Spiritual Need
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 16 viewsNotes
Transcript
Handout
It is Easier to Help Physical Need than Spiritual Need
It is Easier to Help Physical Need than Spiritual Need
It is tempting to help people with their physical needs and completely neglect their spiritual needs
Is physical or spiritual need more important?
Meeting physical need is very important, but it is always a means to sharing Jesus.
Why is it easier to help people physically than spiritually?
In 100 years the people we feed and help will be dead. If they don’t know Jesus when they die, it doesn’t matter how much food we gave them or how much medicine we administered to them.
We have to resist the temptation of hiding in the comfort of ministering only to physical need
Less than 1 percent of the people who live in the Himalayas have ever heard the name of Jesus.
Our efforts must go beyond offering material assistance if we’re seeking to reach someone’s deepest need.
Jesus certainly had this perspective right:
17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.
Luke 5:17-
20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
Luke 5:20
24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
Luke 5:24
Jesus rightly understood that more than the ability to walk, this man needed to be reconciled to God.
From Jesus, we learn that although physical need is evident all around us, spiritual need is ultimate.
Jesus did meet people’s physical needs, but he always did it to point them to their spiritual need.
Spiritual Need of the World
Spiritual Need of the World
There are 7,367 unreached people groups in the world
That equates to 3.19 billion people
What is an unreached people group?
An unreached people group are people who literally have no access to the gospel
They could not hear about Jesus even if they wanted to
There are millions upon millions of people around the world who do not even know the name of Jesus.
All human beings, whether they want to admit it or not, know that there is a God.
They can perceive His existence by looking at the world around them.
In theology, this is what we call General revelation
General Revelation: Term used for the knowledge about God that he makes possible through the natural world
Term used for the knowledge about God that he makes possible through the natural world
Evans, C. S. (2002). In Pocket dictionary of apologetics & philosophy of religion (p. 49). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Everyone on the planet has been given, by God, general revelation.
We can look at creation and perceive Him
We can look at where He has revealed Himself in history and perceive Him
And all humans are drawn to an inner morality that tells them that there is a standard of right and wrong, but for some reason we can’t keep it.
This is universal. This is for all humans.
From the top of skyscrapers in New York City to deep in the jungles of the Congo, everyone has been given general revelation by God.
But general revelation is not good enough to save anyone.
Looking at the beauty of the mountains is insufficient to save
Taking a glance at history is insufficient to save
Recognizing a standard of right and wrong does not save you
We need the Word of God that tells us about the sacrifice of Christ. We need the Gospel.
This is called special revelation.
Special Revelation: Revelation given by God through particular persons, experiences, writings or historical events.
This is where God reveals Himself, through His word and through His messengers, and reveals what He did on the cross of Calvary.
Revelation given by God through particular persons, experiences, writings or historical events.
This is where God reveals Himself, through His word and through His messengers, and reveals what He did on the cross of Calvary.
What does this mean?
What does it mean for these unreached people groups who have never heard of Jesus and have only been given general revelation?
It means unreached people literally only know enough about God to damn them to hell
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
That means that there are millions upon millions of people on our planet that will live a life of misery and torment only to die and go to an eternity of misery and torment.
“The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time.”
What in the world will it take for the American church to wake up?
What will it take for us to refuse to tolerate the terrible reality that there are millions of people dying without ever even hearing the name of Jesus?
The Christian Church should not tolerate the fact that two thousand years after Jesus walked on the earth, there are people who have never heard His name.
We have the greatest news for the greatest need, and we’re called to give our lives to take the gospel to them.
What will you do about it?
48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
Luke
19 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,
Matthew 24:
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
While you make plans for a life of comfort, there are millions dying and going to hell because no one will tell them about Jesus.
Is the eternal destiny of a human soul more important than your summer plans? Your college plans? Your career plans?
Is Jesus’ plan more important than your plan?