• Today we are going to look at how we can minister like Jesus.
• Jesus came to set the example for you and me. We are going to look why Jesus came to earth and who He came to help.
• Over the next few weeks I want to take a look at the ministry of Jesus, the mission of Jesus, the service, discipleship and fellowship of Jesus and the tack He took to evangelism.
• Jesus came as the model for all Believers to look on how life should be lived.
• God gave us the Holy Spirit who is our personal life coach.
• Jesus started His ministry at the age of 30 and teached and preached and healed for about 3-1/2 years.
• Jesus was water baptized by John the Baptist to be a model for all of us. (Many us may have been dedicated as a child – that was our parents faith)
o When Jesus got baptized, He was making a statement of His faith.
o After Jesus was baptized, He was tempted for 40 days and 40 nights…passed the test then got His 1st disciples and started His ministry.
o Jesus went out and teached, preached and healed. He did some miracles, turned water into wine, etc.
o Jesus had been doing ministry for about a year….
• This morning, let’s explore how we can minister like Jesus; our perfect model for life!
(NKJV) Luke 4 14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: 18 “ The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.” 20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”
1) The Ministry of Jesus.
a) Shout…I want to minister the model of Jesus to everyone in my life.
b) I want to point out that Jesus had a custom or habit of going to church on the Sabbath (once a week). We should do the same.
c) We always hear that we should practice what we preach. Jesus preached what He had already practiced.
i) Jesus had been ministering for about a year…teached, preached, healed, miracles, signs and wonders.
d) When Jesus read this scripture, He was already doing all these things.
i) Note…Back in the day, the teacher sat and the people stood.
e) Look at who Jesus came for…me and you! We fit into one of those categories mentioned in the scripture.
f) This morning, lets examine the 5 groups of people Jesus came for, you will probably find that you fit into a few of them.
2) Five Groups Of People Jesus Came For.
a) The poor.
b) The broken hearted.
c) The captives (prisoners).
d) The blind.
e) The oppressed.
3) Jesus Came To Help The Poor.
a) Shout…Jesus came to help the poor.
b) I call these types of people the “have not’s” or the “come up short” people.
c) We either have no time, no money, no energy; we come up short or lack something.
(NKJV) Psalm 72 12 For He will deliver the needy when he cries, The poor also, and him who has no helper.
d) There is material poverty.
i) About ½ the world lives on $2.00/day, about 1 Billion people live on less then a $1.00/day. People who lack the basics for life…No food, shelter or money.
e) There is moral poverty.
i) This is when people lose their moral conscience.
ii) This is when people lose all focus on right and wrong. They desire to do no good thing or show any kindness. They only do what is good for them! (Self Centered not Christ Centered)
f) There is spiritual poverty.
i) This is when you don’t know God or your purpose in life.
ii) You lack the connection to Christ. You don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus as the head of your life.
iii) Do you know anyone like this?
g) We must first look to our own family and see if there are any that are in material, moral or spiritual poverty.
i) Write down their name today and begin to pray for them daily.
ii) Take some action to help someone who has less than you. Speak the Word to those who are morally and spiritual poor.
iii) Do the Word of God, just don’t talk about it. (Place Action in your words)
4) Jesus Came to Heal The Broken Hearted.
a) Shout…Jesus came to heal the broken hearted.
b) Shout…Jesus came for me!
c) I call these people the “let down in life.”
(NKJV) Psalm 69 20 Reproach has broken my heart, And I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none.
d) When you are broken hearted, you loose focus, you cry, you become weak and distracted. You loose your zest for life.
e) There are three types of a broken heart.
i) Disappointment- It did not work out. Job, relationship, death of a love one.
ii) Rejection – Rejected by someone for various reasons. No promotion, turned away for a reason, divorced.
iii) Resentment – This is when you hold onto a past hurt.
f) Everyone has a hidden wound. Everyone has been disappointed or rejected at lest once in their life.
i) Write down some names of people, co-workers, family, friends that are broken hearted. Make an effort to reach out to them and pray for them.
ii) Jesus came for them! Let’s do our part to bring them to Jesus.
5) Jesus Came To Proclaim Liberty to the Captives (Prisoners).
a) Shout…Jesus came to set the captives and prisoners free.
b) Shout…Jesus came to remove the shackles off our lives.
c) I call these people the “locked up.”
d) We have 2.5 Million people in prison in the USA that we pay for with our tax dollars.
e) There are many things that put people into a prison.
i) Addictions and Compulsions – I can’t stop it! I can’t help myself.
ii) Secrets – They keep people in a prison. That is why the Bible talks about confession of our sins. Don’t hold them in.
