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Hi david,
They prayed and were guided by the Spirit and given the work to do. They preached in the synagogues and in the towns. None were recorded as going from door to door. Tossing pearls before swine was never advised.So they rang the church bells (so to speak) and hoped people would come to them? Or did they search out deserving ones?
Jesus went right to the people with the Kingdom message, teaching them publicly and in their homes. (Mt 5:1; 9:10, 28, 35) When he sent out his early disciples to preach, he directed them: “Into whatever city or village you enter, search out who in it is deserving.” (Mt 10:7, 11-14) Such ‘searching out’ would reasonably include going to the people’s homes, where “deserving” persons would heed the message and the disciples would find lodging for the night.—Lu 9:1-6.
On a later occasion Jesus “designated seventy others and sent them forth by twos in advance of him into every city and place to which he himself was going to come.” These were not just to preach in public places but were also to contact people at their homes. Jesus instructed them: “Wherever you enter into a house say first, ‘May this house have peace.’”—Lu 10:1-7.
In the days following Pentecost 33 C.E., Jesus’ disciples continued bringing the good news right to the homes of the people. Though ordered to “stop speaking,” the inspired record says that “every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.” (Ac 5:40-42; compare Dy, NIV.) The expression “from house to house” translates the Greek kat́ oíkon, literally, “according to house”; the sense of the Greek preposition katá is distributive (“from house to house”) and not merely adverbial (‘at home’). (See NW ftn.) This method of reaching people—going directly to their homes—brought outstanding results. “The number of the disciples kept multiplying in Jerusalem very much.”—Ac 6:7; compare 4:16, 17 and 5:28.
The apostle Paul told the elders of Ephesus: “From the first day that I stepped into the district of Asia . . . I did not hold back from telling you any of the things that were profitable nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house. But I thoroughly bore witness both to Jews and to Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.” (Ac 20:18-21; compare KJ, Dy, AS, RS, Mo, NIV, La.) Paul was here speaking of his efforts to preach to these men when they were yet unbelievers, persons needing to know “about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.” Thus, from the start of his missionary service in Asia, Paul searched “from house to house” for spiritually inclined persons. Finding such ones, he doubtless returned to their homes to teach them further and, as these became believers, to strengthen them in the faith. Dr. A. T. Robertson, in his book Word Pictures in the New Testament, comments as follows on Acts 20:20: “By (according to) houses. It is worth noting that this greatest of all preachers preached from house to house and did not make his visits mere social calls.”—1930, Vol. III, pp. 349, 350.Jesus said to let our light shine before men and he would draw all men to us.
We need to let the life of our testimony project out in our lives before we will be effective to speak to others. As one wise man once said, Live your sermon first, then preach it. I believe if you live it then they will be drawn to the truth they see in you and begin to seek God, then watch your words have some effect.
Also consider the example of Philip in the book of Acts, he was led of God to leave the place where the revival was happening to go walk down some road, where a man was seeking to know about Messiah, and Philip was able to help him.
My first advice to anyone who feels they are living the life as well as they are able, and yet feel they are not being effective as a witness is this, start talking to God, pray to him. You might be surprized at how he can lead you in your everyday life to go to certain places where you meet someone and get into a conversation quite naturally that you could not have made happen if you tried.malcolm ferris,
I agree, at least in the USA there are not many people who haven't heard the Gospel but not many are seeing the Gospel lived. What we do, speaks much louder then what we say.Quote (seekingtruth @ April 29 2006,21:47) malcolm ferris,
I agree, at least in the USA there are not many people who haven't heard the Gospel but not many are seeing the Gospel lived. What we do, speaks much louder then what we say.
Hi st,
Which gospel have they heard?
Which God and which Jesus has been preached?
Which salvation have they heard of?Most hear of a trinity god, a false Jesus and many false salvations.
Nick,
I agree, most have heard many “gospels” but unless they see something different in your life it will be just one more variation to them. It's our lives that speak of something different so the Spirit can draw them to God, but we must be ready to answer for the hope that is within us.Quote (seekingtruth @ April 29 2006,22:33) Nick,
I agree, most have heard many “gospels” but unless they see something different in your life it will be just one more variation to them. It's our lives that speak of something different so the Spirit can draw them to God, but we must be ready to answer for the hope that is within us.
