HELPING THE HURTING
It does not take much to see that people are hurting, and it seems to be getting worse with each new day. God expects us to help the hurting, but how with such limited resources?
We are continuing our look at God’s love for us and his plan (his mission) to bridge the gap between us and him. His mission is to bring us back into a loving relationship with him. He wants us to become His disciples and members of his family.
Thus, He calls for us to respond to His love. But our relationship with Him does not end with His call, for a call without action from the one being called has no value. What are we called to do?
In this series, we examined what it means to love God, ourselves, and others.
Review our past and present videos at SabbathSchoolDaily.com or visit my YouTube Channel,
Sabbath School Daily by Dr. Brenda Ware Davis
Let’s Us Pray:
Holy Father, help us find true happiness and peace regardless of our circumstances. Help us learn to be content. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
God’s Mission, My Mission
(Lesson 8)
Mission to the Needy
Part 3
“Christ’s Method Alone”
It does not take much to see that people are hurting, and it seems to be getting worse with each new day. God expects us to help the hurting, but how with such limited resources?
The book Desire of Ages tells us:
Christ’s method [teaches] that we should regard ourselves as inseparably bound to our Father in heaven. Whatever our position, we are to depend upon God, who holds all destinies in His hands. He has appointed us our work, and has endowed us with faculties and means for that work. So long as we surrender our will to God and trust in His strength and wisdom, we shall be guided in safe paths, to fulfill our appointed part in His great plan—The Desire of Ages, p. 209.
Thus, our success in helping those in need is found in Christ’s method. What was Christ’s method? Read John 5:1–9 and Mark 1:23–28, they offer us some insight.
John 5:1-9
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.
3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.
4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.
5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”
9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.
Mark 1:23-28
23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,
24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”
26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.
27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”
28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee. (Mark 1:23-28) (Split)
Jesus quoting from the Book of Isaiah: Claimed in Luke 4:18-19
He was anointed to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, recover sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.
How did Jesus do this? What was Jesus’ method?
Illustrating Jesus’ method of ministry, the book Ministry of Healing gives a five-step process on how Jesus helped the hurting. It states:
“Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me.’ ”—The Ministry of Healing, page 143 (Split)
What is the five-step process found in Jesus’ method for helping the hurting?
First: Spend time with people who are in need. Mingle with them. Get to know them. Learn and understand their needs with the genuine intention of helping them as God directs them. For example, review what Jesus did for the paralytic man lying by the pool in John 5:1–9. As a matter of fact, John 5:3 indicates that Jesus was right there, among the “great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. (John 5:3, NKJV)
Second: Show people you care. We must help them to see that we empathize with them. This is necessary because some may have trouble trusting because of past hurts. Therefore, they may have difficulty believing you care about them. Yet, God calls for us to show compassion and understanding without expecting to receive the same in return.
Third: Give people what they need according to your ability. In other words, action speaks louder than words. It takes more than words. We must take action to help them see that you are for real. Jesus, for example, in dealing with the paralyzed man who was lowered through the hole in the roof by his four friends in Luke 5:17-25, asked the man how he could help him. Then Jesus worked a miracle on the man’s behalf. He healed him. In the story about the man who was filled with a demon, Jesus takes complete command of the situation. Jesus does for the man what the man couldn’t do for himself.
Fourth: Win their confidence. Create a bond of trust. When we keep our word, people learn to trust us. Once they trust you, they are open to hearing about Jesus, who can supply all their needs. You see, Jesus desires to provide more than their physical needs. He did not desire merely to heal them. He wanted to provide for their spiritual needs. He wanted to heal their hearts. He wanted to give them everlasting life in Him, as expressed in John 10:10. He wanted them to “have life and have it abundantly.”
Therefore, Fifth: Lead them to Jesus. This requires faith for both you and the person you are helping. Although we cannot perform the miracles Jesus did, we can lead people to Him, the one who can perform the miracles.
Another group of hurting people are those displaced because of war, disaster, and other unfortunate circumstances. How should we deal with these individuals? View the next segment of this video ——Part 4: Refugees and Immigrants
God’s Mission, My Mission
(Lesson 8)
Mission to the Needy
Part 4: Refugees and Immigrants
Today’s news is filled with reports about immigrants and refugees who have left their countries to escape war, natural disasters, or food shortages. Many of these individuals have left their homeland, hoping for a better life.
Millions of people worldwide have left their homes in desperate need of help.
We find in Matthew 2:13, 14 that Jesus and his earthly parents, Joseph and Mary, had to flee Bethlehem and go to Egypt to escape the evil hands of King Herod, who wanted to kill Jesus.
Matthew 2:13-14
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”
14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt (Matthew 2:13-14)
The Bible doesn’t tell us about their experience in Egypt. But we can be sure Jesus and His family experienced some of the same issues that others today experience when displaced or must leave their homeland.
Many Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, and nonreligious persons today are seeking asylum in foreign lands.
Jesus’ experience helps us to understand and sympathize with the people today who must leave their countries because they are mistreated because of their religious beliefs.
Undoubtedly, it’s easy for us to make friends with people who are the same as us. We may find it easier to relate to those who speak our language, belong to the same racial group, or have the same religious beliefs. And, it is often more difficult to become acquainted with people who look different from us, don’t speak our language, do not share the same religious values, or have similar eating habits.
But, the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus, commands us to tear down those barriers that separate us from other people, just like the four men who took their paralytic friend to Jesus in Luke 5:17-26.
In other words, we must get to know the people in need, regardless of who they are, even if they are different than we are.
In fact, Deuteronomy 10:19, Psalm 146:9, Romans 12:13, and Leviticus 23:22 express this same idea.
Deuteronomy 10:19
19 Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 10:19)
Psalms 146:9
9 The Lord watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down. (Psalms 146:9)
Romans 12:13
13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. (Romans 12:13) (Split)
Leviticus 23:22
22 ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the Lord your God.’ ” (Leviticus 23:22) (Split)
Although there may be major barriers to helping immigrants and refugees, we must not let that stop us. We must get out of the box. Ask God to help you find innovative ways to help them.
The point is that we must help suffering people whenever we can and wherever we can. God has called us to help the hurting. This help includes all people. But remember, our help must start with prayer. Ask God to direct and empower you to help the hurting, including those who are immigrants and refugees.
You may ask, why is it necessary for us to be concerned about the needs of others when I can barely care for myself and my family? To learn more …. view my next video—–Part 5: To Help the Hurting (Split)
————————————————
Share your results in the comment section below.
Thank you for watching this video. To be notified when my next video comes out, Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, Sabbath School Daily, by Dr. Brenda Ware Davis.
You also may obtain the study guide for this series at Sabbath.School or ssnet.org
If you enjoyed this video and want to use it to help fulfill God’s mission, click Like…..then…..Share.
Thank you for Liking, Sharing, and Subscribing.
Hebron Seventh-day Adventist Church
7902 Wheatly Street
Houston, TX 77088
Watch Past and Present Lessons at SabbathSchoolDaily.com
