many.
There is no way through otherwise.... There was a revolution in my life thirty years ago when that principle of the Cross came flat up against ministry – ministry that for years I had been producing – against all my study, reading and late nights, to get up the stuff for ministry, till the whole thing became an intolerable burden in myself.
Others perhaps thought it to be pretty good, but the crisis when – now, listen to me, men and women who are in ministry, or contemplating it – the whole turn came upon the recognition of this principle, this principle of the Cross when, with the door closed, I said to the Lord ‘I am finished in all ministry, I am never going to preach again unless You do something now.
The next week would have seen my resignation in with my church officers, and I would have gone out from ministry if the Lord had not done it.
It was an utter end of anything that I could produce for the ministry, and I meant it to be like that, because I recognized that God meant that.
From that day to this, there has been no trouble about ministry.
It is easy to let ministry go, indeed much more easy than to accept it.
This clamoring for ministry – it is uncrucified flesh.
The majority of people have no occasion to draw upon heavenly resources for a platform ministry.
For the most part their work is of some regular, daily kind, and very often they feel utterly unable for it, and they are tempted to think that if they had some spiritual ministry to fulfill, if they had to go and take a meeting, or speak to some souls about spiritual matters, they could make a claim upon the Lord for help and He would carry them through.
Paul, who cruelly assented to the macabre mob’s mercilessness murder of Stephen… Paul, who so independently and industriously supported his ministry by making tents..
Every ministry in the Word and in the Spirit, is governed by that end.
When we recognize that that is the aim and object of the Holy Spirit, we have life and ministry defined.
Whatever your work is – it may be in the home as a parent, it may be in household duties, it may be in business – if you are there in relation to the Lord, so far as you personally are concerned, your life has got to represent Christ; and that is your ministry.
Teachable Spirit
How we tend to shy from humiliation and yet it is often through the very act of being humbled that we develop a gracious and a teachable spirit… but how the Lord Jesus demonstrated this grace of humility through His earthly ministry:- Even from His lowly stable birth; His status as a refugee in Egypt; His gracious attitude towards His earthly parents – His long years of hard toil in a common, little carpentry shop.
Ministry to Israel
The ministry of the Baptist was to prepare Israel for the coming kingdom of God.
Paul also reminds us that John’s ministry to Israel was a baptism of repentance, for John called the people to Repent of their sins, turn to God and to believe in the One Who was to come after him – that is, Jesus, for the Kingdom of Heaven was near.
Much ministry is lost upon us as to any practical result, because we are not prepared to be detached from things here, so as to be simply here for Christ.
Ministry is the expression of Life, and not the taking on of a uniform and a title.
Once I thought that to be in the ministry was to go into a certain kind of work, to come out of business, and, well, be a minister!
Ministry is not a system like that.
Ministry is the expression of Life, and that is but saying in other words that it is the outworking of the indwelling of Christ.
When the Lord gets a chance in us, and we really will trust Him on that ground and take our position there, He will show us that there is ministry enough for us; we shall not have to go round looking for it.
The real labor so often is to get us down to that ground, the delivering of us from this present evil age even in its conception of the ministry, unto the heavenly ministry.
You see the spontaneous ministry, the restful ministry of that Heavenly Man.
The call of God to some fuller and higher acceptance of truth and ministry; of testimony and witness; of surrender and experience, will undoubtedly come by one or another of the Divine forms of visitation to such as the Lord wishes to lead in grace.
Have you been impoverishing the ministry of Jesus so that He can not do anything?
We impoverish His ministry the moment we forget He is Almighty; the impoverishment is in us, not in Him.
When we get into difficult circumstances, we impoverish His ministry by saying - Of course He cannot do any thing, and we struggle down to the deeps and try to get the water for ourselves.
The peril is that we should begin to make our ministry something that is watertight.... Draw in your mind’s eye three squares, separate, standing each alone, and you will have what represents a very great deal of the nature of work for the Lord in our day from time to time.
We do not draw a great deal of comfort from that, but if we understood I think we would realize that, while we may not at such times be fulfilling a very big ministry on the earth, there is a big ministry going on towards principalities and powers through our instrumentality.
Do not think that running about taking meetings, and doing work for the Lord, is the only kind of ministry that members of the Church can fulfill.
Ministry may be equally being fulfilled when these things have been brought to a standstill, and all earthly activities for the Lord stopped, and we are in one of these painful periods of inaction.
Do not conclude that because of such inaction no ministry is being rendered, or that everything of that kind is cut off at such a time.
The Spirit’s Ministry
In the book of Acts we discover the Lord Jesus ascending into heaven but the promised holy Spirit was sent to be an ever present help and comfort in this church age. The ministry of the holy Spirit in the life of all believers today, is to glorify Christ. The work of the Spirit in our lives is to conform us into the likeness of Christ Jesus.
God’s Future Plan
As Christ’s three years of ministry ebbed to an end He started to hint of God’s future plan. In Matthew, Jesus said, I will build my church..
There are those Levites whose ministry is, shall I say, more essentially spiritual; it may belong to the vessels of the sanctuary.
Mine it may be to mainly minister in the Word of the Lord, what a lot of people would call the spiritual ministry, (I repudiate that suggestion that spiritual ministry is bound up with people who preach — that is not spiritual ministry only).
Responsibility rested upon all equally, for all these parts made one ministry.
And so your sphere, your work and mine may differ, but it is one ministry, one calling, one responsibility, one testimony.
bringing Salvation to all people. The keynote of Isaiah’s forty years ministry was – Salvation is of the Lord, and his message called for Israel to repent of their sins… to return to the Lord and be saved., and this truth is confirmed multiple times in Scripture – that Jesus Christ is God.
Gift of Salvation
The keynote of Isaiah’s forty years ministry was – Salvation is of the Lord and so the Son of the Most High was supernaturally begotten in the womb of a virgin – so that He could save His people from their sins and become our Wonderful Counsellor; our Mighty God; our Everlasting Father – our Prince of Peace.
Service of God
There are many that claim to be in the service of God. Many that claim to be doing mighty works in the Name of Jesus, but thank God that true ministry is not to be judged and assessed by man – but please God that we will all judge and assess our own hearts and motives.
Word and Service
Much is heard of ‘Ministry Work’ and ‘Missionary Work’ and ‘Christian Work’..
Spiritual Effectiveness
The cost of accountability in each life is very high. The greater the degree of spiritual effectiveness given to an individual or ministry.. the more spiritually accountable that one becomes. For to him that has been given much, much will be required Luke 12:48
Spiritual Accountability
The Lord Jesus Himself is the guide-stone of effective spiritual ministry. The Lord Jesus Himself shows the way to examine spiritual accountability: “The Son can do nothing of Himself…” John 5:19 “The Father doeth the works…” John 14:10 “The Father speaketh the words…” John 12:49 “My Father worketh until now…” John 5:17 And when Jesus sent his disciples out to preach the gospel, He told them:-.
Examine Ourselves
In your ministry and in my work for the Lord, let us examine ourselves.. to see if the flesh is still seeking supremacy… If it is, your ministry will die – and my little work will die too. An effective work does not depend on how much we do but how we do it.
Effective Work
Yes –the Lord Jesus is the one way that your ministry can be spiritually effective, and it is the only way that mine can be spiritually effective too. But it requires a daily dying to self – and a moment by moment living to Christ.. Is it worth the pain now for the glory that will follow…?
Anguish of heart was replaced by their caring ministry of devotion, in the very core of their beings, as they recalled the bountiful blessings, bestowed from His hand.
The Greatest Person
Never allow the obstacles that this world affords to distract you from your life’s ministry.
What a privilege and honour – what a ministry and yet what a responsibility… we have been entrusted to be that good, faithful servant, toward other believers.
The “grace-promise-faith” way is described in Scripture as a ministry of life: the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
This path is a ministry of death.
Law is called a ministry of death and its source is the old sin nature, (the flesh), while grace is described as a ministry of life, and its source is the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
Any believer who has strayed along the “works-merit–law” path and its ministry of death can be restored to the “grace-promise-faith” way and its ministry of life for, His mercies are new every morning – great is His faithfulness.
My grace is sufficient. My grace is sufficient for thee… for my strength is perfected in your weakness” 2Corinthians 12:10. It looked to Paul that these five things would terminate his apostolic ministry.
These five things removed that which was hindering Paul’s ministry.
The Word of life, the Lord of life, and the exigencies of life all must combine to give us a ministry of life.
It is the trials and difficulties of the way that are the opportunities for our hearts to grow in acquaintance with Him; and it will be found, while there may be many great enjoyment in ministry, and in the unfolding of truth, that really there is not strength but in proportion as one has learned how God has been for and with one in the trials and sorrows of the way; and as one has known Him in them, so is one able to speak of Him.
John’s Ministry
John was sent by God to call Israel to true repentance.
John was Israel’s final prophet, and he called them to repent and return to God. It is important to see the ministry of John the Baptist in its context of Israel. Paul was the man God chose to give greater insight into Church-age doctrine – and the book of Acts is a bridge from pre-cross teaching to post-cross doctrine.
He desires His own to go the way of the cross – and to suffer and die to self. Maybe in the physical – but predominantly and principally in the spiritual… “Ye are My witnesses .” the Lord Jesus tells us … Being His witnesses does not necessarily mean going out and talking. Being a consecrated man or woman – being a sign, may not mean what you think. It may not mean becoming a missionary or starting a ministry… though such may certainly be a part of the sanctified life –
It is possible to read books by the score, and to listen to the most faithful and blessed ministry for years on end, and yet never know the Lord Jesus as a present loving Object in heavenly glory.
Men may be saved through hearing the Word of God that it contains but, unless they get purer light later, their dependence for life and service will be primarily upon human strength, and not upon the power and demonstration of the Spirit.' Paul (in spite of the Corinthians' demand for it) refused to permit any human wisdom to enter into his ministry for that reason - because he wanted purely spiritual fruit: converts who have seen the power of the Spirit and expect to know it in their lives and service.
The ministry of intercession probes into God’s desires; God’s will; God’s purpose.
A Prayer Ministry
Intercession often starts with praying for the souls of men – those dead in trespasses and sins. Intercession frequently progresses with prayer for the problems of all the saints of God.
When we engage in intercession, we participate in Christ’s high priestly ministry – what a glorious privilege – what a humbling reality – what an astonishing fact.
A Heavenly Ministry
Jesus, our great high priest is even now ever living to make intercession for us. Christ Himself is praying for the fulfilment of God’s plans in each of our lives, indeed our Lord Jesus Christ is even now praying for us – interceding for US!!! – and we have been called as priests, to participate with Christ in His high office: for we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, people for His possession. 1 Peter 2:9
New Testament Truth
Very often we find that Old Testament stories often typify New Testament truths. Happenings in the physical realm often pictures the spiritual walk of believers today. The ministry of the Aaronic priesthood is one such beautiful example:
Servant Heart
The ministry of intercession probes into God’s desires; God’s will; God’s purpose. The man or woman of prayer has God’s interest as their sole and sublime concern. The intercessor has a servant-heart that looks away from self to the purpose of God, The intercessor is cleansed daily from all unrighteousness.
Discovering Christ
It is Paul’s comprehension of Christ that individually and collectively we should seek – an ever growing understanding of Christ; a discovery of Christ; exploring of Christ. This was the thing that maintained Paul in his life and throughout his ministry.
Embryonic Gospel
John’s witness of grace was more than restoration of life for the descendants of Adam. He was presenting the embryonic gospel of grace which was to be more fully revealed by the ministry of the apostle Paul – to include the Church as the Body of Christ in Union with Him – a new creation and joint-heirs of God’s Son – a heavenly citizenship and the indwelling Holy Spirit as a down-payment from God the Father – our Abba.
Paul was also unique among Christ's apostles, for unlike the others, he was not one who accompanied the Lord, from the beginning of John the Baptist's ministry..
Paul's aching heart of evangelism knew his ministry to the Christian Churches was the essential ministry to which Christ had called him and for which the Lord had equipped him and yet he yearned to be with His Saviour.
From the beginning of His ministry to the day of His death, the controversy between the liberty of the gospel of God, and the restrictive traditions of Judaism, raged between the two parties.
Paul's life and ministry as God's chosen apostle to the gentiles was drawing to its close and yet when Paul wrote his letters to both Timothy and Titus..
Times today are not so different from the time of Paul's earthly ministry.
No matter what age we may be, may we seek to carry out Paul's timeless instructions on godly behaviour in our life and ministry - to God's praise and glory.
I think this must be one of the most grievous things that the Lord Jesus had to go through in His ministry, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Jesus was the Word made flesh Who came to pay the price for the sin of the whole world, and He authenticated His mission and ministry through His many prophesied signs and wonders..
At the start of His ministry the Lord Jesus was introduced to Israel by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God - the King and Messiah of the Jews.
Here, at the end of His earthly ministry we see Christ offer an official and final presentation of Himself to the people of Israel, as their God, their King and their promised Messiah..
at the start of His ministry we see Christ cleansing the Temple of God.
Throughout His ministry the Lord Jesus had fulfilled multiple prophecies and the many signs, wonders and miracles.
It was in the third year of Christ's' ministry that we read that the feast of the Jews - the Feast of Booths, was near.
