Christology: MINISTRY

The Ministry of Jesus Christ on Earth

INTRO: “You bow to no one.”

Has anyone seen Lord of the Rings? I haven’t read the books and I’ve only watched the extended cut probably once. Each movie is like 4 hours long. But even a novice fan like myself can appreciate the story.

As many of you know, the story is about an unassuming Hobbit. Small in stature with big hairy feet, they usually live quiet lives not causing any trouble, not going on any adventures.

But this unassuming Hobbit, Frodo Baggins, humbly agrees to play a role in an epic story to save the world by bringing a piece of jewelry with the essence of great evil and power contained within it to volcano it was FORGED (no pun) in, to destroy it.

He succeeds, though not easily. He was stabbed multiple times. He was tempted. He was lonely. He was scared.

Sometime afterward there’s a big coronation ceremony for the King of men. The hero attends. When the king walks through the multitudes of attendees, he comes to Frodo. Frodo of course bows before the king.

The king looks at Frodo and says to him…what?

“You bow to no one.”

How could the King say this to a humble Hobbit?

Because of his service, his name was lifted up above every name that he should bow to no one.

In fact, what did the multitudes do for Frodo? They bowed to him.

Why do I emphasize Frodo’s service and then exaltation?

It’s a small picture of what Jesus Christ our Lord did for us.

A minister means servant.

Jesus Christ our Lord saved the world of mankind from sin and the ultimate consequence of sin. He died on the cross for our sins and was then given the name that is above every name, that every knee should bow to him (Phil 2:8-9). His death and resurrection are essential to the gospel truth and it is the gospel truth.

But before he died he lived. He lived a life of service on the earth to the Lord AND to man and for man’s sake.

So tonight we are going to be talking about Jesus Christ’s Ministry on Earth.

PRAY

BODY: I have 3 main points tonight

HIS PURPOSE (OF JESUS MINISTRY ON EARTH)

Luke 4:17–21 “And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Let’s rewind and think about the context that Jesus was in at this time:

Israel was ruled by the Roman Empire in the time of Jesus.

Yet, setting the Jews free immediately from Roman political and military control was not what he meant by liberty for the captives and oppressed.

No. Jesus himself says here that he was chosen by His Father and empowered by the Holy Spirit to what? proclaim the good news (gospel).

QUESTION: WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

To Nicodemus the Pharisee John 3:16 ““For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

To the Jews John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

From Paul:

1 Timothy 1:15 “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”

1 Corinthians 15:3 “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

Luke 4:17-21 is quoted by Jesus from Isaiah 61.

I don’t know how exactly this prophecy was fulfilled on the day Jesus preached in the synagogue on the Sabbath but I do know this:

The passage says he would preach good news to the poor.

Now the poor have hope because if they believe in Jesus Christ for salvation, their main need is take care of - eternal life.

People that are oppressed or captive in real life are free in a truer sense from sin being the dominant force in their lives if they believe.

A believers sin is just a rebellion that will be crushed ultimately, our main direction in life is toward righteousness now.

John 8:34–36 “Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Another thing, regarding the blind, though Jesus healed literally blind people in Israel, Jesus also heals spiritual blindness (2 Cor 4:4), the blindness to the truth of sin and God and how to be reconciled to him.

In John 9, Jesus once healed a man who was born blind and he believed Jesus as Lord. So his eyes were opened physically but more importantly the eyes of his heart were opened to the spiritual truth of the gospel!

The opposite occurred for the Pharisees. They ostracized the formerly blind man, thinking they knew everything, and they thought there’s no way Jesus is from God. They claimed to know the truth, thinking they could “see”. But Jesus says they are guilty for that very reason, because they claimed to know everything yet were not truly seeing and accepting Jesus for who he is.

John 9:38–39 “He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.””

APPLICATION1: JESUS EXAMPLE OF EVANGELISM

What about you guys? Do you personally know unbelievers on whom hard times have fallen?

What do you do to help them?

You should not only help them with the earthly goods or with the practical advice. Yes, please do that. But you should share the gospel with them. This is what Jesus did. He not only helped with the physical need but also with the greater spiritual need, didn’t he? Do NOT neglect that - it’s the most important thing!

We know what the gospel is. Those are our opportunities to share it.

Jesus himself shows us his example.

Luke 4:42–43 “And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.””

Jesus knows that no amount of physical healing can save a person from eternal hell. Only faith in Jesus can do that. And only by hearing and knowing the good news could people have this hope.

Jesus put his preaching of the gospel over the physical miracles.

Don’t let me give the impression that he did not help people though. There are so many miracles from Jesus in the Bible but Luke 4 shows Jesus priority.

HIS MIRACLES: So then what were his miracles really for?

Doubtless Jesus did many signs and wonders among the people and for the people.

Jesus miracles were to confirm who he is, his authority, that everything he said about himself and the gospel is true.

John 10:25 “Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me,”

One prime example of this was right before he raised Lazarus from the dead.

John 11:41–42 “So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.””

The miracle confirmed that Jesus is who he said he is and the people believed in him.

Jesus feeds 5,000 people from 5 loaves and 2 fish.

John 6:14 “When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!””

