Breaking The Chains Biblical Recovery Ministry

Do You Choose Who Hears The Word Of God?

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor,

but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

(Matthew 2:17)

At the time when Jesus said the above words, He and his disciples were at Levi’s house (a tax collector) having dinner with tax collectors and “sinners”.  The teachers of the law, the Pharisees, saw this and questioned His disciples about it. The Pharisees questioned much of what Jesus said and did because their eyes were set not on the spiritual but the physical. They walked with both feet in the physical world instead of walking with both feet in the spiritual world. In order to understand everything Jesus did, you have to think spiritually, something that was hard for the Pharisee teachers to do.  They knew the law of Moses on a surface level but not on the spiritual level. They made it difficult for people to even follow God because of the extra rules and regulations they put on them:

Luke 11:46

Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

Luke 11:52

"Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."

Matthew 21:31-32

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.  For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

The teachers of the law only saw things from a surface level and that is why they had so many rituals and rules. Jesus, however, saw things from a spiritual level so much of what He said and did was opposite of the Pharisees.  That is why the Pharisees could not understand why Jesus was eating with tax collectors and sinners.  Jesus knew these were the people He had to reach…the sick. It didn’t end there; Jesus healed those whom others shunned…like the lepers.  They were thought to be filthy and made to stay away from the rest of the people at times. There was no compassion or mercy for them…until Jesus came.  Jesus knew that it was the sick who needed healing…not just those with physical sickness but those with spiritual sickness as well. Those with addictions, emotional problems, those who suffered from unforgivness, anger, sexual immorality, mental disorders, etc.  Many times these people were looked down upon because they did not or could not follow the laws. They were looked at from the surface level and not the spiritual level…the heart. ..so many were not reached out to, only judged.

Jesus calls us to reach out to those the world considers unreachable or not worthy. Those are the ones who need to hear the word of God and need salvation.  They are the sick. Many times we even neglect those who are physically sick thinking “they have enough to worry about without me preaching to them” but they are the exact ones who need to hear the word of God and know that there is one who can heal them both physically and spiritually. Many times they need more of a spiritual healing than a physical one.  To heal physically and not spiritually will not bring you closer to Heaven but to heal spiritually but not physically will. We cannot determine who needs to be “healed” and who doesn’t. Then we are no better than the Pharisees…the teachers of the law. Christ did not pick and choose…he brought the word of God and the gift of salvation to all men and women regardless of their illness, problem or lifestyle. He also didn’t pick and choose what they should hear in order not to offend them. He told the whole truth in a loving way.  He gave them the choice to follow God or to remain as they were;  knowing it had to be their choice and not ours. He told them what they needed to hear and the choice to come to Him was left up to them.

      So we have to look at ourselves and ask ourselves some very important questions to see where we are:

      1. Do I pick and choose who should receive salvation or hear the word of God or do I tell it to all.

      2. Do I avoid those who I think wouldn’t accept what I have to say or do I say it anyhow in hopes of planting a seed.

      3. Do I avoid those who others may shun such as those with addictions, those on the street, those in jail, even those whom are considered unreachable or do I bring the word of God and salvation to all.

      4. Do I speak with those considered “unreachable” only when no one is around or do I give them the word no matter who is there.

Even the most seasoned Christian has to ask themselves these questions periodically to make sure they are doing what the Lord has commanded them to do and go out into the world and preach the gospel to all people (Mark 16:15).

Today make it a goal not to allow anything to hinder you from reaching out to those whom the Lord reached out to. Ask God to help you to see all people from a spiritual level and not a worldly level. Ask God to help you to look past the surface of every person and situation and to see them through the eyes of God so you can do the job the Lord has called you to do…  "preach the good news to all creation".

Heavenly Father, today I ask that you open up my spiritual eyes and help me to see others through your eyes. Help me to look past the surface of what I see in a person or situation, so I will not see things through the eyes of the world, which is through the enemy's eyes, but through Your eyes which is the truth. Lord, help me to minister and bring the world of God and the gift of salvation to all people. Loose upon me a spirit of courage and strength so I will not be hindered by what other people think of me. Loose upon me a spirit of boldness so I may speak boldly about you and the gift of salvation that your Son, Jesus, had to die for in order for us to receive. Father, convict me when I do judge others and pass by them because I feel they would not listen so I will not neglect anyone who may need to hear your word that day. Father, bless all you have chosen to bring the word of God to others giving them divine strength and courage to do the job you have called them to do. I ask this in Jesus Christ's name...Amen.

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