It was in the final year of His ministry that we read the feast of the Jews - was near. How ironic that this seventh, glorious 'Feast-day of the Lord', which was designed to point the Jewish nation to Christ, had become nothing more than a religious ritual that excluded Christ and, over time, had been changed from The Feast of the LORD into A Feast of the JEWS.
The ministry of Jesus began to widen as news of His amazing miracles and healings began to be spread abroad.
As time passed, however, hostility towards the Lord Jesus started to develop and increasingly His message and ministry was rejected, causing Him to begin teaching His faithful followers through parables.
During His early ministry there are many examples where Jesus stated that miracle occurred because of someone's faith.
The first time He was rejected by the people of Nazareth was early in His ministry, when He found it necessary to relocate to Capernaum.
This enraged the townsfolk, causing them attempt to kill Him... and the second time was in this passage, when Jesus interrupted His preaching itinerary, to once again visit His hometown, during His Galilean ministry.
His birth, His baptism, His ministry and His miracles had been foretold.
But how gracious Jesus was to these two troubled souls, for he then opened-up the Scriptures to them, and gave them an exclusive Bible study, on His mission and ministry, His Person and Work, His death and His resurrection and God's entire plan of salvation for the redemption of mankind.
He no doubt touched on His Life, His ministry, His mission and His work on the cross for the forgiveness of sin, the redemption of mankind and life everlasting, as outlined in so many prophetic books.
Jesus was transfigured in front of the three disciples who were part of His 'inner circle', not long after Peter had made the earth-shattering confession, You are the Christ the Son of the living God, and for the first time in His life and ministry the Lord Jesus gave this little group of men a taste of the heavenly glory that He had with the Father, before the world began - a peep in the eternal glory that He had set aside, in order to live and die as our Saviour and Lord.
It appears that His baptism in the Jordan, was a particular mile-stone in Christ's life, which divided His three and a half year ministry from His pre-ministerial period.
It was following His unique baptism that we read, when He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, (the husband of Mary) the son of Eli.. - and thus, Luke recorded Christ's entire earthly lineage, back to Adam, who was identified in Genesis as the son of God.
And Jesus was about 30 years of age when He began His ministry.
Throughout scripture we see that thirty was an important age for men to begin an office or ministry.
In this verse we read that the Lord Jesus Himself, was about thirty years of age when He began His ministry, which shows the critical importance God places of sound preparation and serious training before a man is equipped for an important ministry.
But whichever is correct we discover that like Levitical priests, David the king, and others that God has used mightily, Jesus had to go through many years of preparation and training, before He was ready to fulfil the ministry for which He had been appointed.
As his ministry continued Zechariah prophesied about the first advent of their Messiah, but from chapter 12, to the end, his focus is on the second coming of our Lord, where he contrasts God's righteous judgments on Israel with their ultimate rescue, restoration, and blessing.
Paul described these believers, who had been born again through his ministry as his hope, his joy and the Crown of Rejoicing he would receive at Christ's return.
We will also rejoice, with exceeding great joy, when we see men and women, boys and girls, who responded to our ministry, standing in that heavenly throng of rejoicing saints.
Paul was wonderfully used of the Lord to write a significant portion of the New Testament scriptures and yet throughout his ministry we discover many individual critics of Paul, and various groups who were openly opposed to his position and authority.
Paul was certainly filled with joy knowing that there were many who were continuing his work and preaching Christ from a sincere love of the Lord and a desire to tell forth the glorious message of Salvation by grace through faith in Him - but he also rejoiced over the ministry of those whose motive in preaching was rooted in envy and strife.
Jeremiah began his ministry knowing that no one would heed His message of grace and he lived his life being ridiculed and persecuted by his own people – and yet despite this heart-breaking situation, Jeremiah would proclaim, the Lord is GOOD to those who wait for Him – to those who seek after Him.
While the book of Hebrews systematically sets out the supreme superiority of the person, work, ministry, status and office of Christ, over everyone and everything in heaven or on earth, chapter 7 presents the in-depth reasoning that the priesthood of Christ, (after the order of Melchisedek), takes precedence over Israel's priesthood, (after the order of Aaron), which was given to them by God, and recorded by Moses, in the Book of the Law.
Jesus Christ demonstrated the supreme superiority of His person, work, ministry, status, office and sacrifice, over everyone and everything, through His death on the cross.
The greater ALWAYS blesses the LESSER and the blessing Melchizedek gave to Abraham, is one more piece of evidence, showing the supreme superiority of the person, work, ministry, status, office and sacrifice of Christ over everyone else and every other thing in heaven or on earth.
Jeremiah's prophetic voice and his God-ordained ministry was rejected by kings, ridiculed by courtiers, contradicted by false prophets and ignored by the people.
Although God blessed their ministry abundantly and even though many were being saved, there was much disobedience in those early days of the church, for they did not follow Christ's clear instructions.
But his successful ministry angered the Jewish leaders, who shortly thereafter arrested him and killed him for his faith in Christ.
May we not only devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word but also to listening to God's instructions and obeying His word.
Paul's message never altered, but his love for the Lord and his passion to share the good news of the gospel of God gathered momentum and intensity throughout his ministry.
Following his calling and commission by God, the first few chapters of Jeremiah's public ministry is a long, prophetic sermon that remonstrates against Judah's wilful apostasy and is a denunciation of the gross infidelity of the people..
It empowers us to carry out the work that God has prepared for us to do and it emboldens us to engage in the spiritual warfare of this age, effectively – for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and satanic powers, who prowl around, seeking to destroy our ministry and taint our testimony.Peace, and love with faith, comes directly from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
As Christ's ministry progressed the apostle John incorporated a number of signs that would give clear and irrefutable proof to the nation of Israel that Jesus was the promised Jewish Messiah - and that by believing in Him they might have life in His name - and have it more abundantly.
Despite all the signs that Christ performed in His ministry and despite each one being a direct fulfillment of prophetic Scripture..
No surprise that early in his ministry Christ said: Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, so that at the end of His life He could give a new commandment – that we love others as He loved us
Titus accompanied Paul on some of his missionary journeys, partnered with him in spreading the work of the gospel in various cities; was entrusted with several sensitive, ministry responsibilities and even accompanied him to Jerusalem, when Paul went-up to explain to the apostles there, about his doctrine, his ministry and his calling as Christ's apostle to the Gentiles.
Paul knew how quickly error can creep into a fellowship of believers, and his epistle to Titus is one of three, pastoral epistles, giving him personal encouragement; reminding him of important issues in ministry, outlining the criteria and character required in a Church elder; correcting doctrinal errors that may arise in a Christian Church; explaining the roles and responsibilities of believers in their families and communities and exhorting the congregations towards godly living and good works, both at home and abroad.
Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, Whom to know is life eternal, and let us take heed to watch expectantly for the Lord's soon return - and also to watch with Him, in His continuous ministry of prayer and intercession.
Both at the start and the end of His ministry we discover the Lord Jesus cleansing the Temple of God from the many ungodly practices that had been implemented over the years.
Early in His ministry Christ displayed righteous indignation when He saw the misuse of the Temple.
During His earthly ministry, His claims were authenticated by many signs, wonders, and prophecies of old.
Every characteristic of Yahweh identified in the Old Testament was claimed by Christ during his earthly ministry, for He is Christ the King of kings and Lord of lords.
The former things were a dim shadow of the vastly superior priestly office and greater ministry of God's new and permeant priesthood... and Christ Jesus, is the superior heavenly High Priest.
It points to His superior ministry as God's heavenly High Priest.
While I was with them, I have kept them in Your name, He prayed. While the Lord Jesus carried out His God-ordained, earthly ministry He kept, protected, trained, loved and guarded the men whom the Father had given to Him.
As Christ's earthly ministry progressed the animosity against the Lord Jesus increased and in this chapter the gracious words and godly wisdom of Christ stand in stark contrast with the wicked plots of evil men who sought to discredit His words and damage His reputation..
Some suggest that this only applies to Christ’s Jewish disciples, during His pre-cross ministry, while others suggest that this is to be the standard required during the 7-year Tribulation or Christ’s Millennial kingdom on earth.
In context, this sermon was delivered early-on in Christ’s earthly ministry.
Knowing that the message of salvation is “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved”, indicates that this ‘Sermon on the Mount’ is not addressed to unbelievers, but a message to those who believed in God – and was actually delivered to Israel, during Christ’s early ministry.
the Helper, Whom Christ sent from the Father on that first day of Pentecost - the Spirit of truth Who proceeds from the Father, and Whose ministry to the Body of Christ is to testify about our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
He sounds as if he were advancing in years, because John refers to Him as “Gaius, the Elder”, and yet it is likely that this elderly gentleman was brought to faith in Christ, through the ministry of John, himself – for in addressing him, the apostle writes; I have no greater joy than this – to hear of my children walking in the truth.
Throughout his ministry, one of the greatest concerns of the apostle Paul, were those who deliberately infiltrated Christian communities from outside or within the congregation.
Before the New Testament had even been penned, Galatia was a hotbed of apostate teaching and Judaizers, who opposed the legitimate, God-ordained ministry of Paul, and the liberating gospel of Grace.
During Christ's ministry on earth, it was the Gospel of the Kingdom that was taught to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but because they rejected their Messiah, the nation of Israel and the imminent Gospel of the Kingdom, was set aside.
His prophetic ministry was not only to Judah, but he became God’s spokesman to gentiles, and worldly kingdoms as well.
but it was not his parentage, his lineage or the dictates of a board of directors that secured his prophetic ministry – nor was he a self-proclaimed mouthpiece for the Lord, as so often happened in Bible times – as is does today!
God gave Paul a unique ministry and appointed him to be the administrator of His plans and purposes during this church age.
But as a result Paul's ministry became one of Satan's prime targets.
But Paul's God-appointed ministry and passionate mission was to labour unceasingly to preach the truth of the glorious gospel of grace to Jew and Gentile alike.
Despite all that Jesus had taught the apostles during His earthly ministry, and even though He opened the prophetic scriptures to their understanding, following His glorious resurrection, these disciples still held tightly to their limited perspective and biased understanding of what the Messiah would do and when He would set up His kingdom.
Instead of searching the scriptures to find out if their interpretation was based on Scriptural fact, human tradition or a skewed understanding of Christ's message and ministry, they gazed with wonder and amazement when Christ ascended into heaven.
Christ's disciples had to understand this greater ministry - that through Him ALL the families of the earth, not just Israel, would be blessed.
While Jesus had to bring the gospel to the Jew first, to fulfil Scripture, we also capture glimpses of His compassion towards the Gentiles, throughout His ministry.
Paul was surrounded by a host of enemies both physical and spiritual, and experienced the most acute hardships and persecutions during his God-appointed ministry.
Paul's singular purpose in his God-appointed ministry was to preach Christ crucified, and his great desire was to establish mature believers, in order to present them holy and blameless before God at Christ's appearing.
Paul's ministry was unique, for he was the one individual who had been called by God to establish much post-cross..
Church-doctrine, as distinct from Christ's pre-cross ministry - where He was introduced as the Lamb of God and Messiah of Israel.
The ministry of the apostle Paul is as significant to the Church today as it was in the time that he penned his epistles, for by him the mystery..
which had been kept hidden in past ages and generations, was manifested to His saints through his ministry - which is: Christ in you the hope of glory.
Today as then the ministry of Paul is attacked from many quarters.
The vision given to Samuel that night, may have been the start of his prophetic ministry to God, but the Lord had been preparing this young man for many years.
Instead of being a voice crying in the wilderness to the lost, and executing our ministry of reconciliation between fallen man and a holy God, we have weakened our very voice and become a play-thing in the hand of the enemy.Nevertheless, we have the promise from Christ Himself – I will build my Church and the gates of hell will NOT prevail against it.
However, that which was given to Paul for us in “the dispensation of the grace of God' gives us a perspective on Salvation that was kept hidden in earlier times - but how we praise God for the ministry of His chosen servant, Paul..
Paul had to admonish Christians in various churches for their ungodly ways and from distancing themselves from the important issues of Christian conduct, which are necessary for godly living and effective ministry. In the Corinthian church it was a lack of love and a cooling of affection towards Paul himself, that he identified.
The opposition to Jesus Christ increased over the years, but the imprisonment of John the Baptist seemed to be a turning point in His ministry.
This was indeed a turning point in His ministry.
Jesus had only been sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but this was the point in His ministry when He would start to turn His attention toward the nation that would bring forth the fruit of righteousness.
This was at this critical moment in Christ's ministry when Jesus offered the most beautiful prayer of thanksgiving to His Father - the Lord of heaven and earth.
He skillfully introduced people and prophecies in his writings, to show that they have their fulfilment in the Lord Jesus Christ, His ministry and His mission.
Timothy had been faithfully taught the Scriptures from childhood and had been born-again through the ministry of the apostle Paul – rendering him Paul’s ‘spiritual ‘son in the Lord’.
Timothy had been called into pastoral ministry, in the pagan city of Ephesus, and in his final epistle, Paul reiterates the special pastoral responsibilities Timothy had among the local churches..
in the days of 'king Herod the Great', chapter 3 pinpoints the start of John's witness, in preparation for the ministry and mission of Jesus the Messiah..
