An evangelist once celebrated (perhaps bragged about) the attendance of quality upper-class people at his seminars. (One would hope he equally celebrated the attendance of the more ordinary types, as well.) With Christ, however, no class distinctions existed; no one was ordinary; everyone was an exception. Not surprisingly, Jesus reached the masses with commonplace … Continue reading –>
In the New Testament, Peter stands out as one of the most influential of all the disciples. In fact, he ended up being one of the most influential people in all of human history. Talk about changing the ordinary into the extraordinary! Read the following texts. How do they help us to understand how Peter … Continue reading –>
Read John 2:1-11 and Matthew 15:32-39. How did Jesus use simple, everyday desires and needs to make disciples and transform lives? Ordinary people share natural physical, emotional, and social desires. They want physical nourishment, personal significance, and friendship. Jesus understood these characteristics, placing Himself in social situations that provided opportunities to reach people through these … Continue reading –>
Read Luke 2:21-28, Mark 6:2-4, and Leviticus 12:8. What do these verses tell us about the economic class into which Jesus was born? How would that class have influenced His ministry? Joseph and Mary’s purification offering clearly indicated their economically poor background. This tradition sprang from the Mosaic legislation recorded in Leviticus 12:8, and it … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 2:21-28; Matt. 15:32-39; Matt. 16:13-17; Luke 12:6-7; 13:1-5; James 2:1-9. Memory Text: Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I … Continue reading –>
Mama Nerea lay on her thin mattress in her humble home in western Kenya. Her family suspected that her suffering was the result of witchcdraft, a curse that someone had put on her. They visited several witchdoctors, seeking to have the curse removed, but Mama Nerea continued to languish. The illness had left her unable … Continue reading –>
Further Study: Read Luke 18:35-43; Luke 13:10-17; 14:1-6; John 6:1-2; Mark 6:5-7, Mark 6:54-56; Mark 7:31-37; Mark 8:22-26; Matthew 8:1-19; Matt 12:15-23. Ellen G. White, Our Example, pp. 17-21, and Healing of the Soul, pp. 73-85, in The Ministry of Healing; The Divine Plan in the Medical Missionary Work, pp. 25-29, in Medical Ministry. The … Continue reading –>
Review Acts 3:1-19; Acts 5:12-16; Acts 9:36-42; Acts 20:7-10; 1 Corinthians 12:7-9, 1 Cor. 28-31; and James 5:13-16. How should modern Christians evaluate the importance of healing ministry to the New Testament church? First-century disciples witnessed firsthand Christ’s promise of seeing greater things than these fulfilled (John 1:50, compare John 5:20, John 14:12). Miraculous healings … Continue reading –>
In a world where death always has the final word, at least for now, what great hope is found in these verses? Luke 7:11-17, Mark 5:21-43, John 11:37-44. Politicians, entertainers, and athletes must necessarily offer something to generate a following. Politicians utilize hypnotic rhetoric and incredible promises. Entertainers use their abilities to generate emotion and … Continue reading –>
Through physical healing and mental restoration, Jesus made disciples. Often Christ’s patients suffered both mental and physical diseases. Physical restoration itself was never the final objective. The ultimate goal was always discipleship. Healing could provide twenty, fifty, perhaps seventy-five additional quality years. Discipleship offered eternal life with Christ. In Luke 8:26-39, the demon-possessed man from … Continue reading –>
