The three commands of Christ are summed up as “Preach. Teach. Heal.” (Math 4:23) The authority of Jesus covers both teaching and healing. We are sent to teach what Christ taught and to do what Christ did. We do it “in His name”; that is, as His authorized representatives. He taught and acted in the Father’s name, and we teach and act in Jesus’ name. Everybody in the Church accepts that we must continue what Jesus began teaching, but we cannot just teach and omit what He did. We must heal as well as teach. If we don’t then there is no real continuation of Christ’s ministry. We have only completed half the task: “Go and make disciples … teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19). We have not a hair’s breadth of a warrant for splitting His teaching from His healing. They are mutually supportive. He taught by what He did and said, “If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me” (John 10:37, NKJV). The authority of His teaching rested on His miracles and His miracles on His teaching. If we teach what He taught, we shall do what He did, or our teaching becomes academic only. To see his death as termination of that ministry is simply no credit to a changeless Christ. That is how the Church becomes the manifestation of Christ again in a needy world. His compassion flows through our hearts and is seen in our eyes. It moves our feet as it moved His. Our hands become His hands and our voice His voice. Our arms of love are the only arms He has to use on earth. We can do nothing without Him and He will do nothing without us. (Are you blessed? Sorry for being so lengthy this time.) REINHARD BONNKE
Posted on: Fri, 07 Jun 2013 23:57:27 +0000
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