We are all called to minister, but no minister of God, no matter how distinguished his position or humble his calling, can glory in his own cleverness, nor should those who learn from the ministry of others, elevate the importance of one believer above another, for we are all one in Christ and we all have the same common benefits of being in Christ – we are all declaring God’s established gospel, all are proclaiming the faith, common to all believers.
And early in His ministry He stood up in His home-town synagogue, to declare, the Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor.
for we are all members of Christ's body and each has been given a unique role, in the place where God has planted us, and in the work of the ministry to which we have each been called.
And those who valued Paul's ministry and proclaimed the truth in a gracious manner were also spreading the good news far and wide - and Paul rejoiced that whether men were teaching in pretence or in truth - Christ was being proclaimed.
Too often in Christian ministry and church gatherings there is resentment against other Christian leaders, because of what God is doing in their lives, which can often lead to rivalry; bitterness; jealousy and resentment.
May we be ready and willing to give an answer for the hope we have in Christ and pray that through our ministry, some may be plucked from the brands into a saving faith in Jesus.
God in His grace has reconciled those who believe in the Lord Jesus to Himself, and through Christ, we have been given this important ministry of reconciliation, so that the world may know that God is the Lord and Saviour of mankind.
And may we become ambassadors of God's peace in a world at war, through our ministry of reconciliation - through Him Who is our one and only mediator between God and man - Jesus Christ our Lord.
He is acting as High Priest in heavenly places for the Church… and Hebrews sets out clearly Christ’s present, High Priestly ministry.Hebrews emphases that the temporary, inferior Aaronic priesthood, after the order of Levi had been set aside for Christ’s permanent, superior and eternal Priesthood.
at the very beginning of His earthly ministry, the Lord prophesies of His own death and resurrection: destroy this Temple, He challenged angrily, as He accused the Pharisees of making His Father's house into a den on thieves..
Indeed it is recorded that there were over 60 million slaves, in Paul’s day, and much attention was given, in Scripture, to the instruction and conduct of slaves, as well as their slave-masters.People often offered themselves as slaves, when they fell on hard times, and Paul gave important instructions on how to carry out their duties, as unto the Lord, even when their masters were unfair.Although he gave instructions on godly living as a slave, Paul also encouraged those in slavery to secure their freedom, whenever possible: if you are able also to become free, rather do that, was His wise advice.Of particular importance it is to be noted that nowhere in scripture are members of Christ’s body instructed to engage in the abolishment of slavery or the correction in any other social injustices, before our given ministry to the lost.Jesus said the poor you will have with you always and Paul could easily have said, slaves will continue to be with you, however distasteful this is, until Christ’s return..
We are to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ and to and live our lives as unto the Lord – no matter where we are or what our station in life happens to be.The true, Christian ministry of reconciliation will indirectly have a great impact on the many social injustices of our day.
Although Peter was chosen to start the world-wide ministry of Christ and was the one God chose to open the door to Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles, we are all ministers of reconciliation who are called, by God, to carry out the good work that God has prepared each of us to do.
The first twenty verses of Mark's gospel catapult us through the tumultuous ministry of John the Baptist, Christ's baptism and His temptation in the wilderness, into the beginning of His public ministry, with the calling of His first disciples, on the shore of the Galilee.
During this energetic introduction to Christ's ministry the drama intensified when a man in their synagogue, who had an unclean spirit, shouted out in the middle of the service: What business do we have with each other..
None of Mark's readers could continue pleading ignorance about Christ's identity after this unexpected outburst so early in His ministry, which stated clearly Who Jesus was.
Why did he reveal the identity of Christ so early in His ministry?
Following this final prophesy in Malachi, we have the gospel of Matthew, which opens with a record of the life of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. The combined facts from the four gospel-writers, paints the perfect picture of Christ's life and ministry.
There were many in Paul's day that challenged his credentials as an 'apostle of Christ', but his apostleship complies with every scriptural qualification, and his ministry is endorsed in the inspired and inerrant Word of God.
Each Christian is a member of Christ’s body and each is uniquely empowered by the Spirit to perform his own special ministry, which God has foreordained for each of us to do - to His praise and His glory.
A Christian should be more concerned with the development of personal character, growing in grace, maturing in the faith and the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit, than engaging in a ministry of activities - however valuable it may seem to us or to others.
It was during his second missionary journey that Paul not only met Timothy but invited him to join him in ministry, and he was with Paul when the church at Philippi was founded.
Earlier we discover Paul exhorting Timothy to righteous living, Christian fidelity, fulfilling his ministry as a pastor and ensuring that he continues to be a worthy workman - approved of God.
In the Old Testament, under the old covenant the Holy Spirit would come upon certain people to empower them for a particular ministry for which they were chosen or for a special office to which they had been called. When the job was done or if the individual grieved or displeased the Lord, the holy Spirit could withdraw.
God Himself bore audible witness to the truth of Christ's Messianic role, as did our Lord's own life and ministry.. so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing..
The person and work of Jesus was testified by God the Father and was validated by the prophesised Messianic signs, wonders and miracles that He Himself carried out in His life and ministry - and which continued into those early years of the fledgling church.
As Jesus spoke to a lost woman at a well in Samaria near the beginning of His earthly ministry, He looked past the shadow of the cross to that glorious day when the Church would be born and true worshippers of the Father would worship Him in spirit and in truth, as guided by the indwelling Holy Spirit and in utter dependence upon HIMSELF.
Unlike the rest of Christ’s apostles, who walked with Jesus throughout His earthly ministry, Paul was called to be God’s apostle to the Gentiles, following the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and His ascension into heaven.
Because of Paul’s unusual calling and unique ministry, there were many who criticised his teaching and challenged his authority, which is why he so vigorously defended his calling, and frequently made reference to the direct revelation, he received from the Lord.
While He was on earth Jesus was the Light of the world, but we have been made His representatives and have been entrusted with the message of the Gospel of grace - the ministry of reconciliation.
Every other apostle, including Matthias (who was the person that the eleven disciples chose to replace Judas), were men who had been with Jesus from the very start of His ministry.
God knew that Paul would respond to his calling by faith and so he was set aside for this ministry from his mother's womb.But Paul realised that it was only by God's amazing grace that he had been saved..
together with many Church age truths that were not even revealed to Christ's other apostles during His earthly ministry.
Christ's ministry to Israel was before the cross..
Salvation was made available to all - both Jew and Gentile in one body, and by God's grace, Paul was called to be the main apostle for this ministry.
How we praise God that Paul was set apart for God, even from his mothers womb and that God was pleased to reveal His Son in and through Paul's ministry..
It was only after Christ had been crucified, buried, resurrected, glorified and returned to His Father in heaven, that the full impact of His words and earthly ministry began to become clear, and was recorded in so many New Testament epistles.
And much of Paul's ministry was refuting the false teachers who sought to turn the freedom these Galatian believers had in Christ into enslavement under a variety of rules and regulations.
His earnest expectation and hope, was that his message and ministry would not be discredited or put to shame in any way, but that he would be able to continue speaking out the marvellous message of salvation freely, openly and boldly, so that whether he lived or died, the lovely Lord Jesus Christ would be magnified by his imprisonment.
At times he felt hard-pressed to know whether departing this life to be with Jesus or remaining here to continue his ministry was preferable.
Paul realised that his continuing ministry at Philippi, and to other churches he served, would help and encourage them in their Christian walk.
May we never forget the far-reaching impact of Paul's ministry, because he was a man whose confidence was in God and considered that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
The main theme in Leviticus is holiness and a life that is consecrated to God, and the Lord designed the duties and office of the Levites and priests to emphasise their sacred ministry and mission.
and throughout his ministry John gave testimony of the Person and work of Christ.
Wherever we are, whatever our role in the body of Christ and however vast or insignificant our ministry for our Lord may be - when Jesus is central in every area of life we are bound to say..
Jesus was the Word made flesh, Whom they saw with their eyes, touched with their hands and heard speaking with their own ears and John wanted to make it very clear that he and the other apostles were not propagating second hand information to their readers, but were actual eye-witnesses of Christ's amazing ministry.
Throughout His ministry, Christ had those who hated Him and sought to trip Him up and accused Him of breaking the Law of Moses or flouting the dictates of Rome.
We should never take this sacred privilege lightly, for it is a gift from God and a blessing to us, for we have been endued with heavenly gifts and holy graces so we can offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God, in our service to Him, and in our ministry to others.
But the Lord gently scolded this chosen apostle, who had been with Him throughout His earthly ministry, with the words, because you have seen Me, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
Although Paul was the first to point out, elsewhere in scripture, that a workman is worthy of his hire, we discover that he used his tent-making abilities to provide for his basic needs during much of his own ministry.
He did not beg for any financial assistance during his ministry, nor did he make a request for help when he was behind prison bars... But in this passage we discover that it was laid on the heart of the Philippians believers to send some financial assistance to Paul, for which this faithful servant of God was most grateful.
Jude who was the half-brother of the Lord Jesus Christ, and who despised his older brother during His earthly ministry, is here seen to be a bond-slave of Christ Jesus his Savior - what a transformation.
The fig tree is easily identified as Israel who was planted in their land by God - the vineyard owner. Jesus is characterised as the vine-dresser who sought in vain for fruit, during the three years of His earthly ministry, but found none.
Having finished telling them some personal details of his recent ministry, Paul's thoughts transfer to the spiritual wellbeing of these believers, and he starts exhorting them, to keep putting into practice all the things he's taught them and to excel in their spiritual walk more and more.
in order to point them to Christ for salvation, was the very tool they modified to accuse the Son of God of blasphemy - and this particular Sabbath-day-healing was a great turning-point in Christ's ministry, because from that time forward: the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him.
No one spoke the gracious words that Jesus spoke, and no one performed many mighty miracles that Jesus performed – prophetic signs that authenticated the Man Christ Jesus and His supernatural Ministry of reconciliation.
Israel did not recognise the time of their visitation, in chapter 11, and Jesus reached a point in His ministry when He transferred His attention from the nation as a whole to individuals, who believed in Him.
Indeed the Lord Jesus in His earthly mission and ministry is the singular demonstration of how God expects all His children to live.
Jesus Christ lived His entire life in willing surrender to the leading and guiding of the Father and His entire ministry demonstrated His Messianic claims and served and a dependable witness to His God-given authority.
But the religious Jews were jealous of Jesus and purposed both individually and collectively to discredit His ministry and destroy His witness.
The Lord Jesus in His earthly mission and ministry is the singular demonstration of how God expects all His children to live - doing nothing in and of ourselves..
He came to fulfil His ministry of reconciliation and to offer His life, as the ransom price for sin.
Jesus had been born 33 years earlier and had begun His ministry three years before this appearance of Elijah on the holy mountain.
However, they soon understood that figuratively, Elijah came in the person and ministry of John the Baptist, but few recognised the significance of John's mission.
Elijah came both figuratively and literally 2000 years ago, but he was not accepted by the majority in the person of John, whose ministry was cut short.
There were many false apostles in the early church, just as there are today, but the Bible gives explicit credentials of a true apostle. 1) They were directly commissioned by God; 2) they were eye-witnesses to the resurrected Christ and 3) they were given power to perform many mighty signs, supernatural miracles and great wonders - in order to authenticate their God-appointed ministry, message and revelation.
through the ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit by means of His holy Word.
In a very very, broad sense all have a form of 'apostolic' ministry for we are all called to: preach the Word, not only in what we say but in how we live.
Similarly we all have a form of 'prophetic' ministry, for Paul tells us that: the one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.
And although we are all called to: do the work of an evangelist, by winning lost souls to Christ, there are those that are specifically called into this ministry who are wonderfully equipped to preach Christ Crucified to a lost world.
Having spent six chapters of his letter correcting a wide range of abuses within the church at Corinth, Paul continued by giving apostolic answers to important questions which had been asked about Christian marriage and how it relates to celibacy, divorce, remarriage and its role in ministry.
No doubt as his ministry progressed and as he travelled with married men and those that were unmarried, Paul recognised that despite marriage being a sacred union of a man and a woman, instituted by God in the garden of Eden, there were advantages of remaining in the unmarried state, for both men and women - if they were able to control their passion.
and it details His supremacy in His high priestly ministry and the exclusivity of His sacrificial offering.
And the promise God made relates to Person, Work, Ministry and Office of CHRIST JESUS our Lord and His sacrificial death on the cross and glorious resurrection - a promise that is pertinent to ALL who believe on Him.
Paul had been called to a unique ministry by Christ Himself and chosen to unveil many hidden mysteries to the early Church - mysteries which had been veiled from view in earlier dispensations.
Throughout His ministry we see many Gentiles putting their trust in Jesus, and in this passage we rejoice to find a Canaanite woman, from the region of Tyre and Sidon, being saved by grace, and having her demon-possessed daughter restored to full health and a sound mind.
Paul gave the strongest defence of his message and ministry to the church at Galatia, for they were the most proactive in challenging his apostolic authority and insisting that the Mosaic Law must be reintegrated into Church age doctrine.
However we must stand fast on the Word of Truth which we have been given through the ministry and mission of the apostle Paul.
It was his love for Christ that compelled Paul to share relentlessly the ministry of reconciliation through the glorious gospel of grace - whereby Christ died for all so that by faith in Him we should not live for ourselves any longer..
