Wherever Jesus went, multitudes gathered to hear Him. It was not that way for the scribes and the Pharisees. So, I thought to myself, what was it that made Jesus such a hit with people?
There was no one like Jesus, and there never will be. He was God incarnate. That alone sets His ministry apart from everybody else. He knew everyone He spoke to. I mean He really knew them–as their Creator. He knew the specific needs of everyone in the crowds that followed Him.
On the other hand, Jesus was our Mentor, our Master Teacher. While on earth, He modeled how to effectively live the Christian life. That means we can learn from Him. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me…,” He said (Matthew 11:29, KJV).
So, in this post, I want to share the following lessons we ministers today should learn from the preaching and teaching ministry of Jesus to more effectively connect with people today.
Jesus’ Message was relevant and practical.
The Word ministry of Jesus was not a hypothetical gospel about heaven and hell. Nor did He simply give out religious info void of take away value. But He connected with people, challenging and teaching them how to live for God in the world in which they lived. We can use more of this kind of preaching today.
So, how can we accomplish this objective? It requires us to be informed about what’s going on in our world. Then we must speak to the issues of our day from a biblical perspective. The people we minister to live in an increasingly complicated world. They need to hear with clarity and with practicality how to live out their faith in the world in which they live.
Jesus taught and preached with authority.
He was not a wishy-washy teacher in His day. Great crowds followed Him, but He was not a crowd-pleaser. Sometimes, His sayings were hard for the people to receive. “The people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matthew 7:28-29, KJV).
What we believe about the Word of God determines the degree to which we will proclaim it with authority. For instance, I believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. I believe it has the power to transform the lives of everyone who opens his heart to receive it. I further believe that in the Bible, God provides us with practical advice for overcoming the challenges of life. When our preaching and teaching are fueled by these convictions, we will proclaim the Word of God with authority as Jesus did.
Jesus ministered as a servant and not as a master.
“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many,” Jesus said (Matthew 20:28, NASB). Think about that. He was God manifested in the flesh. All things were created by Him. Yet, He came to earth in the spirit of a servant!
As preachers of the gospel, we must be careful to not assume the role of a lord (see 1 Peter 5:3). Though we may pastor a mega church, we are still servants and not masters. From the congregants we are due respect but not worship or servitude. They need to perceive that our desire is to serve them and not for them to serve us.
Jesus Was Anointed to Preach
Last but not least, God anointed Jesus through the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel. That means Jesus was sent by God to minister the Word of God. It also means God had supernaturally gifted Jesus for the task. Thirdly, it means the Holy Spirit confirmed the words Jesus taught by way of signs and wondering.
No one today can be extraordinary in the ministry of the Word of God without God’s anointing. Standing in the synagogue, Jesus proclaimed these words:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppessed, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.
(Luke 4:18-19, KJV)
All of these are noteworthy lessons we should learn from the ministry of Jesus. Emulating them will make all the difference in the lives of those who preach and teach today.
Copyright © 2022 by Frank King. All rights reserved.