In the first post, we discussed why Joseph’s and Mary’s ability and competence for adaptability was one of the determining criteria for granting them the honour of being earthly parents of Jesus. We also discussed how capacity and the ability to manage little opportunities would, to a large extent, determine your level of operation. We continue on full-time and “fool-time” ministry with the relationship between money and message, and faith and wealth.
Message And Money
There are very many anointed men and women, very many talented boys and girls, but a lot of them are hindered by lack of financial support. Your message makes no meaning to people without financial backing. Miracles are usually not enough to attract people to your church. You need proper packaging, good dressing, a good church setting, and good instruments for your message to have the expected impact.
Only one quarter I preached on satellite opened doors for me to preach in Madagascar. In one of the programs in Madagascar, the most prominent pastors in town were there. The president of the country asked for the CDs of the message to be played in his presidential jet on his way to Paris.
Your message has more weight when it is backed by physical evidence. Your evangelism in your community has more impact if it is backed by physical evidence. When you do not have physical evidence, even those close to you do not take you seriously.
My community recently invited me to be one of their guest preachers in their Christian festival. When they were invited for a conference I had in my school, they came. If there was no evidence on ground, they would not have come. Those who used to ignore my invitation came; I sent one of my buses to carry them.
Faith And Wealth
There is an evil poverty does to an individual. It can cause a wise person to adapt to stupid behavior. When it progresses and endures, it kills understanding.
When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well. Luke 7:1-10.
The centurion in the passage above was a Gentile, not a Jew; but when he heard that Jesus was nearby, he sent some respected Jewish elders to go and ask Him to heal his slave.
Can you imagine the confidence in this Gentile? He did not go to Jesus himself; instead, he sent some respected elders of Israel.
Note: He did not send ordinary Jews or ordinary elders; instead, he sent respected elders. Why did they act as messengers? He had both authority and wealth. The elders earnestly begged Jesus to go and heal the slave. Were there no other sick people in that town that day? There were even sick people in the families of the messengers probably; but the message of the centurion had more weight.
Don’t get me wrong. In Luke 7:11-15, Jesus raised a widow’s son, even though I can also deduce that the large crowd that followed the funeral procession was an indication of the influence of the widow or that of her late husband.
The elders said, “If anyone deserves your help, he does”. Why? The reason was because he built a synagogue for the Jewish people. The elders saw that as a proof of love for the Jewish people. Did Jesus go towards the house? Yes! The Lord loves responsible and productive people.
However, before Jesus arrived, the centurion sent some friends to meet with him halfway. Why was the centurion able to command such loyalty and influence? He had resources at his disposal. His position gave him insight and faith from life’s experiences.
My children display more confidence than me because they have a father like me. They are so bold and daring. But the warnings, fears, and inferiority complex our parents impregnated our minds acted as ‘Pavlov’s chains’ in our lives.
In the next post, we’ll discuss Good Samaritan Christianity/Evangelism.
God Bless You.
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