Christ was now the risen, ascended, glorified Lord of glory, Whose personal ministry on earth had been superseded by the ministry of reconciliation - where every member of His body is a full and free participant.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 15, I was sent ONLY to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” and all four gospels trace Christ’s life and ministry within Israel.
The mighty signs and wonders that Jesus performed throughout His ministry were to authenticate His Messianic claims.
He then prepared the twelve for a special, evangelistic ministry, by equipping them with His own mighty power and sovereign authority.
Haggai was a post-exile, returnee to the land of Israel, whose main ministry was to encourage the people to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, and to let them know that God was with them and would help them.
He explained that instead of silencing the gospel, his incarceration in a Roman prison had the opposite effect - even members of the prison guard understood that Paul was in chains for Christ's sake, and many were coming to faith in the Lord Jesus, through Paul's ministry..
Nevertheless, they received certain mysteries from the Lord, which had been hidden for ages and generations, through the ministry of the apostle Paul and others.
His ancestry, which is traced through David and Abraham, and His prophesied advent as Immanuel which means, 'God with us', sets the stage for Christ's ministry, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
The Lord Jesus was identified as God's beloved Son at His baptism, and started His mission and ministry, by calling His disciples to follow Him.
John's ministry was well known, for people throughout Judea were flocking to the river Jordan, to come back, in faith, to the God of their fathers..
It was during the time of John's frenetic ministry that Jesus was baptised by John in the Jordan.
The Acts of the Apostles even implies that Jesus was there at the start of John's ministry, for when choosing a disciple to replace Judas, Peter insisted: it is necessary that Judas' replacement must have accompanied us all the time..
For thirty silent years God had been preparing the Lord Jesus Christ for His ministry of reconciliation, between God and mankind.
Whatever Christ's baptism signified - whether it was His identification with sinners, for whom He was to be the substitute; an act of obedience to His Father, in order to fulfil the righteous requirements of the Law; a presentation of Himself as the Messiah of Israel and Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world; an act of dedication to His God and Father, or simply a picture of His forthcoming death and resurrection - we know that in the days of John the Baptist's ministry - Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptised by John in the Jordan.
The multitudes had just been miraculously fed with multiplied bread and fishes, but they were blinded to the reality of His ministry as: “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.'
and the promised earthly kingdom, which had been covenanted unconditionally to their forefathers, would have to be placed on hold for a season, and His little band of faithful followers would have to be spiritually prepared, for the time of their post-cross ministry - which was fast-approaching.
Whether running a home or building a house, working at a factory or supporting a ministry there is one vital principal that is all-embracing, all our undertakings require a total dependence upon God, without which all efforts will be frustrated, and all activities will be rendered unsuccessful.
At the very start of His earthly ministry the Lord Jesus had to establish His God-appointed authority on earth, for as He set out on His three year walk towards the cross, He would honour no other instruction than those that came from His Father in heaven.
The apostles were no doubt flushed with excitement at the success of their ministry, and weary from their exhausting schedule and so they gathered around Jesus and told Him everything they had done and taught.
Working hard for the Lord, obeying His call on their life, exhilarated at all that God is carrying out in their ministry - and yet we read in the next verse that: there was so much coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat.
Should not all who are earnestly carrying out the special little ministry that God has purposed for them, be watchful to gather around the Lord Jesus and to sit at His feet daily..
What an assurance, therefore, to be told that the eyes of the Lord will never miss any good deed we do, for His glory, nor will be unaware of any labour of love, that is shown to Him, through a tender ministry that is directed towards His people.
Paul felt compelled to share the good news of God's amazing grace... and just as the Lord Jesus pointed His disciples to His heavenly Father during His earthly ministry, so Paul points us to our heavenly Saviour and Him alone.
Paul was not bothered about being financially recompensed for his ministry, even though financial support of ministers of the gospel is a biblical principle.
Although saints in other cities, sent financial and material aid to these believers, this was an area of ministry, that the Corinthian Christians had neglected.
Paul did not want these brothers and sisters to fall short in any area of their ministry, and so he urged them, by the grace of God, to prepare a bountiful gift, for the believers in Jerusalem..
The mystery of the Church was in God's heart and mind from the beginning, but there was a special reason why the Lord kept the 'dispensation of the grace of God' a secret, during his earthly ministry.
Paul's message in this verse is quite a serious warning to any ministry that is teaching that there are extra things that we need to do for our initial salvation OR for our ongoing sanctification - for it means that Christ's finished, sacrificial work on the cross and His glorious resurrection from the dead was not sufficient for our salvation..
Love of God and His Spirit of love pulsing through our lives and streaming out to others is the most important ministry any one of us can be called to undertake.
Just as certain women tended to the needs of Jesus during His earthly ministry, and Christ's other apostles received financial support from various churches, Paul explained that he had the same entitlement to financial support from the Corinthians - even though he did not take up this fundamental right.
Bitter water was sweetened in Jericho and the desperate needs of a poverty-stricken widow was supplied through the ministry of Elisha, where her oil was miraculously multiplied.
His mission and ministry was to redeem people out of the kingdom of darkness, into the kingdom of His dear Son.
Earlier in His ministry, Jesus sent out His disciples, commanding them: Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
His inner peace is something to which all believers are called, both individually and corporately and should become a reality in the lives of all who are called by His name.. for each is given particular gifts and a unique ministry that is designed to give mutual encouragement to one another in our service to the Lord.
to devote themselves to prayer, maintain an attitude of thanksgiving, conduct themselves with wisdom and grace, and make the most of their opportunity to speak of Christ, but he also asked them to pray for his own ministry - that the Lord would open doors for him and his team to share the gospel of grace and the mystery of Christ..
He greeted Nympha, whose house was used as a meeting place for the Laodiceans and Archippus, who was instructed to take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfil it.
Maybe she was a woman of prayer or a lady who simply used her generous nature to encourage the saints and edify the body... but the name of 'Nympha' and her simple home-based ministry in Laodicea has been celebrated by centuries of believers who have read the book of Colossians.
While the Mosaic Law was given to Israel, and Christ's ministry was to the Jew first, Paul calls on Christians to follow this Golden Rule as well, for in so doing we will live a life that is well-pleasing to the Lord, honours our Father in heaven, and is the fulfilment of God's Law
At the end of His ministry, the Lord Jesus gave a new commandment to the Church, which condenses this important law of love, into one simple command - LOVE one another as I have loved you - by THIS shall all men know that you are My disciples.
It appears that Christ’s ministry began at the very point that His faithful forerunner, John the Baptiser, was flung into prison by king Herod – after which he was brutally beheaded.
He preached the gospel throughout the land of Israel and authenticated His ministry by performing many signs and wonders – all of which had been foretold by prophets of old – all or which confirmed Him as the true Light from God.
And so it was that early in His ministry, Jesus started to teach His followers the Gospel of the Kingdom.
In His pre-cross ministry, the Kingdom of Heaven was preached primarily to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
We will never understand the full extent of the incredible riches of God's unfathomable grace that are discovered in Jesus Christ our Lord, but the more we know Him the more effective will be our Christian ministry and witness.
Partway through His ministry however, the Lord Jesus started to give hints, that God's plans and purposes for Israel were to be postponed, for an undisclosed length of time.
And from the start of His ministry, Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were sick or demon possessed.
The debate about Christ's authenticity was so heightened, on this last great day of the great feast of Tabernacles, that the chief priests and scribes were determined to put a stop to His ministry.
Christ's resurrection would confirm that His ministry and message were true, and it would be used to authenticate His Messianic claims - which had been rejected by Israel.
The Jews did not recognise the coming of Elijah in the person of John the Baptist and his ministry was cut short.
But only PART of His mission and ministry could be completed, because of unbelief.
An over-indulgence in either food or drink does not glorify our heavenly Father and is often the precursor to a failed ministry and fruitless life – and there is also the strong possibility that it will contribute to early death.
While Paul gives a resounding call to patience endurance in life's difficulties; purity in personal conduct and faithfulness in Christian ministry, he is equally eager to warn us of perilous times ahead - the ploys of the enemy to shipwreck our faith and the insidious dangers of false teachers.
Although much of Paul’s ministry was independent from the other apostles of Christ, there was always a fundamental unity between them, and his visit to the Holy City, and attendance at the Jerusalem Council, demonstrates the importance of Christian unity through doctrinal purity.
For a second time in His ministry the Lord Jesus drove out the corrupt, profiteering money-changers from the Temple court.
Both at the start and the close of His earthly ministry this act of Temple-cleansing was necessary, for priests and people alike were holding too lightly the sacred things of God and crooked commercialism and ungodly trafficking replaced holy conduct and godly worship.
These men were to be left in a world from which they had been saved, in order to carry on the good work that Christ had started in His own, earthly ministry - and to shed abroad the Word of Truth.
so that their future ministry would be effective... for having given them the Word of Truth through His earthly ministry, they were to be the ones that would spread abroad the gospel of God, to a world that remained dead in their trespasses and sins - for God loved the world so much that He gave Jesus to be the propitiation for the sin of the whole world.
Thousands came to faith in Christ through the ministry of their spoken Word in the book of Acts, and the early years of the church..
At the beginning of His ministry we discover the Lord Jesus to be both supported by the Spirit and led by Him, but after passing the testings in the wilderness we discover the Lord Jesus was further empowered by the Holy Spirit, for we read that: He returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit.
We see the Lord Jesus at the start of His ministry returning to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district, as He set out on His long, three year trek to the Cross - where as the sin-substitute for the whole world He would pay the price for your sin and mine - so that whosoever believes on HIM would not perish but have everlasting Life.
The Lord Jesus is the express image of the invisible God and during His earthly ministry had been revealing the “I AM' of the Old Testament as the Good Shepherd; the Door of the sheepfold; the Light of the world; the Bread of life; the living Water; the Resurrection and the Way - the Truth and the Life - abundant life : eternal life - for in Him was life and His life is the light of all mankind.
Loving one’s neighbour in the same way that we love and care for ourselves was an instruction Christ gave to Israel many times, during His earthly ministry and both Paul and James quoted this instruction in their respective writings to Christians.
Isaiah had prophesied of John's ministry, many centuries earlier, and later Jesus was to identify His older cousin, as the greatest prophet, who ever lived!
Faith in our heavenly Father and love for His beloved Son, is our eternal protection, both inwardly and outwardly, while the blessed hope we have in our salvation, will guard our minds from the wiles of the evil one - who would seek to flood us with fear, ship-wreck our mission and ministry, and destroy our testimony, through worry of what is coming on the world.
It explains that Jesus is the Mediator of a new, and better covenant, and that His service, sacrifice, mission and ministry surpassed everything that had gone before.
But like the Sadducees and the Herodians, the Pharisees were also a sect of Judaism that was at enmity with Christ and which became increasingly hostile towards the Lord Jesus throughout His ministry.
John identified them as: a brood of vipers, during his ministry, while Jesus would pronounce severe condemnation on their pride and hypocrisy..
Only a short time before Jesus is seen at the start of His ministry in the Temple of God.
Paul is not only urging these believers to pray for their own needs and to maintain holy fellowship with the Lord, but gives them guidance on topics for prayer, and asks them to pray for him and his ministry..
Before Christ's ministry started, we discover John calling the nation of Israel to repent, for the kingdom of heaven is nigh - indeed the King of Israel was in their very midst.
The gospels indicate that as soon as John was taken into custody, the ministry of the Lord Jesus began.
We are given a little insight into His birth at Bethlehem, and a glimpse into His life in Nazareth, His visit to the temple at the age of 12 and this special preparatory time with John, which preceded Christ's three-and-a-half-year ministry, that led to His sacrificial death on the cross, and His glorious resurrection.
Jesus humbly walked in the shadow of John's ministry, until that day - when John was taken into custody.
It appears to be God's will, that Christ did not begin His ministry in earnest, until John was removed from the scene..
He had heard those words spoken by John the Baptist at the start of Christ's earthly ministry.
The master with Whom John walked and talked during His earthly ministry was the One Who washed their feet on that last night before He was betrayed and took bread and wine, to represent His broken body for us and blood... shed on our account.
It would also enable Peter, the other apostles, and the 70 who were commissioned by Christ, during His ministry, to continue fulfilling the commission they were given, to, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons.
He detailed how the Lord had separated him from his mother’s womb and listed the events of his calling, conversion and early ministry. Oh foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you? is the memorable question he put to them. Did you receive the indwelling Holy Spirit by the works of the Law, or through hearing with faith?
The blessings these faithful folk, in Hebrews 11 are to enjoy is still future, for their blessings are to flow to them through the Person of JESUS - His Office and His Ministry - His death on the cross; His resurrected life and His victory over Satan, sin death and hell.
Three times during His ministry the Lord Jesus said His hour had not yet come.
He first said this to His mother at the wedding in Cana of Galilee at the start of His ministry, and again to His siblings, near the end of His ministry, when they mocked their brother about his Messianic claims.
And once again at this critical time of His ministry, when the hour for Him to be glorified had finally arrived - we find Greeks, desiring to speak with Jesus.
It is sad that Paul had to defend his ministry to the carnal Corinthians, but he had discovered that these believers often resisted his teaching before they would accept it and apply it in their lives.
Paul was writing to the Philippian Church from a prison cell but he wanted to emphasise that the many misfortunes that had befallen him in his ministry..
