Introduction
• We have been looking at what Jesus said and demonstrated about the kingdom
• I preached on Kingdom ministry earlier this year in May
• Today I want to expand on that
• There's a practical application to this passage
The Kingdom
Remind ourselves when Jesus refers to the kingdom what is it that he is referring to?
THE RULE AND REIGN OF GOD OVER ALL HE HAS MADE
• When Gods Kingdom comes we experience what is true of heaven here on earth
• The kingdom of God reflects all that is true of the about the King of the kingdom
• Jesus went about proclaiming and demonstrating the good news of the Kingdom
• The kingdom was central to Jesus ministry
o He told parables about it
o He taught his disciples to pray for it
o He rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees for missing it
o He taught the people how to enter it
o Everywhere he went he demonstrated it by healing the sick and setting free the spiritually oppressed.
o He commissioned his disciples proclaim and demonstrate it
• Jesus purpose was to see his kingdom rule and reign advance on the earth and that it would be on earth as it is in heaven
• So first of all he told his disciples to proclaim this message “the kingdom of God has come near.
Kingdom demonstration
• “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.”
• 1 Corinthians 4:20 NIV
This is a kingdom not just of words but of power. So we see Jesus gives clear instruction that they are to heal the sick
Video Healing on the streets
• Now in the text it does say heal the sick
• It does not say pray for the sick
• It does not say how to pray for the sick I.e we can get into praying all over the place but Jesus instructions were simple and clear, It simply says heal the sick
• There was an expectation that the disciples would do exactly what Jesus had done and that was heal the sick
• He himself was not going with them, but the Holy Spirit, they would have to rely on him which was different to having the physical presence of Jesus there. They were having to learn to listen and respond to one just like Jesus, they were having to tune in to another realm not known to them before.
• Matthew 8:16 NIV “When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.”
• Jesus’s expectation was that his disciples would do what he had been doing in the same way he had done it
• Was that only for them?
• On Alpha one of the talks is does God heal today? – Wendy Manns story
• My stories
• So should we heal the sick?
• Is this part of our commission?
• Should this be the normal Christian life?
• If so how then should we do it?
Prayer for the sick
1. Recognise that true healing only comes through Jesus
2. Identify the problem
3. Ask for God’s power to be present to heal.
4. Address the pain, damage or sickness directly and using the authority Jesus has given us tell it to go in Jesus name
5. Ask the person if possible has there been any improvement or change, are they able to test it to see?
6. If no change or partial change, pray again.
Let's have a go!
Naturally supernatural
• This should be the normal Christian life
• We are Gods agents on the earth, his provision for a people who do not know God, have no concept that he is real and alive
• Matthew 10 v 1 “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.”
• He breathed on them the Holy Spirit
• In church our church community is where we get to practice, out there in the world is where we have the privilege to demonstrate the goodness and love of God
• I think God intended us to be naturally supernatural in our everyday lives, it's not about being specialists, the ones with the healing gift or anointing.
• It's about us being his children who have been given authority to do what Jesus did
Conclusion
• The kingdom of God in our lives, means what?
• If we had time to read
