Participating in the Work of Jesus

Jesus invites his followers to join in his work.

One thing that makes Jesus stand apart from others is that instead of religiosity (with its traditions, mandates, restrictions and boring litanies) He filled the world with transformative moments, experiences and miracles that marked the lives of his listening audience, the watching crowds and those who directly experienced His healing touch, His unmistakable presence and His powerful words. 

There are many examples, but let me mention a few: the woman with the issue of blood (Jesus heard her whole story), the healing of the centurion’s servant (a Roman soldier who showed more faith than anyone in all of Israel), the unforgettable encounter with Zacheus (a dinner that led to the financial restoration of many families), the healing of the paralyzed man (who demonstrated the love of true friends who brought him to Jesus by making a hole in the roof of the Peter’s house), the wedding in Cana (where Jesus gave the best wedding gift transforming rain water into several gallons of wine), the restoration of sight to the blind man (where Jesus mixed his saliva with dirt and placed it on his eyes - twice)

This is definitely a different type of healer, prophet, teacher and rabbi. I want to encourage you to read the gospels again at a slower pace and be in awe of his teaching style and approach to leadership. Instead of doing an exegesis of scripture, I wanted to propose a few questions regarding a particular miracle. The feeding of the five thousand, found in Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:13-17, John 6:1-15.

What catches your imagination as you read the story from these different authors? What jumps from the page and what do you notice (perhaps things you had not considered before? What details surfaced as we hear the word this time around?

And for further study, what are the perspectives from the different players in this narrative? The crowd? The disciples? Fish boy? (Or the little unnamed child if you want to be politically correct) How about Jesus?  What are each one of them thinking? What would they find amazing or be amazed by? What is a lesson they learned or a memory worth telling their children later on?

One thing worth noting is that this is the only miracle (outside of the cross) shared in all of the four gospels. I wonder why, don’t you? I offer an educated guess…

This is the first time Jesus invited his followers to be part of somebody else’s miracle. Up to this point, all they had to do was to bring people to Jesus or make room for people to be blessed, touched, healed by Him. But being responsible, taking care, and having a more active role in a miracle was another level of fellowship, don’t you agree?

I wonder if that is our call again, right now and right were we are, with what we have? There are multitudes of people that are leading purposeless lives, people we know who feel lost, lonely and unseen, peers that are hungry for something more than what this world has to offer. What if it is our task to feed them or bring them to the One who can satisfy their desperate thirst?

What if our real task is to active listening more than judgemental criticism? Or tangible demonstration of love and care more than nice narratives and simplistic quotations? Or to authentically walk alongside people more than dutiful or guilt driven generosity?

What if we are the little boy offering his meager and simple lunch so God can do something transformative that blesses thousands and still be content with remaining invisible and anonymous?

I mean, ask yourself, what do I have in my hands that God could use? What can I do with my gifts that He would be honored by? How can I steward who I am to be a voice for those who feel they don’t have any? Read the account again and see yourself in the narrative, then pray that you may play a role in the new story God is developing in our times.

Praying for you and your destiny in this intricate blanket God is building as we work together towards a more kingdom oriented world.

Carlos Dimas is a Ministry Associate for Latin American Embassies.