PREACHING END TIME GLAD TIDINGS
OR
BECOMING ONE OF CHRIST’S COMPANIONS
SUNDAY NOV. 17, 2019
Scripture To Consider:
“Now it came to pass, afterward, that Jesus went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities; Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.” Luke 8.1-3
Something To Consider:
The time of Jesus freely preaching and teaching in the synagogues had passed. The religious leaders had become jealous and envious of His anointing, His divine authority, and of His vast following. Therefore, Jesus took to the open road that led to and through every city and village in the region preaching the good news and glad tidings of the kingdom of God.
Jealousy and envy have led many a leader to the rejection of many anointed leaders and leaders in training. Jesus was aware of this human tendency in some leaders. He also knew that He had become a target of much controversy and conflict. But He remained faithful to His mission and mandate while He became a target of evil tidings.
Psalm 112 reminds us that a righteous person will not fear evil things. A righteous person will preach and teach glad tidings, even if they are forced to do so in another location. The writer of Psalm 112 begins by proclaiming, “Blessed is the man [woman and or young person] who fears the LORD, who delights greatly in His commandments [the Word of God].”
The writer declared of the person who fears or gives holy reverence to the Lord, by stating, “And his [or her] righteousness endures forever.” Now, we know the righteousness of God the Father and of Christ endures forever. But here the Word of God announces that those who truly fear God [present tense], that their righteousness endures forever, which would include unto the end.
Something Else To Consider:
Jesus was accompanied not only by His disciples, but also by certain women of substance and faith. It was customary and considered a holy thing, for those of financial means to support a Rabbi from behind the scenes. Much of the work for the kingdom of God is directly attributed to those who unselfishly work unnoticed from behind the scenes.
Without the efforts of others backstage, a leader would never effectively make their way front and center in order to lead. Spiritual leadership is a shared multi-tasking eternal affair of great importance that is most and best accomplished by many. A one-person performance has no place or power in God’s agenda. The true body of Christ has many parts performing many various tasks to the end of enlarging the kingdom of God, and always giving God, and Him alone, all the glory for whatever is accomplished in the name of Jesus!
As we become one of Christ’s companions we must also become Christ-like and Christ minded as we approach being about our heavenly Father’s business of enlarging His kingdom. The apostle Paul writing to the Philippian church in chapter 2, admonished them beginning in verse 1 by teaching; “Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
Something More To Consider:
Jesus preached the good news of the kingdom with power. He also gave vivid illustrations of the good tidings of the kingdom. In His healing the deaf He illustrated giving people the ability to hear and respond to the truth. In His giving sight to the blind, He painted a portrait of the spiritual enabling of others to see God and all that was and is good. In raising the dead, Jesus was making mankind aware of His power to resurrect those spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins, to a new and glorious life in Jesus Christ.
When He healed withered hands, He was demonstrating His willingness to give those who would come to Him a new-found opportunity to personally have a hand in the work of God. Jesus illustrated His desire to partner with people of questionable backgrounds as much as with those of great financial substance. God’s ultimate goal is that we become one of Christ’s many companions! And with the turmoil and end time tribulation predicted in the Word of God, it is the only way a person will leave this earth truly alive in and through Jesus Christ.
Becoming one of Christ’s companions may on the other hand, be the signing of our own death certificate. According to Philippians 2.6-8, Jesus chose rather to be obedient to His Father’s will then to coward to Satan’s temptations. And speaking of Jesus and His obedience to His Father, Paul also wrote; “Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men [or in the likeness of humanity].”
Paul continued by announcing, “And being found in appearance as a man, He [Jesus] humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” The question for us living in what may be remembered as the days leading up to the end of this age, are we willing to sign up for the true cross fit training program which leads us face to face with our humbling ourselves and becoming obedient, possibly to the point of death?
A Few Final Words:
Are we willing to become among Jesus’ companions who choose to walk in obedience to the Word of God? Will we recognize God the Father’s highly exalting His Son and His giving Him a name high above every other name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God?
A leader’s life, what they think, say, and do, is preaching loud and clear; either the glad tidings of the kingdom of God, or the sad tidings of the earthly kingdom of men. Therefore, will we be counted among those becoming Christ’s companions in this 21st century as we race toward the end of man’s rule and reign upon the earth?
According to our Scripture to consider, “Now it came to pass, afterward, that He [Jesus] went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.” What about us? What is it that our lives are preaching on a daily basis to others? It is a most important question for true believers in Jesus Christ to properly answer!
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, bring spiritual restoration to us and those around us, that we may share in Your glorious glad tidings. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 