At the very start of His ministry the Lord Jesus was an invited guest at a wedding feast, and was accompanied by both His disciples and His mother.
During His early life Jesus submitted to His earthly parents in humble, obedience- but at the start of His God-appointed ministry to a lost and dying world - Jesus had to make it plain to all people, that His divine mission was not to be influenced by the whims or the demands of fallen man - including His own dear mother, who was equally in need of His redemptive blood as you and me.
Paul was confident that his reassurances would calm their hearts, still their concerns and bring peace to their soul, and so he encouraged them to pray for him and for the rest of his ministry team constructively, before reassuring them that: we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing.... and will continue to do what we command.
Paul was afforded a unique role in the administration of the Christian Church, for not only was he the ONLY God-appointed apostle, who did not accompany Christ, throughout His earthly ministry..
The book of Acts gives us some great insights into the ministry of the Spirit, within the corporate body of Christ, as well as the lives of believers, individually.
And while Chapter 1 deals with Christ's transition from his earthly ministry into His role as our heavenly High Priest, the rest of Acts gives insight into the development of the early Church, the ongoing work of the Spirit in and through the Church and the postponement of God's dealings with Israel.
It also helps to expand our understanding of the Spirit's ongoing ministry in the lives of all believers.
The all-pervasive ministry of the Holy Spirit began in a small group of 120 disciples, who obeyed Christ's command to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the Father to send the Comforter.
The ministry of the Spirit in the lives of believers covers both experiential and non-experiential work The Spirit's non-experiential work takes place at the point of salvation.
It includes our regeneration or rebirth into the body of Christ and the indwelling ministry of the Spirit in the life of all believers.
How blessed we are to be recipients of the astonishing ministry of the Holy Spirit and beneficiaries of the mysteries that are ours in Christ Jesus - by grace through faith in Him.
So much of Paul's ministry to the Church is reminding us of our eternal inheritance and our heavenly citizenship and although we have no tangible evidence of our future hope, nevertheless we accept it by faith - because God has spoken in His Word and God is faithful to His word - for God has even set His word about His holy name.
Imagine the overwhelming joy and reverential fear that overtook this disciple of Christ, as he began to comprehend that the death, burial and resurrection of the Man, Christ Jesus, whom he had loved so dearly in His earthly ministry - was in fact that almighty LION of the tribe of Judah, Who stood before him.
What an astonishing happening that Father, Son and Holy Spirit should unite at this significant moment in history, when the eternal Son of God as the perfect Son of Man is commissioned to begin His earthly ministry to a lost and dying world.
And as the time of His preparation for His most significant yet solemn ministry was ending we see the Trinity working in harmony - the Godhead meeting in unity.
One such non-experiential ministry is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, in the body of each believer.
Days before His crucifixion and during Christ post-resurrection ministry, He promised His Holy Spirit would not only be with his disciples, as their Comforter but would dwell inside them.
The indwelling Spirit, in New Testament believers, is a ministry unique to Church age believers and is permanent.
When writing to Timothy Paul is speaking of this wonderful, indwelling ministry when he says, Guard, through the Holy Spirit Who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. The mystery of the Spirit of God indwelling our mortal bodies staggers the understanding of mortal man.
He has chosen to use each of us as Ministers of Reconciliation in His perfect plan of redemption, and His indwelling Spirit provides the power we need, to fulfil the mission and ministry He has for each of His children.
Through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are to protect, safeguard, preserve and garrison the truth of the glorious gospel of God and share it with those with whom we come in contact... and so we will fulfil our ministry.
We can become forgetful hearers, powerless in our ministry and ineffective in our testimony if we do not take this warning to heart – but the one who looks intently at the perfect law – the law of liberty, which is already ours in Christ, and abides by it… not having become a forgetful hearer but being an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in all that he does.
John gave his prophecy at the start of Christ's ministry, but moments before His ascension into heaven Jesus informed his disciples that the baptism of the Spirit would happen a few days later.
However, when John baptised Jesus in the River Jordan, at the start of His earthly ministry, His baptism had nothing to do with repentance, for Jesus was the sinless Son of God.
Christ had glorified God throughout His life; by His miracles; by His ministry; by His grace and by living in humble obedience to the Father and by submitting to the power of the Spirit, for He had laid aside His pre-incarnate glory.
He confirmed that His ministry was according to the promise of life, which is in Christ Jesus, by faith... before addressing Timothy as: my dearly beloved son.
Timothy had come to a deepening faith in Christ, through the ministry of the apostle Paul, and is identified in Scripture as one of the men, who would wear the mantle of leadership in the Christian Church.
The Galatian Christians were being targeted by legalistic Jews, who were not only spreading a fabricated gospel; a distorted doctrine and a false Christ to Christians in the Church, but were deliberately seeking to discredit Paul, and the unique ministry and mission, to which he had been commission, by the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself.
that preaching freedom from the law gave Christians a license to sin, which is untrue, and was diametrically opposite of Paul's glorious gospel of grace, and the ministry to which he had been called.
John's principal desire was to emphasise the deity of the eternal Son of God, while Luke's aim was to bring out the empathetic ministry of the lowly Son of Man - but from the beginning..
The Corinthians Christians had some serious misunderstanding about Paul's message and ministry, which gave rise to division within the church; immoral activities among its members; a selfish, self-serving attitude and the stunting of their spiritual growth.
At the start of His ministry, Jesus had taught His disciples the importance of the prolonged, persistent prayer of faith.
The crowds were unsympathetic about his desperate situation and told him to be quiet, and maybe the disciples had also become too accustomed to Christ's healing ministry, for they seemed unsympathetic to his plight of this poor blind beggar-man.
Christ participated in four Passover celebrations during His short, three-and-a-half-year ministry on earth.
Early in His ministry He cleansed the Temple in Jerusalem, by overthrowing the tables of the money-changers proclaiming, My Father’s House is a house of prayer for all people, but you had made it a den of thieves. This first Passover seemed to be a critical event at the start of Christ’s ministry.
In the final year of His ministry, as the feast of the Passover drew near, Christ once again cleansed the same House of God.
This fourth Passover was another momentous occasion which took place at the end of Christ’s ministry.
We also find that the Passover, a feast of the Jews, is mentioned in the third year of Christ’s ministry.
With only one more year to go until His sacrificial death on the cross, it seems that this third Passover, which is called ‘a feast of the Jews’ was the event which activated that last leg of Christ’s earthly ministry – before His disciples would be left to go into all the world and proclaim the good news of the gospel of grace in His absence – while the gospel of the kingdom would have to be postponed for a season.
Israel had a special, and unique ministry, which was given to them by God.
They alone were chosen for a special and unique ministry, which would circumnavigate Satan's plan: 'to be like the most High'.
Israel had to be set aside, for the duration of the Church age, and a new body of believers were commissioned to carry out God's 'ministry of reconciliation'.
They are called the 'Body of Christ', which is 'the Church' - and like Israel, have also been entrusted with their own special, and unique ministry for God.
But Paul, Christ's chosen apostle to the gentile, disclosed certain additional truths regarding the important ministry and work of believers, in this 'Dispensation-of-the-Grace-of-God'.
Moses was a man of God who spent much of his ministry to Israel calling for them to trust in the Lord, and to turn from their sin of unbelief and rebellion.
Paul then stamped his apostolic authority on his message and ministry by adding, as his defence, but I call God as witness to my soul, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth.
And in these early verses, he laid out the manner and means of his ministry, and his motivation in sharing the gospel of God, with Jew and gentile alike - for His apostleship was appointed of God and not of man.
Jesus was identified as the hard-working husbandman, Who tended the fig tree for the three years of His earthly ministry - giving it sufficient time to produce good fruit.
It was as Christ's ministry was drawing to its close that the Owner came looking for fruit - fruit that was rightfully His.
The kingdom of Israel had been taken into slavery by the Assyrian nation and the kingdom of Judah was following in the footsteps of her apostate 'sister', and much of Jeremiah's ministry was calling the nation to repent of their sin, warning of Judah's inevitable defeat at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar and reporting on the devastating destruction of the holy city and sanctuary, while providing assurance that God would not forsake His errant people.
Perhaps the most significant section of Jeremiah's ministry is Chapter 31 where he prophesied about Israel's eventual restoration, in the end-times.
In the previous chapter, Paul not only reminds us that everything is from God, Who graciously reconciled us to Himself through Christ, but that we have been given the 'ministry of reconciliation'.
Just as Christ was the Channel through Whom God worked to reconcile the world back to Himself, during His earthly ministry - the Body of Christ, which is the Church, is called to carry out the same, responsible task.
As Paul was nearing the end of his ministry we discover that all but a handful of believers had deserted him and many were straying from the gospel of grace.
James the brother of the Lord Jesus Christ, like the apostle Peter, had a ministry to Jewish believers in Christ – in the early church, and this epistle is addressed to Christians from the 12 tribes of Israel, who are dispersed throughout the world.
Old Testament writings pointed to Christ, and He fulfilled each aspect of the Law and every prophetic scripture, relating to the earthly ministry of Israel's long-awaited, promised Messiah.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God and new birth happens when the truth of God's Word is translated from intellectual, head knowledge into confident, heart faith - through the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit of God.
Paul was not complaining about the times when their contribution to his ministry stopped, nor was he implying that he relied upon their financial support to maintain his ministry.
Although Paul rejoiced to think that the Philippian Christians had kindly supported his ministry..
The apostolic ministry of Paul is an example to all of us, of a life that was lived for God’s glory and praise.
They were encouraged to glory in the ministry of the Holy Spirit and to draw power and strength from God, knowing that like Paul, all God’s children have this same, heavenly treasure indwelling and empowering our earthly, mortal bodies!
Paul’s apostolic ministry is an example for us all to emulate, and in this verse he explained the reason he had to undergo the different troubles and trials he listed – Paul was faithful to lift up the name of Jesus and preach the gospel of Christ, which is an offence to the world, for the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Paul also knew that spiritual wickedness in high places would seek to disrupt his important ministry, but as a soldier of Christ, he relied on the weapons of righteousness, which the Lord Himself provides – the belt of truth; the breastplate of righteousness; the shield of faith; the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
We have been entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation, and one Christian characteristic that is pleasing to the Lord, is the one who can demonstrate the long-suffering goodness of God, in the midst of the trial and tribulation they face.
But today, as in the days of the early Church there is a huge interest in angels and an intense fascination with the ministry of the angelic host, which will often eclipse the vital message of salvation that God gave through His Son - for if we miss the true message of Christ we are likely to fall into apostasy or be enticed into false doctrine or legalist practices.
And we need to pay special heed to the Word of God that we have received through both the pre-cross and post-cross ministry of Christ.
Spiritual regeneration; the baptism of the Spirit; His sealing of believers and the Holy Spirit's indwelling ministry in the Body of Christ takes place..
In 1 John chapter 2, we discover a ministry of the Holy Spirit not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture - His 'unction' or His 'anointing'.
It seems that His 'unction' or 'anointing' corresponds with His 'indwelling' ministry, which takes place at the moment of salvation.
However, the Spirit's indwelling ministry is necessary for every other office He undertakes in a believer's life.
One has to be born-again, made spiritually alive in Christ, and possess the indwelling Spirit of God in their human frame, to access His comfort and help, His correction and teaching, His direction and ministry of intercession.
The Church will continue their ministry of reconciliation, until the day they are taken out of the way, when Israel will once again be used to finish the work God He has prepared for them to do, and finally, they will welcome their Messiah - JESUS, King of kings and Lord of lords.
From the point that Christ had been accused of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, we feel the chill winds of change in His message and ministry.
He also began, in earnest, to prepare His few, faithful followers for His fast approaching death and resurrection, and for their forthcoming ministry as the foundational apostles and prophets of the Church.
I am no longer in the world, He prayed, for He was returning to the Holy Father in heaven, and yet they themselves are in the world. His faithful followers were to remain in the word and continue the work that Jesus Himself had begun - a ministry of reconciliation.
Just as Christ is the head of the Church and was submissive to His heavenly Father, during His earthly ministry, so a husband is the head of the wife, who should similarly be submissive.
Early in His ministry it was revealed to Peter, by the Spirit of God, that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
In His earthly ministry Christ was only sent to Israel – but His true mission was to include the whole world.
Earlier in His ministry He was recognised by many as the Messiah who had come from God to save His people, and to set up His promised earthly kingdom – but as time progressed there was talk of His death as His teachings became more provocative …there was the command to eat of His flesh and to drink of His blood, and many did not understand.
Indeed, there was a small remnant of Jewish believers during Christ's earthly ministry, and in the early days of the Church, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and were saved - and today, during this Christian dispensation, there is still a small remnant of Jewish people, whose eyes have been opened to the truth of the gospel of grace..
The apostle John was one of Christ's chosen disciples who walked with the Lord Jesus from the very beginning of His earthly ministry.
The apostle John was one of those that was closest to Jesus throughout His earthly ministry.
Yes, John desired that others would also engage in the same close communion with Jesus that he himself enjoyed - both during Christ's ministry on earth and during His current session..
It was at Pentecost when the baton was passed from Israel to the Church, for a season... and from that Day of Pentecost until the start of the Great Tribulation, God is forwarding his plans and purposes through Church-age believers, who have been entrusted, with the ministry of reconciliation.
