THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST: MAN'S GREATEST NEED!
By Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
There are real needs in our world today! Billions of people across the globe pray to images, idols and unreal deities who hold them in their demonic grip! These are the ones that Jesus referred to in His Great Commission:
He saw them in their need and ministered to them: “When the even was come, they brought unto Him many that were possessed with devils: and He cast out the spirits with His Word and healed ALL THAT WERE SICK: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our diseases.” (Matt. 4:16,17)
“When the even was come, they brought unto Him MANY that were possessed with devils; and He cast out the spirits with His Word, and healed ALL THAT WERE SICK : That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” (Matt. 8: 16,17)
JESUS CAN FORGIVE SINS!
The Pharisees believed that Jesus could heal the sick, but only God could forgive sins. Today's evangelical pharisees are much the same. They say Jesus can forgive sins but doesn't HEAL the sick! The truth is that JESUS can do both very well! Here is the Word of God in this matter:
“And behold, they brought to Him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins are forgiven thee. And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blaspheneth.
“And knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? For whether is easier to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to FORGIVE SINS, then saith He to the sick of the palsy, Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and GLORIFIED GOD, which had given such power unto men.” (Matt. 9: 2-8)
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, and HEALING every disease among the people. But when He saw the the multitudes, He was moved with Compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
THE HARVEST IS PLENTIOUS!
“Then saith He unto His disciples, The HARVEST is truly plenteous, but the labourers are FEW; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His Harvest.” (Matt.9:35-38)
Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils...; they shall lay hands on the sick; and they shall recover.... And they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with signs following." (Mark 16: 5-20)
St. Paul declared: "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest cross of Christ would be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:17,18)
Dr. Henry Mabie writes in 'The Cruciality of the Cross': “The Greek word used by Paul in 1 Cor. 1:18, is Logos... not preaching, but the subject matter of preaching, with the very essence of that which was preached, with that Logos of the Cross, which constitutes a rationale, its divine reason which...he declares to be the wisdom of God. This Logos of the cross is conceived by Paul to be the Key which unlocks the riddle of the universe, solves all mysteries and reconcile all things...”
ONE OF THE GREATEST TRUTHS!
In that concise statement, Dr. Mabie has given us a great revelation of the value of the sacrifice Jesus of Nazareth made on the Cross at Golgotha! The Logos of the Cross unlocks the 'riddle of the universe' because the Man on the Middle Cross, was the Creator of the universe!
The Logos of the cross 'solves all mysteries' like, “Where did we come from? How can I be saved? What about Heaven and Hell? The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ clarifies everything. The Logos of the Cross reconciles all things: The Logos of the Cross reconciles us with God and reconciles us with our fellowman!
St. Paul declared: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Rom. 3:23; 6:23)
“Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us?
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril,or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death,
nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom.8: 33-39). Amen.
THE SALVATION OF GOD!
The angel of the Lord spoke to Joseph the espoused husband of Mary, saying: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call him JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins.” (Matt. 1:21).
The word Jesus in Hebrew is Yeshua, meaning, 'The salvation of God.' The salvation of God is forgiveness, healing, and deliverance! His name, therefore, is the 'God who saves; the God who heals; the God who delivers'!
St. Peter declared: “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand before you whole... Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4: 19-12)