People wanted more food and knew Jesus could give it. Jesus used the opportunity to preach the gospel of the true food and the true bread: himself

John 6:35 “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

HIS DISCIPLESHIP

Jesus was not alone in this ministry. He chose the men he would call friends and disciples and apostles. (The Master Plan of Evangelism)

He spent a significant amount of time with these men and from a service standpoint we cannot ignore it.

What was he doing with these men throughout the three years of his ministry?

He was teaching them about the Kingdom Of God.

He explained parables to them.

He was correcting them when they needed.

He was encouraging them.

He was very patient with them.

He helped them! He healed Peter’s mother in law, he protected them, he fed them, he forgave them.

He served them, he washed their feet*

He loved them.

How did he did he teach them?

They stayed with him. They lived with him. He was with them. This is key.

WHY Did he spend so much time with these men? Why was it so important?

A main objective of all this was so that they could spread the gospel.

Through them, the gospel of Jesus would spread to the whole world - to us.

He was setting his example for them to follow as future leaders of the church

Matthew 28:19–20“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

APPLICATION 2: Discipleship in IGC.

So what should we all aspire to do?

We need to commit to loving a person and discipling them. This is not a small thing.

Jesus used much of his ministry to train up disciples for the sake of continuing his work of evangelism.

God can use when we disciple someone to spread his word thus continuing his church.

This disciple is someone we are going to, by the grace of God, look after, truly care for and point to Christ, just as Jesus did for the 12.

What is it going to take?

Initiative

Firstly, we should make sure we ourselves are under right teaching. We have to seek out and sit under the true teachings of Jesus.

Then we, more than likely, will have to make the effort to reach out to someone younger in the faith to disciple.

To me, knowing how I was, it is improbable that an 18 year old kid is going to reach out to YOU and say “hey, can you show me how to live for Christ?”

I should’ve though! For you young people, I can’t believe I’m saying that, I was once you...Now I’m 2 decades out of high school…you all should ask counsel from others. you are living your own life, but if you want to live a life serving the Lord, you are going to be better off doing so seeking counsel from seasoned Christians.

On the flip side, Did Christ wait for the disciples to ask the Great Teacher? No, he chose them. So if the youngins don’t prusue us, we have to pursue them.

John 15:16 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

Resources

We have to get the right tools!

Sometimes we may need to buy things that will help us like books or Logos.

Sometimes we spend our resources on the person if they need financial help or meals.

Our minds

We have to learn and read and write about the Scripture often.

Sometimes we may go to a class or conference to learn.

Some go to seminary for the glory and spread of the gospel.

Our bodies

Jesus didn’t just stay in one place.

There were no cars, no cell phones to call somebody to talk to them.

He spent time with people having had to use his body to travel in his humanity. And he did get tired in his humanity.

Again, he physically served using his body to wash his disciples feet. I cannot stress this enough.

Sometimes it might mean doing something your disciple likes that you may not be familiar with - like working out or hiking

You may have to help them move a couch or take down a tree in your backyard.

So you have to be ready.

Patience

personalities don’t always mix but it’s not about trying to make the person like us. The truth stays the truth no matter who we are.

Prayer

We are trying to make Christ more known, not ourselves. So it’s going to take prayer for us to relay the truths about God to someone.

Vulnerability

You have to be ready to be offended and take the low road as you get to know them.

Bravery

We can be brave because of who Christ is and the power of his word and his sovereignty.

We don’t have to put the results on us. We do our best to love Jesus and therefore obey, and “let the chips fall where they may” so my dad used to say.

God knows what he’s doing so we need to disciple someone. This is, in my mind, how the true, deep, meaning of the gospel is spread from person to person. It’s love for God and love for your brother.

Get that into your head.

CONCLUSION:

The Divine Son, God Himself, I AM WHO I AM, humbled himself taking on human nature, to serve us.

His ministry was to spread the gospel, the good news about how he and only he can save humanity from sin and hell.

And though there is much to be said about his life, I want to remind everyone that the gospel and Jesus ministry to us is not complete without his death and resurrection. He saved us…at great cost.

Matthew 20:25–28 “But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many

I picture the humble man Jesus Christ who is truly God veiled in a human body, going on the long three year journey to fulfill his mission full of hardship, physical and emotional pain, and culminating in his death at the hands of evil men.

But once complete and raised up in glory, he bows to no one and every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that HE is Lord of all.

END.

EXAMPLES OF PHYSICAL HEALING PRECEDED BY FAITH

The healings from Jesus below demonstrate how many times faith preceded the healing in the same way that by faith in Jesus our sins our forgiven and we are cleansed.

The paralytic coming through the roof.

Luke 5:20 “And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.””

Luke 5:25 “And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God.”

The Centurion’s servant healed (without Jesus present)

He sent Jewish elders to ask Jesus to heal the synagogue builder, the Roman’s servant.

He didn’t even want Jesus to come into his house because he, a Roman, was a foreigner. But he knew Jesus did not need to be there. “But say the word and let my servant be healed.”

Luke 7:9–10 “When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.”

The bleeding woman healed

Luke 8:48 “And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.””

The Samaritan Leper healed

Luke 17:17–19“Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.””

The Blind Man Healed

Luke 18:42–43 “And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God