Many had heard Christ's words during His earthly ministry but failed to give heed to everything He said... until their eyes were opened in those early days of the Christian Church.
The Lord Jesus had just finished His ministry in the Galilee area and set His face to Jerusalem.
He started to train His disciples for their post resurrection ministry and increasingly He made hints about His person; His sacrifice on the cross and His coming kingdom.
Jesus not only started to explain privately to His disciples about His mission and ministry – His death and resurrection, but He also talked to the crowd about what it really means for a believer, to become a true disciple of His – and we read that Jesus said to all, if anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
During his lifetime Paul had to face much personal criticism and significant hostility towards his message and his ministry, but he was not ashamed of the gospel, because he knew the gospel of Christ was the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, and it was Paul's deep desire to encourage Timothy to reflect this same fervour, and not to allow critics to discourage him in his own pastoral ministry.
As Christ's ministry progressed, we see Him authenticating His messianic claims through a series of supernatural demonstrations of God's power.
As Christ's ministry progressed He gave greater understanding of Who He was to as many as would believe on Him - but for those whose ears were deaf to His voice and whose hearts were closed to His call - He began to teach in parables, so that those with a heart of unbelief would hear with their ears but not understand in their soul.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus increasingly demonstrated His power over sickness and diseases; demons and death - until that pivotal day in history when the sting of death was swallowed up in victory.
Love is displayed in selflessly giving to others and the ministry in which we are engaged should manifest the sacrificial grace, compassion and kindness that Christ has shown towards us – in that while we were yet sinners Jesus died for US.
But just as Moses had harsh criticism from jealous, envious men, so Paul was hounded throughout his ministry by those who sought to destroy him; silence his message and demolish his Christian witness.
It was John, the beloved disciple, who loved his Lord with a deep passion and who had walked with Jesus from the start of His three-year ministry, that was given this unique glimpse of the risen, ascended, glorified Son of Man.
Before beginning his ministry and missionary journeys, Paul was caught up into heaven, and saw unspeakable things, about which he was commanded not to speak.
The hindrance Paul had in his life, was designed by God to make his ministry even more effective.
Whether we have a specific 'thorn in the flesh' or whether we are simply encompassed about by the difficulties and dangers of normal life, - God is no respecter persons, and the grace and strength that Paul received throughout his ministry, is the same grace and strength..
It may require us to follow scriptural guidelines to rebuke or challenge a man or ministry – but any admonishment should never be aggressively or deliberately confrontational.
Hebrews is the book that sets out to show that the Person and ministry of Lord Jesus is vastly superior to anything that has gone before.
We recognise much in the old order - the Mosaic Law, the Tabernacle, the sacrifices, the feasts and the priesthood as typifying Christ and pointing us to the Person, the ministry and the finished work of Lord Jesus, which is vastly superior to anything that has gone before.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus applied various Old Testament scriptures to Himself, even identifying Himself as: the Stone which the builders rejected, Who has become the chief Cornerstone. That Stone is a stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence - such that all who believe on Him will not be disappointed.
During the first part of His ministry, He ministered specifically to the Jews..
In the power of the Spirit they would be able to withstand the increasing attacks of the enemy and to stand fast in this evil age, and so Paul encouraged them – and us, to walk in spirit and truth, be sober in all things, to endure hardship, to do the work of an evangelist and to fulfil our particular ministry.
Paul was required therefore, to give intense defence of his apostolic ministry.
He was given a specific ministry to the Gentiles, despite his unworthiness.
Although there are many today who continue to discredit Paul's ministry and his apostolic calling, we would do well to pay attention to his teaching, for he opens our understanding to many church age mysteries - including the Church, as members of Christ's body, and the permanently indwelling Spirit - Who provide us with godly power to guide us in our earthly walk.
They were to focus on their important ministry and not be needlessly delayed by profitless talk or diverted from their important task by unnecessary diversions.
Indeed, the 70 were reminded to pray earnestly about their ministry..
This was a special office and unique privilege for these 70 disciples which they undertook during the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus but there are many principles in this passage of scripture that can apply to our Christian walk as we witness of the coming of the Lord to a world of lost sinners who need a gracious Saviour.
It was through his ministry that the mystery of the glorious gospel of grace, which was hidden in ages past, was made known to the gentile nations, so that all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (whether Jew or Gentile, male of female, old or young, bond or free) might be saved by grace through faith in Him.
The gospel of God's grace was made known to the gentiles through the grace and apostleship that Paul himself received, and it was through his ministry that this good news of the grace of God and peace with Him..
This blasphemous accusation was the turning point in His ministry when Jesus started to teach His disciples and all who trusted Him..
Although there is much that the Church can learn from the kingdom parables, it is always important to remember that the focus of Christ's pre-cross ministry was to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and that He is really speaking of the time when a future generation of Jews, whose blinded eyes are opened and deaf ears are unblocked.
Too often those with deaf ears and blinded eyes consider Christ's earthly ministry to have failed in its cause - for He was crucified; dead and buried.
As a result, Paul was vehemently opposed by legalists, who deliberately undermined his ministry and his message... and the churches throughout Galatia were infected with this false teaching.
It was the hardness of the nation's heart that dictated that Christ started to speak to them in parables, at this point in His ministry..
And although the major mysteries of the Church (which is His Body) would be revealed to Paul, it was at this point in Christ's ministry that He started to give a glimpse into the mysteries of the kingdom - to all who had ears to hear.
Man did not comprehend the enormity of what had happened in Bethlehem some thirty years earlier and throughout His ministry, men continued to misunderstand the Man, His ministry and His message. The depraved mind of the unsaved cannot understand the Light, for the god of this world has darkened their minds and blinded their soul.
Little by little and precept upon precept we are brought in the book of Hebrews to acknowledge that Christ's heavenly, high priestly ministry is so much more superior than the earthly, Aaronic priesthood that preceded it - and that the blood of the Son of God, that was shed at Calvary (once and for all), was a more excellent sacrifice than the rivers of blood that streamed from the multiple calves and bulls, which had made atonement for man's sin for centuries - in anticipation of God's full and final sacrifice for sin.
and His sinless life and ministry to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, God purposed that Jesus would fulfil every single legal requirements of God's holy Law, on behalf of every fallen sinner - and the single requirement to benefit from His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, was to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ - and by believing, be given salvation as a free gift of God's grace.
He was told at the start of his ministry that he would suffer many things for the name of the Lord Jesus, and what a catalogue of trials and tribulation have been listed, in his various epistles.
Christ's ministry, in the gospel of Luke, began with His Baptism by the Spirit, in the Jordan..
His signs; His wonders; His message and His ministry were foretold by prophets of old, and His heavenly mission and Messianic claims were authenticated through His words and actions - and Peter reminded the crowd of these things - Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, was a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs, which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know--
God, Whose Holy Spirit indwells all believers, will use the prayers, praises, ministry, and life of the saints to finish His good work in the destruction of evil.
To gain a full and comprehensive understanding of the New Testament requires a student of Scripture to be familiar with the Old Testament, for many of the prophetic Scriptures are brought to completion in the new, and many of the people in Old Testament times are identified as a type of Christ or their teachings and experiences are made manifested through His mission and ministry.
The second chapter of Luke's gospel gives the greatest insight into Christ's early years, His childhood and His pre-ministry preparation.
Not only in His adult ministry but throughout His childhood and youth, the Lord Jesus was the sinless Son of God, Who learned obedience by the things that He suffered.
Jeremiah's public ministry... calling the nation of Israel to repent of their sin and turn from their hypocritical religiosity, was treated with indifference and contempt by his fellow-countrymen, causing this man of God deep distress.
But his cautions were ignored, their idolatry increased and Jeremiah's lament seems to identify one of the lowest moments in his ministry and expose his own vexation with this stiff-necked, iron-willed nation.
His unprofitable ministry cause this man of God to long for an opportunity to move far away from his people - to some little wayfarer's lodging in the desert or some other distant place.
For instance, he points out that the suffering we undergo for Christ's sake, brings with it great reward, and equips us for the ministry of comfort - in that when we are weak in ourselves we are strong in the Lord, but when we are proud of our self-sufficiency, we will suffer a tremendous fall.
No doubt, on that first day of the week, they rejoiced to have Paul in their midst and doubtless listened intently to his message and ministry, until the hour of midnight.
Later chapters give a detailed account of the ministry and missionary journeys of Paul and other servants of God, and details various incidents that happened along the way.
The latter part of the book focusses on the work and ministry of Paul and in this verse, we read that he did not shrink from declaring the whole council of God to those he visited.
Paul knew that the message of the cross is deeply offensive to the proud heart of the unregenerate man, but throughout his ministry, he never shrank back from declaring everything that would be profitable for their eternal soul.
Starting from their slavery in Egypt he progressed through Jewish history until he reached the ministry of John the Baptist – who preached a baptism of repentance to Israel and identified Jesus as the ‘Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world’.
As the day for His departure drew ever closer, we find Jesus preparing men for a ministry, that would shortly be handed over to them.
Earlier in His ministry Christ had sent out His twelve, chosen disciples on a ministry mission, in northern Israel.
Although the ministry of the 70 was a unique, pre-cross commission, there are many aspects of their ministry that are relevant for the Body of Christ today, as we..
Their instruction... not to carry money and make provision for their ministry, does not suggest irresponsibility, but demands a determined trust in God's provision, Who has promised to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory.
And no matter what thrilling results we witness in our ministry for Christ..
These were prophets who foretold of astonishing future events, which would have little impact on their own earthly life, but it was revealed to each one that their ministry was being addressed to a future generation.
The apostle Paul had a ministry that was distinct from the other disciples, who accompanied the Lord Jesus from the beginning of His earthly ministry.
Paul's ministry was exclusive.
Paul did not receive the apostolic message he taught through the ministry of Peter, James, John or any of Christ's other apostles - but was given it exclusively from Christ Jesus.
Paul heard the voice of God on the road to Damascus, and responded to His call on his life, and as a result God used him for a very special ministry.
You and I will not be called on to write sections of the new testament or undertake the ministry to which Paul was called..
All that pertains to life and godliness in a believer is achieved through the ministry of the Holy Spirit within our heart and the intercessory ministry of our great High Priest in heaven, for it is God Who works in us, to equip each believer to mature in the faith, to grow in grace and to come into a fuller and deeper knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
but you, be sober in all things; endure hardship; do the work of an evangelist - fulfil your ministry.
Paul's fourth instruction to Timothy was specifically to fulfil you ministry.
But as Paul's life was soon to cease, the urgency to remind Timothy to be sober in all things; to endure hardship; to do the work of an evangelist and to fulfil the sacred ministry for which he was called, was close to Paul's heart.
We many not had been with Paul and learned important truths from this apostle - but we have the word of God and the indwelling Holy Spirit Who has promised to guide us into all truth - but we also have the responsibility to heed Paul's words of warning; his instructions on living the Christlike life and to be sober in all things; endure hardship; do the work of an evangelist, and fulfil our unique ministry.
There came a trigger-point in Christ's ministry when He knew that Israel would reject His mission, ministry, and Messiahship.
However, it was at this turning point in His ministry, that the Lord told the parable of the sower and explained to His faithful disciples why He was speaking in parables, for whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have... even what he has shall be taken away from him.
May we take to heart the words of Jeremiah, who faced incredible hardship in his ministry: Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord.
He knew that a good minister of the word would keep this as a priority in his life and ministry, but he also gave stark warning of an infestation of false teachers and doctrines of demons..
He only came upon certain people Whom the Lord called to fulfil a particular mission or special ministry.
He convicts sinners of their need of salvation, and saints of their need to be holy, and He carries out the ministry of regeneration... in the spirit of a man or woman, who trusts in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ for salvation.
Despite the testimony of John the Baptist, which announced the arrival of Israel's Messiah-King, and the many signs and wonders that Jesus performed during His earthly ministry, we read that the Lord Jesus was despised and rejected by the religious leaders of His day, and was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. I wonder why the religious leaders rejected His heavenly witness.
He simply pointed to His own ministry which fulfilled the prophetic Scriptures and authenticated His claim.
As opposed to those who teach the 'drawing' of the Father refers to 'irresistible grace', which removes man's free-will in choosing or rejecting God's pull on their life... the emphasis is on hearing the Word of God, and responding positively to His Holy Spirit's ministry in their life - which is in line with the rest of Scripture.
The focus of his ministry related to the rebuilding of the Temple of God, which had been utterly destroyed, decades earlier, by Nebuchadnezzar, the first, great king of Babylon.
Like all Christ’s disciples, Peter started following the Lord at the start of Christ’s ministry when Jesus was teaching the lost sheep of the house Israel that the kingdom of heaven was near.
His ministry as our great High Priest is matchless, while the offering of Himself on the cross is unsurpassed in history and infinitely superior to the blood of bulls and goats, which were simply a type of Him Who was to come.
Christ has a more excellent Name, a superior Ministry and is the single Mediator of a better covenant, which was ratified through His shed blood on Calvary.
From the start of Christ's ministry, the scribes and Pharisees resented His unorthodox teaching and heavenly testimony, which laid claims to His being the incarnate Son of God, Who came to earth from heaven as the anointed Messiah of Israel.
