Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Meeting An Individual's Needs

Mark 8:22-26

“And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.  And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.” (Mark 8:22-23)

One of the biggest mistakes in Christian society is that everyone should have the same experience.  Since most of the people had been healed just by touching Jesus, the people assumed that that was what the blind man needed.  Instead, Jesus led him out of town and rubbed some spit on the man’s eyes.  Then he did something he never did with the others he healed, asking what he was able to see.   

“And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.

After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.  And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.” (Mark 8:24-26)

The man could now see, but his vision was still distorted so that while he knew they were people walking around, they looked more like tree,  Jesus had already done more to heal this man than he had done with many others, yet he still had to do more to heal him.  Jesus cared enough to question the man and take additional steps as needed.  If we are going to minister to people effectively, we are going to have to learn to take time enough to be sure we have met the needs of the individuals, and not just settle for what most people seem to need. 

For example, while the Romans Road has been used to win a great many people to Christ, for a great many others, it has only provide a confusing idea of what salvation is, with the result that though they made a profession, they are not saved.  The number of those who make professions but never grow is an indication of how common this problem is.  The test for whether a person is saved or not is not whether they have made a profession or had an experience.  Romans 8:9 tells us, “... Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”   If the Holy Spirit doesn’t begin to work in his life, the person's profession was meaningless..  If we are sincere about helping people or winning them to Christ, we need to take the time to answer their questions. And address their concerns.   Too often, we just focus on our own agenda and overlook the individual's needs.


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