30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 16 19-31 Released from self cetredness 04 A holistic response to the web of evil
📖 Luke 16:19-31
07May2020 - *A holistic response to the web of evil* - _Luke 16:19-31_ - Bible reading: _Matthew 11:4-6_
We have seen that God has kept us in our world to be connected with our context, with people at our gates. Let us take a look at Lazarus.
_Luke 16:19-23 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. (20) But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, (21) desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Lazarus’s condition was truly painful and repulsive, though he was in a relationship with God. Why did God allow His dear friend, Lazarus to have such a shameful life? The answer is that it was not God, who brought about the sadness in our world, but we see wickedness and innocent people suffering because of a complex network evil and falsehood that the devil has perpetrated on the world. Satan is able to spread his evil plan on the world because, when we sinned, we came under his captivity _(II Timothy 2:25-26)_ The world is now under the sway of the wicked one. _I John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one._ Satan is able to continue his malicious plans through us because we were given the responsibility to rule over God’s world.
This is the reason for the Gospel. _Galatians 1:4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,_
As we consider relating with people at our gates, we must be prepared that this is spiritual warfare. _Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places._
As much as we wrestle with the enemy over these issues in which people are kept in bondage, we also reach out our hand in practical ways to help those, whom God has placed in our context. _James 2:14-17 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? (15) If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, (16) and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? (17) Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead._
The Gospel of Jesus Christ, the truth, is the holistic response to people in our context. _Luke 4:18-19 "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."_
_Matthew 11:4-6 Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: (5) The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. (6) And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."_
So, we see why the Lord has placed us in our context? The solution for people to be set free is the truth and the truth needs to be manifested by God’s people, whose hands become the hands of Jesus. If there is sadness in our world and we are placed in our world, let us realise that this is for a purpose. We ought to be the frontline responders to the people, for our solution is holistic.
*Thought to ponder*
```Are your hands and your heart placed in Jesus, in order to be His instruments of engagement with people at our gates?```