26/01/2011 17:03

The Acts of Jesus

While doing a study through Matthew, one thing stands out to as

apparent; that wherever Jesus went he performed great works. In fact,
Jesus could barely move without doing something for whomever he
encountered.

In Luke 4:14-21 Jesus proclaimed that it was he that the prophet Isaiah
had spoken of in Isaiah 61 which says:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach

good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the
prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to
proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

Jesus’ anointing was not only to proclaim the Kingdom, but to release the
oppressed and give sight to the blind. He was called to DO as well as
speak. And this is what Jesus did. In fact there is a section in the gospel
of Matthew that could almost be called “the works of Jesus” because one
after another it lists Jesus’ movements and the things he did for people.

Here is a list of some of them:

1. Jesus heals the afflictions of all who are brought to him
Matthew 4: 23- 25
2. Jesus cleanses a leaper
Matthew 8:1-4
3. Jesus heals in response to the faith of the centurion
Matthew 8:5-13
4. Jesus heals Peter’s mother in law and many others who were brought
to him
Matthew 8:14-17
5. Jesus heals a demon possessed man
Matthew 8:28-34
6. Jesus heals a paralytic
Matthew 9:1-8
7. Jesus restores a girl to life and heals a woman with a bleeding disorder
Matthew 9:18-26
8. Jesus heals two blind men
Matthew 9:27-31
9. Jesus heals a man unable to speak
Matthew 9:32- 34

Each of these episodes of healing were either before Jesus preached, after
he preached, or on his way somewhere. Jesus ALWAYS DID. And not only
that he urged us to act as well. In Matthew 23:2-3 Jesus says:

“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so practice and observe
what they tell you- but not what they do. For they preach, but do not
practice”
(emphasis added by me)

This section of Jesus’ works ends with the following powerful statement in
Matthew 9:37-38:

“The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore pray
earnestly to the Lord of harvest to send out labourers into his harvest”

WE are the labourers for the Kingdom, also called according to Isaiah 61.
Our anointing from God is not only to proclaim the Kingdom but to set
people free for oppression, captivity, and every other injustice that exists
in this world. Let our compassion move us to act in every sphere of our
lives.

I pray that we would come to a greater realisation of this and be as

enthusiastic in eradicating poverty and reaching out to the needy as we
about leading people to Jesus.
The Acts of Jesus

While doing a study through Matthew, one thing stands out to as

apparent; that wherever Jesus went he performed great works. In fact,
Jesus could barely move without doing something for whomever he
encountered.

In Luke 4:14-21 Jesus proclaimed that it was he that the prophet Isaiah
had spoken of in Isaiah 61 which says:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach
good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the
prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to
proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

Jesus’ anointing was not only to proclaim the Kingdom, but to release the
oppressed and give sight to the blind. He was called to DO as well as
speak. And this is what Jesus did. In fact there is a section in the gospel
of Matthew that could almost be called “the works of Jesus” because one
after another it lists Jesus’ movements and the things he did for people.

Here is a list of some of them:

1. Jesus heals the afflictions of all who are brought to him
Matthew 4: 23- 25
2. Jesus cleanses a leaper
Matthew 8:1-4
3. Jesus heals in response to the faith of the centurion
Matthew 8:5-13
4. Jesus heals Peter’s mother in law and many others who were brought
to him
Matthew 8:14-17
5. Jesus heals a demon possessed man
Matthew 8:28-34
6. Jesus heals a paralytic
Matthew 9:1-8
7. Jesus restores a girl to life and heals a woman with a bleeding disorder
Matthew 9:18-26
8. Jesus heals two blind men
Matthew 9:27-31
9. Jesus heals a man unable to speak
Matthew 9:32- 34

Each of these episodes of healing were either before Jesus preached, after
he preached, or on his way somewhere. Jesus ALWAYS DID. And not only
that he urged us to act as well. In Matthew 23:2-3 Jesus says:
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so practice and observe
what they tell you- but not what they do. For they preach, but do not
practice”
(emphasis added by me)

This section of Jesus’ works ends with the following powerful statement in
Matthew 9:37-38:

“The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore pray
earnestly to the Lord of harvest to send out labourers into his harvest”

WE are the labourers for the Kingdom, also called according to Isaiah 61.
Our anointing from God is not only to proclaim the Kingdom but to set
people free for oppression, captivity, and every other injustice that exists
in this world. Let our compassion move us to act in every sphere of our
lives.

I pray that we would come to a greater realisation of this and be as

enthusiastic in eradicating poverty and reaching out to the needy as we
about leading people to Jesus.

God bless