When decisions are made that promote a walk with Jesus Christ, good things will eventually happen. This is especially true in ministry. We are to trust God, in our witness and testimony, that the person we witness to will eventually be a blessing to the other person in that they recognize Jesus Christ as personal Savior. In order for you, as a believer, to have realized the need for Christ, someone else had to make the decision to tell you about the gospel.
Have you ever been in a situation where you became indifferent over a situation because you were concerned about the amount of work that was involved if you made a commitment? Making decisions in ministry require a commitment from you to do something that sacrifices time and energy, but the results will ultimately glorify God.
Mark 2:1-12
When He entered Capernaum again after some days, it was reported that He was at home. So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and He was speaking the message to them. Then they came to Him bringing a paralytic, carried by four men. Since they were not able to bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above where He was. And when they had broken through, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic was lying. Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” But some of the scribes were sitting there, thinking to themselves: “Why does He speak like this? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Right away Jesus understood in His spirit that they were reasoning like this within themselves and said to them, “Why are you reasoning these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your stretcher, and walk’? But so you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” He told the paralytic, “I tell you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” Immediately he got up, picked up the stretcher, and went out in front of everyone. As a result, they were all astounded and gave glory to God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
When you make your decision to act on behalf of Christ, even though it may be difficult to do so, the result will be unlike anything you have experienced. Even though the road may be difficult and full of uncertainty, God will strengthen you with His presence and with the help of others provide you with encouragement as you look to Him for guidance. Your decision to serve the Lord is not being done all by yourself, either. You commitment will often spur others on to make a decision to do the same (like the men who brought the paralytic to Jesus). Consider how others are involved in the process of bringing one to recognize the need for Christ in his or her life…the prayers of others, the love and support of others, the witness and testimony of those who came in contact with you. All of these actions required decisions being made to act. It is the collective ministry of the body of Christ that works with the power of the Holy Spirit to reach the lost and bring them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
In Mark 2:3, the men made a conscious decision to bring the paralyzed man to Jesus, for he was unable to go to see him on his own. Their efforts of physically carrying him was met with an obstacle of not being able to get into the doorway where Jesus was because there was an overflow crowd. The crowd did not deter them from getting the paralytic into Jesus’ presence. This is to remind us that, even in our effort to help someone who may not be able to help themselves, we are keep trying. The men that brought the paralytic did not quit after seeing the crowd by claiming, “Well, we tried this but it didn’t work.” While none of the men foresaw what would happen next, they went through the effort of getting the man up on the roof, opening up a hole in the roof large enough for the man to be lowered down into the room, and using ropes to lower him safely to the ground in Jesus’ presence. When we make a commitment to serve Christ in reaching others, we also have to have the flexibility to change direction to overcome obstacles that may occur. Even though we may have a plan in our service, we must always be open to how God’s will comes into play in the midst of those plans.
The paralytic was brought to Jesus, with all of the effort that it required, for the purpose of healing, but Jesus’ first response was to deal with the paralytic’s heart first (Mark 2:5). While we may see the physical needs of a person as reasons to act (and that’s good), Jesus’ main concern is a person’s spiritual needs. We may not understand all of the ways that God is working, but always remember that God’s will and purpose is always at the forefront.
Jesus knows that we, as human beings, need to see how God is operating in our lives; as a result, we will see miracles take place that will give us the ability to see His glory revealed. In our need to seek Him, we want to see Him work in our lives and in the lives of others…the result is God being glorified (Mark 2:7-12). In order for us to see the miracles of God’s work, God has already done the work in the heart of the person. It starts with the change in the heart of the person who lives a changed life that we can see outwardly. God is always working His plan in order for others to see that He has the authority to forgive sin and to show that He is the One to be trusted for salvation and to be given eternal life.
Psalm 130:3-4
LORD, if You considered sins, Lord, who could stand? But with You there is forgiveness, so that You may be revered.
Isaiah 43:25
“It is I who sweep away your transgressions for My own sake and remember your sins no more.
In His wisdom, God knows that many people will trust what He says in His Word and obey Him, while others will remain skeptical. For the skeptics, God will interact in such a way where we will be amazed! Our need to seek God will reveal the opportunity to see His glory.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So because of Christ, I am pleased in weaknesses, in insults, in catastrophes, in persecutions, and in pressures. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Isaiah 40:29-31
He gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless. Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the LORD
will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.
Since it is God’s desire that none would be lost, it makes sense, for those who seek the Lord’s will in ministry, to have the same mindset. While we cannot know every way that God is working, we can conclude that He will act on the decisions that we make to bring people to Jesus Christ. Our ongoing prayer is to seek Him in all of these things, as saints and ambassadors for Christ, to be the best we can be for Him, and that we will see Him and His Name be glorified over what will occur!
Akron Alliance Fellowship 