True ST,
But the ground must be ploughed before it is ready for planting. God does not plant in fields already planted in tares.I suspect it will take a shaking of the earth before men are prepared to give up their false hopes and delusions.Only then will they really search the Word of God for the truth.
False teachers have much to answer for.
Yes, most (only most, not all) in certain areas have heard of Jesus or believe they know who he is.
But when Jesus and the apostles set out preaching, they preached to ones who believed they knew who God was–the Jews. They were preaching to ones who should have been familiar with the scriptures–yet, preach they did. The Jewish nation had fallen away from God. Today, the world is filled with apostasized Christians (weeds) as Jesus fortold, ones who have a form of godly devotion, but prove false to it's power.
As well, there are many in lands that aren't considered to be Christian that haven't heard the good news of the Bible.ROMANS 10:13-15
“For “everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.” However, how will they call on him in whom they have not put faith? How, in turn, will they put faith in him of whom they have not heard? HOW IN TURN, WILL THEY HEAR WITHOUT SOMEONE TO PREACH? How, in turn, will they preach unless they have been sent forth? Just as it is written: “How comely are the feet of those who declare good news of good things!””Hi David,
And is it still true that we should lay hands on the sick that they should recover and set the prisoners of satan free to show we are preaching in the power of God?Since Jesus' sacrifice for our sins and the out pouring of the Holy Spirit. Do demons enter clean swept houses? Do christians get sick because of sin? Jesus said “go and sin nomore” but that was before the forgivness of sins.
Hi kenrch,
I am not sure I understand you. The healing of the sick was not done through Christ and the apostles not just for the disciples but God did it for any that asked as He is kind by nature. It was a sign also of the power of God being with the preacher as with Paul calling out for the crippled man to stand up.Nothing has changed and the Spirit is still able to use willing and cleansed vessels for the work of God on earth.
But those who work just in their own strength cannot expect the blessing of God on that work.
Quote (david @ May 02 2006,04:24) Was Jesus known as a teacher or a healer?
Both david,
Matt 4 23f
“Jesus was going throughout Galilee, teaching in all their synagogue and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.
The news about him spread and they brought to him all who were ill, those suffering from various diseases and pains, epileptics, demoniacs, paralytics and he healed them”Quote (Nick Hassan @ May 02 2006,02:59) Hi kenrch,
I am not sure I understand you. The healing of the sick was not done through Christ and the apostles not just for the disciples but God did it for any that asked as He is kind by nature. It was a sign also of the power of God being with the preacher as with Paul calling out for the crippled man to stand up.Nothing has changed and the Spirit is still able to use willing and cleansed vessels for the work of God on earth.
But those who work just in their own strength cannot expect the blessing of God on that work.
Yeah I know sometimes I'm hard to understand.
I guess my question is does sin make you sick. When God heals is it because He is forgiving our sin. Jesus would say “go and sin no more”.So if we get sick is it because we have sin. I went to a church and that is what they taught. If you are sick it's because you have sin. I asked “my dog is sick which commandment did he break?” They didn't like that! They had no answer. I was wandering if any on the forum did.
Hi,
Sin can make us sick. But when the Pharisees wanted to know what caused a particular person to become sick he avoided the question. Instead he focussed on the mission given him by God, to bring God's healing hand to touch all afflicted and wounded men.Quote Quote (david @ May 02 2006,04:24)
Was Jesus known as a teacher or a healer?Both david,
hmmm. I count about 50 times where he is specifically called “teacher,” but can't find anywhere where he is called a “healer.”
He was clearly “known,” as I said, as a teacher.
“For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.” (John 18:37)
(It's true, he did heal, but why did he come “into the world”?)LUKE 4:43
“But he said to them: “Also to other cities I must declare the good news of the kingdom of God, BECAUSE FOR THIS I WAS SENT FORTH.””
(Yes, he healed, to show what would happen on a large scale with the kingdom of God, but the very reason he stated for being sent forth–to 'DECLARE' THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM.Clearly, based on his own words, and the fact that people knew him and referred to him as a “teacher” and not as a healer, gives evidence that more emphasis, much more emphasis is put on the preaching work.
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