Scripture Union Daily Guide 3rd January 2021 Message
Topic: Preaching and Healing
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Opening Prayer: Dear Lord, expose me to your truth as I read your word in Jesus name.
Scripture: Matthew 4:12-25
Question(s) for Reflection
• What is God revealing to me in this passage?
Message: Notice the timing of the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Why do you think He waited for that long and what lessons can Christian ministers learn from this? For the reason for John’s imprisonment (see Matthew 14:3-4). Satan is the enemy of our eternal souls and he wants us to suffer along with him forever in hell. He is the enemy of our earthly bodies too. He wants us to suffer in this world as well.
Jesus Christ worked against his plans in both areas, by preaching the good news of His Kingdom and by healing the sick. It is important not to divorce the two, and certainly not to act as if healing for the body is more important than healing for the soul. Even though Jesus is interested in healing our bodies of any ailment, His foremost assignment on earth was to save our souls from hell. Many evangelists misrepresent His mission with billboards advertising only (their) healing campaigns.
We see how Jesus called His first disciples in this passage. Each of them was ready to follow Him even though it affected their families and their businesses. Thankfully, for most of us, the cost of discipleship is not so high. Still, the question comes to all of us: What is it that you cannot really give up for Jesus Christ who gave you His very life?
• Any new insight or reinforcement of what you already know?
Practice/Word Application
• So what? Meditate on 2 Samuel 24:24
SPIRITUAL GROWTH
Growth is a characteristic feature of any living thing and as those who are alive in Christ Jesus, spiritual growth is inevitable. A believer ought to keep growing in order to attain “…to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13) and we can only grow by desiring the sincere milk of the word (1 Pet.2:2), prayer and fellowship with God and the brethren else we start dying because without Jesus we can do nothing. We can only be complete in Him.
Closing Prayer
• Thank you, Lord, for calling me to follow you and for enabling me to answer.
• Thank God for the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, and His resurrection for the remission of the sins of mankind: the only assurance of eternity with God.
Offer a prayer of faith in line with Jeremiah 32:17
Bible Reading in One Year:
• Gen. 7-9; Rom. 3
Scripture Union Daily Guide 3rd January 2021 – Scripture Union is an international, inter-denominational, evangelical Christian organization. It was founded in 1867, and works in partnership with individuals and churches across the world.