This Old Testament character is used to show that Christ's heavenly, high priestly ministry is vastly superior to the limited, earthly, Aaronic priesthood.
It was early in His ministry when the incarnate Son of God started to choose certain men, to be His disciples, many of whom would be used of God to pen the scriptures for our learning.
Jesus was in the line of Judah and thus qualified to become Israel's king, but He was also destined to be God's holy, High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek, and John the Baptiser was called to commission Christ's coming priestly ministry, as well as to introduce Israel to their true Messiah. behold, He cried: the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.
And as the time for his departure drew ever closer, Peter was ensuring that those that had grown in grace and matured in the faith, were equipped to continue Christ's ministry of reconciliation, and to care for the flock of God - and so he spoke directly to the elders of the Church, with specific instructions - to feed and care for the flock of God.
Paul was God's chosen vessel to take the glorious gospel of salvation to the gentiles, but his ministry would not be an easy task, but one that would entail much hardship and suffering.
Indeed the catalogue of problems and persecutions that Paul endures in his ministry is almost without equal, for on numerous occasions he was imprisoned; beaten, whipped and shipwrecked.
They all witnessed His resurrection and were all men who travelled with Jesus when He started to go in and out among them, during John the Baptist’s ministry - when he challenged the lost sheep of the house of Israel to repent of their sins, for the kingdom of heaven was at hand and their King was in their midst.
Paul wanted to make it clear that the same Spirit of God who had empowered Peter for his God-authorised apostleship among the Jews is the same Holy Spirit Who was working powerfully in his own ministry and apostleship to Gentile believers.
Paul’s biblical authority is not invalidated, because others are prejudiced against him, have misgivings about him or are jealous of his ministry.
Just as Christ's earthly ministry was predominantly to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, so His response to the disciples' question was predominantly referring to the time of Jacob's trouble..
Although His ministry was to the Jew first, He always showed great compassion to the Gentiles who came to Him for help.
This Roman commander was a remarkable man, who showed a far greater awareness of Christ's mission, ministry, and sovereign authority over sickness and death, than the Jews.
He was not appointed during Christ's earthly ministry nor was he appointed to be an apostle by the authority of other men, as was the replacement for Judas - when and the lot fell upon Matthias.
Paul was singular in his apostleship, unique in his ministry and singular in his message.
Paul did not continue teaching the gospel of the coming kingdom on earth, which Christ and the apostles proclaimed during His pre-cross ministry.
It is unlikely that 'ALL' fellow believers who turned away from him had deserted the gospel of Christ, but it was no doubt painful for Paul to feel so forsaken by trusted friends, in the twilight years of his ministry.
Paul was shown, at the start of his ministry, all the things he would be required to suffer for Christ's sake, and he wanted Timothy to remain faithful to his calling in spite of the hardships he would also face.
his gracious ministry to the apostle and his faithful service to the Lord.
Although we often imagine the ministry of John the Baptist to be one of a passionate prophet, who ate locusts and wild honey as he wandered in the wilderness and accused the proud, unrepentant Pharisees of being a brood of vipers, he was also a man dedicated to prayer, who prayed in the in spirit and power of Elijah..
Before Jesus was to embark on His earthly ministry and set out on His three year march to the cross it was necessary for Him to demonstrate that He was qualified to act as the federal Head of God's new creation of mankind.
Only THEN could the nation of Israel fulfil their ministry of being a light to lighten the Gentiles – but they refused, and God set Israel aside for a season, while He continued His work of redemption through the Church.
Following Christ's death, resurrection, ascension and glorification we discover the murderous Saul of Tarsus being selected for a unique ministry by the Lord Jesus Himself, which he describes as; the dispensation of the grace of God.
He rebuked the blind, hypocritical leaders of Israel, who refused to acknowledge His message and His ministry, for He knew the terrible consequences of rejecting their Messiah.
Christ's royal birth in the regal city of Bethlehem, together with the many prophesised signs and wonders He peformed, during His three-year ministry, authenticated His Messianic mission and His kingly claims to the throne of His father, David.
Paul has been a major vessel that God has used in Christ's post-cross ministry to reveal much of that form of teaching that is exclusively given to the body of Christ, just as He has used Moses to give the form of teaching that was exclusively given to the nation of Israel.
How important it was that the Lord Jesus ascended into heaven at the end of His earthly ministry, for only then could He send the indwelling Holy Spirit as the seal of all God's promises to those who believe on Him.
How wonderful to realise that in returning to heaven He would take up His twofold ministry as our great High Priest interceding to the Father on our behalf and also our heavenly advocate and mediator between God and man - Who forgives all our sins.
because they think that it is rather offensive - OR alternatively they teach of nothing but a dead Jesus without linking His sacrificial death to His glorious resurrection and present-day ministry in heaven.
Throughout His earthly ministry Christ had been teaching of the coming kingdom of God, and so with excited anticipation His disciples asked Jesus.. Lord, is it at this time You are going to restore the kingdom to Israel?
It was at the start of Christ's ministry that Jesus walked from His home-town in Galilee to the River Jordan to be baptised by John; to be anointed by the Holy Spirit and to be confirmed as God's only Begotten Son and Israel's promised Messiah - and the significance of Christ's baptism is staggering.
For the three years of Christ's own ministry we see evidence of little seeds of faith, taking root, growing and blossoming into a firm foundation of unshakable faith.
It encompasses the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit in all believers; the one Body of believers made up of Jews and Gentiles; the rapture of the Church and the mystery of the gospel, to name but a few.
Jesus had kept His identity hidden from many during His earthly ministry, but as He stood before Caiaphas, He boldly identified Himself with a title that could only be used by the almighty, everlasting God.
Throughout his ministry Paul faithfully fulfilled his assignment, and discovered that God's grace is sufficient, for His strength made perfect in our weaknesses.
They had heard him preaching of the coming Messiah and already knew about Jesus, Who like them, had been following John from the start of his ministry.
It was through the ministry of Paul, the apostle to the gentiles, that detailed revelation concerning the body of Christ.
all who are beloved of God, are not only called to be saints but are supplied with the sufficient grace that enables, empowers, equips and commissions each child of God, in their own appointed mission and ministry.
During Christ's ministry, He told his disciples not to rejoice that they could heal the sick or cast our demons.
May we never place importance on the ministry to which we are called, the study we have done, our past heritage, current achievements or spiritual gifts - for ALL that we are and all that we have is given to us from above.
These mysteries together with the mystery of lawlessness, the mystery of the gospel and the mystery of God were hidden secrets, which were revealed to us through the ministry of Christ's appointed apostles.
Throughout His ministry, the Pharisees and teachers of the Law were at enmity with Christ, but as the time for His crucifixion drew ever closer, we see their hostility escalating, and their accusations against the Lord Jesus, becomming increasingly hostile.
These short-sighted men demonstrated their ignorance of the Law, and their disdain for Christ's mission, ministry and witness, with their haughty resistance and their foolish jibes.
Mark is the shortest gospel... detailing the work of Christ's ministry, the calling of His disciples, the healing of the sick and the teaching of the kingdom at breakneck speed.
The Lord Jesus knew how the pressures of ministry affect the human body.
Just as Jesus gave these men work to do, so He called them to step aside from their mission and ministry and rest for a while.
Elijah had enjoyed his ministry and wanted his own personal 'success' to continue... rather than humbly recognising that God's plans and purposes span from eternity past, into the ages to come.
Christ had made many references to the crucifixion and His rising from the dead after three days, but He also wanted to prepare them for things yet to come – things that would take place after He had left them – things would become so much clearer in the future from the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit of Truth would be sent, to the mysteries that would be unveiled to them through the ministry of the apostle Paul.
Philemon was a wealthy man from Colossae who came to faith in Christ through Paul's ministry and became a beloved friend of the apostle.
Under Paul's ministry, the runaway slave trusted Christ for salvation and became a valuable helper in spreading the Gospel.
This verse is also a lovely testimony of Philemon's developing Christian character, for news had reached the apostle's ears that other believers were being refreshed through Philemon's ministry.
During his ministry, John gathered large numbers of followers who were passionately loyal to him, but some became concerned that Jesus, was attracting people away from John's ministry.
Before His baptism Jesus had been a follower of John, but after His baptism and testing in the wilderness, Jesus began His own ministry.
The face of the nation had to turn in a different direction and the Holy Spirit caused increasing numbers to go after Jesus, causing John to remind his concerned followers , by saying, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before Him.” John ministry may have started in a dramatic way, but he was not to be the focus of attention.
In the midst of his declining ministry, and as a comfort to his distressed disciples, John gave the most beautiful explanation of his relationship to Jesus.
John was faithful in his ministry.
Rather than express regret that his ministry was dwindling, John was filled with joy that the Lord Jesus was apparently succeeding in His work for the Father.
Their rejection of their Messiah caused the Baptist's ministry to be cut short and Christ's kingdom to be postponed, until a new generation of Israelites would welcome Him.
Israel, as a nation, was still in unbelief, after three years of Christ's earthly ministry, and Jesus knew that the nation would reject Him as their King, and be subjected to the terrible time of Jacob's Trouble, when the wrath of God would be poured out on the nation, until they truly recognised Him, for Who He was.
A little earlier in His ministry, while at the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus had laid claim to being Israel's promised Messiah with the words - the Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor.
Indeed, it is suggested that Christ's rebuke to His disciples, concerning this incident, was His most forceful chastisement throughout His entire ministry.
Indeed the first sermon that Peter preached after he had been baptized with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, was a greater work than all the recorded work that was carried out by Christ in His earthly ministry.
The work that Peter did on that first day of Pentecost was a greater work than had been secured during the entire recorded ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He was not resentful that this thriving ministry was not the result of his own personal labour - for Paul knew that jealousy and strife among believers, is a result of a proud heart and fleshly behaviour.
John, who is so often referred to as 'the apostle of love', wrote at the sunset of his life: Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard - through the ministry Jesus Christ our Lord.
It was the same commandment that he had taught to sinner and saint alike, from the beginning of his post-cross ministry.
John understood the importance of obeying Christ's new commandment - which was the same old commandment that had been taught from the very start of Christ's ministry - a love that started before the foundation of the world and can be traced throughout the entire Word of God.
Although this verse was probably addressing the public ministry of the Word, in a day when the reading of personal scripture is being replaced with water-down and distorted audio-visual alternatives, all Christians should give heed to these instruction from Paul and make opportunities to engage in both the personal and public reading of Scripture - as well as paying careful attention that what is preached and taught from the pulpit.
The eighth chapter of Romans begins in no condemnation and concludes in glory, and in this beautiful passage we are gently led into a fuller understanding of the wonderful ministry of the Holy Spirit, that takes place in the life of a believer.
God's New Covenant, which He made with the united kingdoms of Israel and Judah, have brought on the gentile nations, great blessings, for it is the Lord, Who has reconciled US to Himself, by the blood of Jesus Christ, and has given to US the ministry of reconciliation, during this dispensation of the age of grace.
Yet it is to his faithful young follower, Timothy, that the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write his final epistle of encouragement and warning, with a call to faithfulness in ministry, courage in the challenges of life and patient endurance when facing the inevitable hardships, that pursue all who live godly in Christ Jesus.
Timothy was urged to be faithful in ministry, faithful in conduct, faithful in preaching the foundational truth of the Word..
No doubt he saw Timothy grow in grace and in a knowledge of the Lord Jesus, during their ministry together, but as the time for his parting drew every closer, Paul was prompted to write to his young co-labourer, exhorting him to continue in the things that he had learned from him..
But although this like other psalms, prayers and praises of David is an ever-present source of comfort and encouragement to all believers, and rightly so – this verse is a prayer that the Christian can never pray, for in so doing it demonstrates a lack of understanding of the permanent, indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit, in the life of ALL believers - following Christ’s finished work on Calvary's cross.
This prayer of David was a prayer that he needed to pray, for prior to the cross the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit was only for certain people in Israel, such as their kings / prophets / selected individuals, and He was given for a specific ministry - and He would leave when their task was completed or if that believer sinned – as was typified in the life of king Saul.
But this is very different from the permanently indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of ALL believers, since He was sent, by Christ, at Pentecost.
but only to the people of Israel. Their ministry was to be given without cost and they were instructed on how to conduct themselves during this important assignment.
As members of Christ's body we too have been given the responsibility to continue Christ's ministry of reconciliation to a world of lost sinners - as directed by God the Father, through the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit - for the praise and glory of His holy name.
Each 'type' would present one particular aspect of Christ’s Person or ministry.
God often used ‘people’ and ‘things’ and a 'type' of Christ in Scripture, to represent some character trait of the Lord Jesus or an important aspect of His ministry.
At the start of his ministry, Jeremiah had been warned, that the people would not listen to his message, and the guilt of the nation stands in stark contrast with the innocence of this solitary prophet of God.
Worry is a sin and demonstrates unbelief in God's promises to keep, and His power to save... and worry is one of the greatest hindrances to our spiritual growth, Christian witness and effective ministry, because worry is one step towards unbelief - and for this reason Jesus said, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.
Numerous prophecies, give details of His coming to earth as a babe in Bethlehem, His ministry on earth, His sacrificial death, His glorious resurrection and His victory over Satan.
