14/03/2013 - ATTRACTING THE LOST

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Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.

Luke 15:1

The power of persuasion that the Son of God had to attract the lost is noteworthy. Both publicans – Jews who worked for the Roman Empire – and sinners went to the Lord because everyone wanted to hear what He had to say. The knowledge that Christ’s charisma was not physical and that the power used by Him to heal the sick caused people to go to Him urges us do the same works (John 14:12).

It would be very productive to learn from Jesus how to properly fulfill our ministry. He did not preach religion and neither did He condemn any of them. What mattered to Him was getting people to understand the divine will. The Master had an extraordinary power that caused the wicked to seek Him and thus He led them to the knowledge of the Truth. When He returned to heaven, Jesus did not take the secret of His success with Him; in fact, it is recorded in the Scriptures. So, those who learn how to get the Father’s will into action shall also obtain success in their work.

The Master did not differentiate people based on the sins they committed, but He would wisely lead them into understanding how to be freed from errors; that’s why publicans and sinners alike craved hearing the Master. Obviously He did not condone what they did, but He taught them how to get rid of the dark forces. Therefore, by learning to walk on the way of righteousness, they started leading an upright life. As a result, more and more sinners learned the secret to deliverance.

I wonder who, in the history of the Church, began to change the message of the Gospel – the truth is that they turned it into religion. Today, even among the evangelicals there are several man-made precepts, which should never have existed because they fail to draw people closer to God. Only the Master’s teachings must be preached to every creature.

The prophet Isaiah said that the physical appearance of the Lord Jesus was not what made people desire Him (Isaiah 53:2). He rested under the anointing of the Holy Spirit who, through His gifts, endowed Him with the ability to work miracles. These attributes can and should be upon those who want to fulfill the Master’s “Go” command. Without them we will never do the same works He said we would.

The power of Christ over the demon-possessed, the sick and even over nature marveled the crowds and so they spread the news that He was truly different from the religious people. It will be our family, friends and others who will spread the same news as soon as we start doing what the Master did.

In Christ with love,

R. R. Soares