Faithful in Ministry

Sermon Text: Mark 2:1–12

Of all the things that we need in life, the most important is for the Word of God to enter our lives and transform our lives. It is the truth of God that sets us free. Nothing else will set us free from the bondage that we are in. Too many Christians misunderstand the nature of the bondage that we are in, and out of this we get movements such as social justice. They are busy trying to fix a problem which is not the core issue.

Are you called to ministry? Be aware that, as with Jesus, you will not get much time to rest. Ministry is a full time endeavor. Ministry is a long term commitment. You cannot just walk out to rest when you want. Remember, ministry is a calling not a job. The best thing that any ministry can do is be faithful to the Word of God and present it in its fullness.

As we look at the example of the paralytic being lowered into Jesus, we need to understand correctly the point that Mark is making. The men were not trying to demonstrate their faith, but were showing their faith in their actions. This is the point that James makes when he tells us that he shows his faith by his works. Faith precedes works: works cannot produce faith. What did they get for their faith? Not the physical healing he was seeking, but the spiritual healing (the forgiveness of his sins) that he needed. It was only after this that he gave him physical healing to prove that he was able to give the physical healing.

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