But Hebrews 1:1-2, reminds us that the 'last days' started with the ministry of the Lord Jesus - for we read: in these last days God has spoken to us in His Son. John also reminds us: my little children, these are the last days.
He does not tell us to try to change society per se, but he does instruct us to turn away from such things; to immerse ourselves in the Scriptures; to preach the Word; to be watchful in all things; to endure hardships, to do the work of an evangelist - to fulfil our ministry and to keep the faith.
May we in like manner fulfil our responsibility to God and our duty towards our fellow man as we look steadfastly to Jesus, study His word, fulfil the ministry that God has given each of us and continue as they did..
before the beginning of Christ's earthly ministry: this is the Son of God - this is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.
The end, objective and the climax and the reason for John's message and ministry was that Jesus was anointed of God to be the promised Messiah and Saviour of the world..
And as members of His Body we have been commissioned to carry out and continue the ministry of reconciliation that Jesus Himself started during His earthly life - for God has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.
And so, He has made us ambassadors for Christ, and by grace is the propitiation for our sins and He has given us the ongoing ministry of reconciliation - so that all who trust in Jesus for the salvation of their soul may be reconciled back to God, not only through time but into eternity.
The goal of Paul's ministry was to spread the gospel of Christ and its salvation message to many people; to give godly instruction to those that were saved by grace through faith in Christ and to remind pastors and teachers to preach the Word of God, in season and out of season..
This was the ministry for which God the Father sent His Son into the world – a ministry of reconciliation and hope for a world lost in sin – providing salvation for all that would trust in His finished work on Calvary.
This indeed was His mission and ministry when He came to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, 2000 years ago and this continues to be His mission and ministry throughout this present age of grace – the dispensation of the Church of God.
After laying this prophetic foundation and a brief reference to Christ's baptism in the Jordan, His temptation in the wilderness and John's disgraceful imprisonment, Mark plunges straight into Christ's extended Galilean ministry, which it the main focus of his short gospel - until that final week of Christ's astonishing life on earth.
Leading up to this section in chapter 3, Paul defended his authority by listing four characteristics of his message and ministry.
whilst living in their midst, should be a sufficient recommendation as to his character, his motive and the gospel he taught... compared with these legalists, who relied on letters of commendation to endorse their ministry.
Timothy was Paul's 'son-in-the-faith', who was not only effective in ministry but entrusted with a number of tasks and responsibilities, including pastoring the thriving church at Ephesus and acting as an trusted courier, by delivering messages to and from the apostle Paul.
The early signs of His rejection had already begun in Judea, and Christ knew His earthly ministry would focus in Galilee, but although He was sent as Messiah to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, Jesus was also to become the Saviour of the world - and so He went through the gentile country of Samaria, where wearied by the journey - the eternal Creator of the universe, Who had humbled Himself to become a homeless, travel-worn, exhausted, Jew..
Sadly, most of the short-sighted people in Capernaum were simply looking for some temporary, physical relief, and were paying little attention to their spiritual poverty, their need of salvation or their eternal destiny, while the blind, jealous Jewish leaders foolishly overlooked the presence of the incarnate God, Who was living in their midst - as they sought to find anything that would discredit His important, heavenly-ordained ministry, to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Isaiah's prolonged ministry gave details of how the Lord was to bring in a period of time - 'the Times of the Gentiles', during which Gentile nations would become supreme on earth; subjugate Israel and govern the world, until God's people - as a nation, repent of their sin.
In the early days of Christ’s ministry John, the energetic ‘son of thunder’, was disposed to called down fire on those who refused to welcome Jesus into their village.
Jesus had erroneously been found guilty of blasphemy by the Jews, despite being the eternal Son of God, and proving His authenticity through the many prophetic signs, miracles and wonders that were carried out in the power of the Holy Spirit, during His three-year ministry.
Christ's earthly ministry and three year trek to Calvary's bitter cup, which had been prepared for Him before the foundation of the world..
And although the young Jesus had grown in favour with God and man in as the youthful carpenter of Nazareth - the time for His earthly ministry and three year trek to Calvary's bitter cup had finally arrived..
Teaching in parables became an important tool as Christ's ministry progressed, and it became the main vehicle through which revelation was given to those who followed Him during His earthly life.
It drew a clear line between those who trusted His message, His ministry and His claim to Messiahship and those who rejected His Person and work... and so we read in this verse, As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables.
They were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women - and even Mary the mother of Jesus, and His own brothers, who had ridiculed him throughout His ministry, were part of that praying company, as, with one mind, they hammered on heaven's door.
Although there were subtle hints about the coming Church age in Christ's earthly ministry, the time would come when the apostle Paul would more fully disclose the hidden mystery of this dispensation of grace - which is Christ IN you, the hope of glory - i.e.
As he penned his final epistle from a dungeon in Rome, Paul wanted to encourage this young pastor to stand fast in the faith, and endure the inevitable challenges he would face, if he were to be faithful in ministry, remain true to the glorious gospel of grace and preach the Word of God, to a world that was dead in sins and at enmity with God.
Paul wanted to encourage this young man to remain faithful to his ministry and pastoral duties, as he preached the Word and shared the gospel of Christ, with those in need..
But the title, the name, the ministry, the sacrificial work and the decree of the LORD, which was given to the unique Son of God, stands fast for ever and ever:- You are My Son.
Paul rejoiced to know that the gospel of Christ was being shed abroad.. (even though some teachers opposed Paul's ministry and taught about Jesus out of envy and strife), for Paul rejoiced that men and women were being saved by grace through faith in Christ.
When the gospel of grace was taught by those that opposed Paul's God-ordained ministry out of jealousy or hatred.. (and even though these teachers were instrumental in many of the trials and tribulations Paul had to face in his ministry to the gentiles) - he was able to write: for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance...
He did not harbour bitterness against those that oppressed and opposed him, but demonstrated godly love, and a desire to see the gospel of God spread far and wide - whether it was preached from a heart of goodwill.. (that reflected the spirit of Christ) or taught due to envy, contention and jealously of Paul's, God-ordained ministry.
When a man or ministry is founded on godly principles, that lifts up the Lord Jesus Christ..
Jeremiah is often called 'the weeping prophet', for he was to prophecy to deaf ears and witness to blinded, callused hearts - but through all of his long and faithful ministry, he was (like the Lord Jesus) despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with much grief -
He was teaching that through the ministry of the corporate Body - especially through the teaching of the word, every member would be increasingly edified and grow in grace and in a knowledge of our Lord and Saviour.
Jeremiah had a long ministry which spanned the reign of a number of kings of Judah... the first of which was king Josiah, who was crowned at the age of eight and had been on the throne of Judah for 5 years when the Lord spoke to his servant.
Although the call on Jeremiah's life was brief; devoid of great visions of heaven like Isaiah or revealed to his parents like John the Baptist, the knowledge that he had been singled out by God and set apart for an important prophetic ministry must have been a great encouragement to this young Levite.
Jeremiah may have been divinely chosen and empowered by God for his prophetic ministry but he was a man who was humanly hesitant and reluctant to take up this God-ordained role... and he was a man who had to endure much hardship during his ministry, because of his God-ordained position.
Although he was a man who had to experience much hardship, loneliness, pain and rejection and became known as 'the weeping prophet', Jeremiah was a man who was greatly used by the Lord in the furtherance of God's redemptive plan throughout his ministry and enjoyed much intimate fellowship with the Lord he served.
The letter Paul penned to Timothy strongly indicated that within the professing church there were an increasing number of problems, with some departing from the faith and others who had become unfaithful and careless in their work and witness - not only to Paul but in their ministry and towards the Lord Jesus Himself.
In his letter to the Ephesians Paul describes our heavenly position in Christ and the amazing mystery - which remained hidden in ages past, but which was revealed to the Church through his unique ministry.
Paul grew in grace, from the wretched man that we see in Romans chapter 7 to the liberated man of Romans chapter 8 – and his life ministry was sharing with others the open secret of how to grow in grace and in the wisdom of God - to grow in love and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Remembering that this visit of Nicodemus was early in Christ's ministry and that the Father had only sent Jesus to the lost sheep of the house of Israel..
There is no more sublime truth than the message of the cross, and yet we see a complete misunderstanding of the simple gospel of Christ - both during His own earthly ministry and throughout the apostolic letters that were written to the Church.
Our heavenly Father testified to the authenticity of Jesus Christ through the multiplied signs, wonders, miracles and spiritual gifts, which He displayed throughout His earthly ministry, and which were carried out in the power of the Holy Spirit - saying: I will proclaim Your name to My brothers; I will sing hymns to You in the congregation.
He was also a contemporary of the prophet Daniel who had been deported to Babylon years earlier and Ezekiel's prophetic ministry was mainly to the Jews who had been taken into captivity.
His ministry was also concurrent with Jeremiah's ministry, who was called to prophesy to those left behind in Jerusalem, and both the ministries of Ezekiel and Jeremiah were mutually complimentary.
The most beautiful 'picture' of prayer as a sweet fragrance, ascending to God is Christ's own ministry of intercession.
Today we know that the ministry of Christ Jesus is continuous intercession, for He is at the right hand of the Father, and ever lives to make intercession for us - the Church.
The flame on this alter, which was to be kept burning day and night, is an elegant reminder of Christ's beautiful ministry of unceasing prayer and intercession, for He is the one and only Mediator between God and man and His intercession prompts God's people towards continuous prayer and ongoing fellowship with the Father..
But When He arrived, Jesus did not fit in with their predetermined expectation and there was a certain point in Christ's ministry when the leaders of the Jews committed the unforgivable sin - they attributed the Spirit's work through Christ, to Baalzebub.
It was from the point, in Christ's ministry, where priests and people misunderstood His message and ministry, that the style of His teaching changed from claiming to be Israel's King and proclaiming kingdom principles to the disinterested masses, to preparing the little flock of believers for a different message and ministry, by teaching kingdom mysteries to His committed disciples - through parables.
Using a quote from Isaiah the prophet, He told them, To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but for those who are outside, everything will be told in parables. The people of Christ's time were reacting to His message and ministry in the same way that the masses in Isaiah's day reacted to his message and ministry.
And the same attitude prevailed during Christ's ministry, when He proclaimed His message of salvation, and called the nation to repent, proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven was near.
For much of His ministry the Lord Jesus was teaching the gospel of the kingdom to none but the lost sheep of the house or Israel, but as the animosity and hatred towards their promised Messiah became increasingly evident among the Jewish leaders, Jesus began to prepare His little band of disciples for the significant changes that were about to take place after His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension.
The gifts of the Spirit are given to help equip other believers in their spiritual service; to edify the body of Christ and to help to perfect each member of the Church for the particular ministry to which God has called them.
We are God's representatives on earth, during the Church dispensation and Paul began his teaching by explaining that every believer is given their own distinctive gifts and unique ministry.
Not everyone receives the same spiritual gifts, and each ministry is unique, yet varied and complementary.
Jesus was in His final year of ministry having proclaimed Himself to be the true Bread from heaven, the Living Water for the thirsty soul, the Light of the world and the Son of the Most High God.
Christ’s earthy ministry; His sacrificial gift on Calvary; the establishment of the Church which is His Body; Her future role in as bride of the King in the coming kingdom of Christ and her elevated position in the eternal ages to come - when she will show forth God’s gracious love to principalities and powers for evermore, were all part of God’s eternal plan for her.
Paul's authority was challenged by Judaisers in Galatia, who distorted the truth of the gospel, by persuading believers to add works of the law to the gospel of grace, and so he presented a series of arguments in defence of his message, ministry, apostleship and doctrine.
I am sure they discussed all the things that Christ had revealed to Paul during his years in Arabia and the experiences Peter had during Christ's sojourn on earth. No doubt they rejoiced in the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit and were excited and encouraged that the doctrine of Peter harmonised with that which Paul taught.
With the arrival of John the Baptist and his public preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, we are fast-forwarded to the start of Christ's own ministry, where His authority is demonstrated and His qualifications validated - through His ministry to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and His message that the kingdom of heaven was at hand.
Although Christ's earthly ministry was primarily towards Israel, this teaching appears to have relevance for a larger group - those who are living between His first advent and His second - (i.e.
from the start of Christ's ministry to His return, at the end of the Great Tribulation,) - because it predicts persecution and false prophets; encourages fruitful-bearing and godly works; details righteous living through prayer and other godly commitments and speaks of service and a promise of rewards for faithfulness, which covers this entire period.
This Old Testament command, to honour your father and mother is not only repeated by the Lord Jesus in His pre-cross ministry to Israel, but is also reiterated to the Church..
When asked what was the greatest commandment during Christ's earthly, pre-cross ministry one scribe gave the perfect, answer: Love God with all your heart and he added..
Paul had a great love for all who had heard and accepted the gospel of grace through his ministry and longed to see them again and to fellowship with them in person.
Paul also knew that his faithful ministry to these believers was rooted in the eternal.
Just as Christ's early ministry began with His baptism in the Spirit, when the heavens opened and God declared, 'this is My beloved Son', in the same way the Church was inaugurated with the baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
We are God's representatives on earth, during the Church dispensation and Paul began his teaching by explaining that each member is given their own distinctive gifts and unique ministry.
Not everyone receives the same spiritual gifts, and each ministry is unique, yet varied.