(NKJV) James 5 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
iii) Lack of education – ½ of the world can not read or write. The lack of education places you at a great disadvantage. The lack of knowledge is the reason why we perish.
(NKJV) Hosea 4 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
iv) Fear – You don’t do it because you are afraid. You hold the key but lock yourself up. It is a self-imposed prison.
f) Jesus came to bring freedom. If you are locked up, I have hope for you today.
i) Practice the presence of Christ Jesus. He is always with you.
ii) Second by second, talk with God; He wants to free you today.
iii) Remember, all time is God time.
iv) If you are in fear, do the thing you fear the most. It becomes small in the light of God.
g) Rick Warren said that you are either moving in one of three ways.
i) Moving away from fear.
ii) Moving against anger.
iii) Moving with them in love.
h) Take some time this week and examine if you are bound up or imprisoned. Let the Holy Spirit direct you to make the changes necessary in your life.
6) Jesus Came To Recover The Sight to the Blind.
a) Shout…Jesus came to bring sight to the blind.
b) Shout…I once was blind and now I can see.
c) I call these people the “mixed up” or the “no direction people.”
d) There are many types of blindness…physical, color blindness, night blindness, etc.
(NKJV) Psalm 146 7 Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners.
8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous. 9 The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down.
e) There is also relational blindness. These are the clueless on how they are destroying the relationship. They go from relationship to relationship. They don’t get it! They are clueless!
f) There is spiritual blindness. This is when you choose to close your eyes to the truth. You refuse to see what God is doing for you. You refuse to see what plan God has for your life. You refuse the truth.
i) Living is easy when your eyes are closed.
ii) You run into things when you are blind. Obstacles are all around to trip you up.
g) There are those in our life that are blind. Write down their names this morning and begin to pray for them this week.
h) Ask God to show you the truth of His Word so your eyes can be open. Send someone a Bible or good Christian book to read that will open the truth to their blind situation.
i) Pray, share the Word, be a friend…this will open their eyes to Jesus. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.
7) Jesus Came To Set At Liberty Those Who Are Oppressed.
a) Shout…Jesus came to give liberty to the oppressed and depressed.
(NKJV) Psalm 9 9 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble.
b) I call these people the “kicked around” or “the down and outers.”
c) When you are oppressed – browbeaten, demoralized or exploited.
d) There are several types of oppression in the world.
i) Political oppression. There are still 27M people in slavery today. 36M in refugee camps. Domestic violence is increasing and sex trafficking is at an all time high.
ii) Cultural oppression – Honor killings in Iraq and China. They kill their wives because they shamed them or their name.
iii) Spiritual oppression – it is a pressure, a stress or a depression. It controls and occupies your thinking all day. It’s controlling and paralyzing.
e) Do you know anyone that is oppressed or depressed?
i) Jesus said that He came for them. He wants us to be a friend, a listening ear to one in need.
ii) Make a point this week to ask God where He can use you to help the oppressed. You have the key (Word) to unlock the door to their oppression.
8) Jesus Came To Proclaim The Acceptable Year of The Lord.
a) Shout…Jesus came to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
b) Jesus said that every 7th day is the Sabbath.
c) Every 7th year is the year of rest. (Sabbath).
d) On the 49th year it is know as the year of Jubilee. This is goin into the 50th year.
Leviticus 25 12 For it is the Jubilee; it shall be holy to you; you shall eat its produce from the field. 13 ‘In this Year of Jubilee, each of you shall return to his possession. 14 And if you sell anything to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor’s hand, you shall not oppress one another.
e) Three things happen in the year of Jubilee.
i) All debits were cancelled.
ii) All prisoners/slaves were freed.
iii) All land was given back to the original owner.
f) God did this to teach us that we own nothing. He owns it all. We get to use it; it is on lease from God.
g) Israel never observed this…Look at the Book of Jeremiah. They were in slavery in Babylon (Iraq).
Conclusion
• Jesus came for the poor, the broken hearted, the captives, the blind and the oppressed.
• Jesus wants us to minister like Him. He told us who He came for and has showed us how to do it!
• I challenge you this morning to do the ministry of Jesus. God pray for the sick, bless the poor, preach the Word and put the Word into action.
• Shout…Jesus, I want to minister like you. You are my example! Jesus I will do my part to help the poor, to talk with and share with the broken hearted. I will preach and teach your Word to set the captives free. I will do my part to help open the eyes of the blind and help the oppressed. Jesus, give we the strength to accomplish your will in my life. I thank you for this opportunity to be used by you. Amen
• Let us pray!
