The Things of the Spirit and the Things of Common Sense

Elder Saw Lip Hean
11-09-2016

Mark 1:35-45New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy

40 A man with leprosy[a] came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

41 Jesus was indignant.[b] He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning:44 “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Luke 4:18-19New King James Version (NKJV)

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Jesus started His ministry and the demons started to react. He went on to preach. Cast out those with demons. He healed the sick. People started to bring the sick to be healed. His reputation grew. 

The leper came to Jesus. Being a leper means the person is a social outcast. Out of the compassion of His heart, Jesus healed the leper.

Instead of going to the priest and let the priest examine him, the man, in his excitement, told people about it.

Mark 1:38New King James Version (NKJV)

38 But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.”

The main reason is to preach the gospel. To all who receive Christ, they become children of God.

But we live in a world that is increasingly materialistic. Only caring about health and wealth. Motivated by physical, psychological and emotional security. 

Christianity today tends to pander to these things that we forget the primary reason for Christians today is to preach the good news.

Sadly, human beings react to health but not the message. In actual fact, the world needs forgiveness.

Out of the compassion of Jesus' heart, He had compassion and began to heal.

But people only wanted the healing but forget about the message. They need to be healed of a greater disease which is sin.

But the leper when he was healed by Jesus, he went on to blab about it despite Jesus telling him to be examined by the priest.

As a result, the gospel was hindered.

God is a God of compassion. He will meet the need. But because of our overexcitement, we end up hindering the gospel.

There is a place and a time to preach the gospel.

Our intentions may be good. Unfortunately, good intentions are not the main criteria.

Instead of our sharing results in bringing people to God, we are driving people away. 

Instead of doing good, we end up doing harm. Especially to another Christian who's already starting to doubt his own faith.

We need to exercise common sense. Otherwise, we end up disobeying God. 

The purpose of our primary calling is to preach the gospel.

However this doesn't mean that healing loses its importance. 

Look at healing from the correct theological perspective. 

We are all subject to the laws of the earth. The same applies when it comes to diseases.

Jesus came to earth to take away the penalty of sin. By rising from the dead, He overcame sin and death.

God will deliver us from the presence of sin.

God heals today. God is compassionate. 

But we need proper theological teaching. 

Like the leper, he didn't know how to get well from the condition that he was suffering from. So he asked Jesus. It's as simple as that.

The trouble with us is that we think we are too super-spiritual. 

After so many years, we still ask and will continue to ask. 

We can always count on our God who is a compassionate God. The compassion of Christ is what we can always count on.

God has more than just the crumbs for us. He will give us the loaves. 

Do we lack faith? Yes, we need faith. We need just a little faith like the faith of a mustard seed.

Stop being a hindrance to the primary purpose which is the propagation of the gospel. We live to get to know God and be united in His fellowship.

The things of the Spirit and the things of common sense go together.