79. Christ’s Method Alone
Today’s reading: “The Ministry of Healing” pp. 142, 143.
Key Words
- Work
- Everywhere
Today we reach the peak passage of the whole book. This is equivalent to the transfiguration for the disciples… we see Jesus at His heart. We see the Great Controversy, the great war, reduced to the basic elements.
We see our story.
It is the story of the work of Satan and his agencies versus the work of God and his agencies (including you and me, I hope).
Satan worked his will in the misery and degradation of mankind.
The senses, the nerves, the organs of men were worked by supernatural agencies in the indulgence of the vilest lust.
Who can doubt that satanic agencies are at work among men with increasing activity to distract and corrupt the mind, and defile and destroy the body?
A great work of reform is demanded, and it is only through the grace of Christ that the work of restoration, physical, mental, and spiritual, can be accomplished.
Accompanied by the power of persuasion, the power of prayer, the power of the love of God, this work will not, cannot, be without fruit.
It is the story of crime everywhere, of God-fearers everywhere, of hearts everywhere.
We are living in the midst of an “epidemic of crime,” at which thoughtful, God-fearing men everywhere stand aghast.
Everywhere there are hearts crying out for something which they have not. They long for a power that will give them mastery over sin, a power that will deliver them from the bondage of evil, a power that will give health and life and peace.
It is the story of needs. What the world needs, what needs to be done,
The world needs today what it needed nineteen hundred years ago — a revelation of Christ.
He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence.
There is need of coming close to the people by personal effort. If less time were given to sermonizing, and more time were spent in personal ministry, greater results would be seen.
The monotony of our service for God needs to be broken up (p.149).
OK, I threw the last line in there because “The Work”, as my grandma used to call it, is, in my opinion, monotonously inconsequential compared to that of our opponent. And why is that so? Yes, we even get given the reason we aren't winning!
And while the world is filled with these evils, the gospel is too often presented in so indifferent a manner as to make but little impression upon the consciences or the lives of men.
And so what exactly is the winning strategy,… the only winning strategy?
Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people.
And what is the detail of that strategy?
The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, “Follow Me.”
The poor are to be relieved, the sick cared for, the sorrowing and the bereaved comforted, the ignorant instructed, the inexperienced counseled. We are to weep with those that weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice.
So the summary for the whole book is:
- Mastery over sin, i.e. perfection of character (p. 17) — The deepest need of every person. Surprised? Me too.
- Christ revealed — the way to get mastery over sin.
- Personal, practical, need-meeting work — the best way to reveal Christ.
Christ’s Method
If “complete restoration” is the aim of the work (p. 17), then to achieve this we must approach each person, focussed on them and their needs, not ours. Notice that the first four steps are totally about them.
- Mingling — getting to know them as a person—and what is their good.
- Sympathise — listen, get to know them — find out what they need.
- Minister to their needs — love them where it is important to them.
- Win their confidence—the relationship has begun—the crucial step because if we go onto step 5 before they trust us, we will fail in our restoration mission. People will be lost.
- “Follow me” — invite them onto our “restoration team.” Invite them to come and “mingle, sympathise, minister, gain trust”. That means we gain a fellow labourer. (Luke 10:2) And so repeat the cycle.
And it is a cycle.
“But what about the “gospel” and all the religious stuff?” you ask. “What about following Jesus?”
Patience, patience… we will look at that tomorrow. Because in a way, that is the most exciting part. Today we just talked about the work. The word “work” occurs 89 times in this chapter.
It is called work for a reason.
But there are consolations, we are right on track. We are “Following Him”,
But we need not go to Nazareth, to Capernaum, or to Bethany, in order to walk in the steps of Jesus. We shall find His footprints beside the sickbed, in the hovels of poverty, in the crowded alleys of the great cities, and in every place where there are human hearts in need of consolation.
We are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort the suffering and afflicted. We are to minister to the despairing, and to inspire hope in the hopeless. pp. 105,6.
