1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Our opening Scripture speaks of the women who partnered with the Lord Jesus in His ministerial assignment with their substance: material resources. These were committed givers who gave again and again to the course of preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God. The gospel of Christ is powerful, Scripture describes the gospel of Christ as the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). The Gospel of Christ alone brings genuine transformation; a change that is birthed from inside out. Time doesn’t transform anything. Transformation only happens in the process of time. Change, true change, cannot happen in anyone, or in any place without the preaching of the Gospel of Christ. National and global change or transformation can only happen through the preaching of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. When the good news of Jesus’ substitutionary work at Calvary is preached and people believe it, transformation happens in their lives. The gospel is so powerful that it is God’s tool of fixing humanity’s problems, of which sin is the core, without which the lost cannot come back to God.
As believers, we have been commissioned to be partners with the gospel that transforms lives. What a blessing! What a privilege! We are ministers of reconciliation, reconciling man to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). Everyone who has experienced the saving power of Christ, whom God has saved is a minister of the Gospel today. Jesus gave us the great commission, to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. The gospel must be preached from coast to coast, but how shall they hear without a preacher, and how shall they preach except they be sent? The gospel soars on the wings of partnership because in preaching the Gospel of Christ to the ends of the world, men and money are required. God wants every believer to be a part of the noblest assignment that is most beneficial to humanity and most pleasing to God, the Gospel. Invest in the Gospel today. Give yourself and yours to the preaching of the Gospel. Let your heart be involved, let your money also be involved. Your heart will be where your treasure is. Let your treasure be in the Gospel.
My Solid Front (Confession):
In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I give myself and my resources to the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ! God’s grace is sufficient for me!!!!
Further Meditation:
Philippians 4:16-19; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20.