Christ's Ministry/Our Ministry

"Then Jesus cried out, “When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only,

 but in the one who sent me.  

When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me.  

I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. 

“As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. 

For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.  

There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words;

 that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.  

For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.  

I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” 

John 12:44-50

Points to ponder about what Jesus says about himself.
• when someone believes in Him they also believe in God who sent Him.
• He as come as a light to the world.
• Anyone who hears Jesus’ word and does not keep them, Jesus at least while on this earth dose not judge him, because he came to save the world.
• There is a judge that will judge in the last days
• Jesus spoke not of his own accord but of the Father
• The words of Jesus leads to Eternal life.

I hear a lot of preachers especially in the media condemning the world and those who espouse different beliefs or lifestyles. This aught not to be.
We as Christians are called to present the Gospel of Christ. To point people to heaven not to judge them. That is God’s job not ours.
I firmly believe that in screaming hell fire and brimstone at people you only push them away.
I have seen too many ministers in the media pointing to a persons or group of person’s sin and telling them that they are going to hell.
I at one time was heading to hell as was every preacher that has ever lived.
Fortunately for me I had a wonderful pastor who accepted me for what I was. He slowly pointed me in the right direction and let the Holy Spirit work in my life, showing me where I was going wrong.
The climax came for me at a Doug Oldham concert in Hamilton Ontario Canada when he was led to ask people who wanted to give their life to Christ.
I stood and while I didn’t go to the front, I became a believer that night and have never looked back.
That was close to forty years ago now.
Today when I look to the best way to present the gospel I look to the Apostle Paul when speaking in Athens, Acts 17:16-32.
He was invited by Stoics and Epicurean to speak in the Areopagus.
Paul simply started at a point they were familiar with and presented the unadulterated message of Christ for them to accept or reject.
He never once condemned them for their beliefs or way of life. As a result some believed some sneered but others wanted to hear more on the subject.
And I think the key here is some actually wanted to hear more of what Paul had to say. Which many times is all we can hope for.
Think about it.