Tag: multiply workers
Day 3–Jesus Multiplied Workers!
Scripture reading: Matthew 10:1 “And He called to Him twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. . . .Vs 5: These twelve Jesus sent out. . .”
Jesus had Himself, with His disciples, gone out to all the cities and villages preaching the Good News and healing the sick. Jesus had called twelve disciples that He had selected and invited to be with Him and learn from Him. This was His Father’s plan to multiply workers who would help to bring the Good News of God’s love for hurting people. This chosen group of disciples would form the initial team of workers. They needed training in God’s way of loving and reaching out. They learned the way by following Jesus Christ as He modeled ministry for them. Jesus preached the Gospel of God’s kingdom, inviting all to repent and join the group. Only those who were willing to follow Jesus would be included.
Jesus gave authority to those who came under His teaching and responded to the Good News. They would not be lone rangers, but would be under God’s authority and instruction. They would use their delegated authority to help hurting people and bring deliverance and healing. God’s heart was not just expressed in the Gospel of repentance and faith, but came with power. God demonstrated His love by healing the diseased and afflicted and delivering those in bondage to sin or under Satan’s control.
As we look at our lives as first responders, we see many parallels to the discipleship process instituted by Jesus and God the Father. Those involved have had to willingly volunteer to come under authority of the department of government that we serve. We are then given authority to serve others. We study to learn the proper ways to help as taught by those in authority in our department. We are sent out, often in a team, to help those in need. The older teach the younger by example and supervised responses. When we complete an incident, we evaluate our processes and make corrections if needed.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for calling me to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Thank You for those You have provided to mentor me and correct me along the way. Thank You for Your calling to be a first responder and be a part of Your team to help hurting people. Amen.
Multiplying workers to multiply disciples
Scripture reading for April 21st: 1st Samuel 4-5, Psalm 23, Acts 6
Acts 6: 2-5 “And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the Word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. And the Word of God continued to increase and the number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem—.”
God places each person in the church as He desires and gifts them with talent, abilities and spiritual gifts to fulfill their function in His Body. In the early church, daily chores of feeding and caring for widows were taking time away from the Word of God. The apostles gathered the disciples and explained what needed to be done. From their midst, they were to select men (and women later) who were full of the Spirit and wisdom to do this simple task. This pleased them all and they chose seven men. Some of these also became ministers and evangelists. Qualifications were laid out for these ‘deacons’ who served in Christ’s Body. This addition of Spirit filled workers multiplied the disciples and aided healthy church growth.
Psalm 23:1-3 “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for placing gift-people in Your Church to work with You. Fill me afresh with the Holy Spirit and wisdom as I serve You and Your people in ministering the Word and prayer. By Your Spirit, let the Word of God increase in me and elders who teach and preach that the church might be built up and disciples multiplied and the Gospel preached to the entire world before You return.
1st Samuel 4:17-18 “He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead the the ark of God has been captured. As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel for forty years.”