By Brother Marcus, Ministry of Reconciliation
FREETOWN, Feb. 21 (232news.com) –
Introduction
Jesus Christ came for a specific purpose. He came to solve one particular problem and that problem was a universal problem. That should be the reason why people should go after Jesus. But in our world today, in many churches, the focus has changed, the motive for following Jesus is not in line with the very purpose of the coming of Christ. Men are now taught to follow Jesus for the wrong reasons. They now only follow Christ for only things that are temporal, only things that the world offers. Their pursuance of God is only because of the earthly possession. They come after God on a temporal basis, not for relationship but for what he can give them on earth.
An example of this was clearly seen in scriptures with the ‘bread and fish’ followers. In John chapter 6, Jesus fed 5 thousand men who came to him to listen. After the sermon ended, the next day again multitudes went in search of Him, and this was what Jesus told them, John 6:26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. This was what happened after what Jesus said in his sermon, John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him*. From the above we see how people have different reasons for coming after Christ, which is not what Christ desire. They did not continue with Jesus because they were after him for the wrong reason (Read John 6)
Jesus want men to come after Him for the very reason and purpose He came for, to solve the universal problem. Jesus did not come to solve the problem of one man, or few men, or many men, rather He came to solve the singular problem of all men. ‘John 3:16, for God so loved the WORLD’, Romans 3:23, for ALL have sinned, ‘Titus 2:11, for the grace that brings salvation has appeared to ALL’. Pay attention to the BLOCK letter words. Jesus Christ did not come for certain set of people, He came for all set of people, one problem that affected the whole world. Seek Jesus for what He came to do. We continue tomorrow. God bless you. Jesus be glorified. As you are being blessed, we ask that you kindly share in any and every way you can.
THE UNIVERSAL PROBLEM IS NOT POVERTY
In the course of this series, to understand what the universal problem is, we will be first of all be looking at what the universal problem is not. The goal of the series like I said in the previous part, is to get people to follow Jesus for the right and actual reason and purpose He came for. Many have missed it because they’ve joined the faith for the wrong reason and ended up not staying. It is not just about following Jesus, but rather following him for the right reason. One of the major reasons why we now see people flood the church in the name of coming to Jesus is because of wealth, riches or succinctly put, MONEY. People have been taught that when they come to Christ, they will get money, that they will be rich.
This is so not true and very much far away from the truth. Jesus did not come to give you money or make you rich. Getting money or being rich is not the product of following Jesus. There are many people that do not believe in God (Atheist), but are very rich whiles there are some that believe very much in Jesus Christ but are not rich. Before Jesus came to die for man, we had very rich people (read Matthew 19). Getting money or riches is a product of diligence. You cannot be lazy and expect to be the wealthiest man. You have to work to become prosperous, Proverbs 14:23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. This is why we have rich people on earth who are not Christians.
Is it bad to have riches? No not all, God wants his children to prosper in all they. The believer always have an advantage because he has God who has everything, Psalms 24:1 The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. And God has decreed that He will bless the work of hands, Deuteronomy 28:12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand:… But you have to work. When God created man, he gave him a garden to tend and keep it. God expects us to work and we rely on Him because it is him who give us the ability and power to get wealth. In conclusion, the universal problem was never poverty, Jesus did not come primarily to make you rich, so don’t follow Jesus because you want money or to become rich.
The Universal Problem is not Sickness
Let me start with this quick statement before any misinterpretation. Jesus’s ministry involved the healing of the sick, as Jesus and his disciples healed many who were sick. And even gave the believers the power and responsibility to also heal the sick, (Mark 16:17-18). So yes we believe in Jesus for the healing of the sick and we demonstrate that under his authority. So does this make sickness the universal problem Jesus came for? NO! The universal problem was not sickness. There were many before Jesus came who had perfect health and even today, many are sound in health.
So how do you preach Jesus to the man who has no sickness? So yes, sickness is not the universal problem. Like I told you in the Introduction, the problem Jesus came for is not peculiar to a particular man, neither few men nor many men, rather its a universal problem that all men needed Jesus for. So if a man comes after Jesus because he is sick, what happens after he is whole. Sickness is a temporal problem not an eternal one. Jesus did not come only for the sick, but rather he came for both the sick and the whole, because the universal problem was never sickness.
It is the desire of God that his children enjoy perfect health as said by John in John, 3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. When the believer has Jesus, he enjoys sound health. But being healthy is not proof of having Jesus, as there are many that enjoy sound health but do not believe in Jesus. The gospel is not Jesus came to make you healthy or to heal you. We heal the sick in the name of Jesus in demonstration of God’s power in order to draw and point men to real and true reason why Christ came. Healing of the sick should point men to the reason why Christ came not to serve as the reason why Christ came. God bless you. Jesus be glorified
THE UNIVERSAL PROBLEM IS NOT SINGLENESS, NOR BARRENNESS
Another reason again why so many people go to church or go after Jesus is because of marriage. ‘You will get married this year’ is one of if not the loudest prayer prayed in churches today. Is praying for marriage wrong? Of course NO! Our God endorses marriage. But marriage should not be the reason why you should seek after Jesus. Just like the two problems I have discussed in previous part of this series, marriage as well is temporal and carries no eternal value. There are many people in the world today that are married but don’t believe Jesus. So being married is not a proof of following Jesus. Even Paul said at a time, 1 Corinthians 7:7 I wish everyone could get along without marrying, just as I do…
The same goes for barrenness. Barrenness is definitely a problem and one that Jesus can solve, but it is not the universal problem Christ came to solve. So don’t go after Jesus just because you want a child. The reason for following Jesus is one singular reason that affects everyone not just certain set of people. When you are now married or have a child, what then becomes your motivation or reason for following Jesus. Following Jesus for earthly possession is not sustainable. Following Jesus as a means to an end is a terrible path. Jesus is not the means to an end, but the very end itself.
Don’t go after Jesus because of what you want Him to do for you, go after Him because of what He came to give you. All of these things you seek after will pass away. There is a singular purpose Christ came for, one that affects the whole world, and one you desperately need if you don’t already have it. In the subsequent part of the series, I will be addressing exactly what the universal problem is and why it is relevant to seek Jesus for the actual purpose He came for. Note, all these things are problems that warrants the attention of Jesus, but neither of them is the universal problem, so don’t seek after Jesus for any of these problems discussed. God bless you. Jesus be glorified.
