Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

Observing The Ministry Of Jesus

PSALM 107:8-9 – Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of man! For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things.

THEME OF THE DAY. OBSERVING THE MINISTRY OF JESUS. Today’s scripture captures the whole ministry of our Lord Jesus. I know that is a bold statement. And I am not trying to simplify the Lord Jesus or be irreverent toward Him. The ministry and life of Jesus is way beyond human comprehension and definition. The apostle John would tell us, “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25). But sit back with me and identify the marks of Jesus’ ministry from today’s scripture.

First, we observe His constant walk of steadfast love. Oh, the times we see Jesus among the people showing pity, displaying compassion, healing the sick, raising the dead, teaching the crowds, and never showing impatience with some disciples who were slow to learn! And His constant walk of steadfast love continues with us, moment-by-moment, all the way to heaven when we enter His Presence literally.

Then, we observe our Lord proclaiming these words that satisfy the longing soul; the thirsty soul parched by sin and selfishness, “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (John 7:37-39). Our Lord extends the invitation to find in Him what we were created for – a heart contented and satisfied in God alone.

Moving further into today’s scripture and Jesus’ ministry, we come to the promise of having our hungry souls filled. One quickly is drawn to the first of seven “I am” statements our Lord makes of Himself – “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). The purpose of bread is to sustain life; to bring fullness to a hungry person. And something else about bread. It is simple. Friend, Jesus’ offer for spiritual satisfaction, to take of the “divine bread” for bringing contentment to our parched souls is not difficult. He doesn’t say, “Clean up your act, then take My offer.” Nor does He say, “Be more religious and serve someone.” In the simplicity of the Gospel, Jesus proclaims, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). That was and is His ministry, and should we obey Him by coming to Him, even as Christians daily, then today’s scripture is ours to own and experience – For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things (Psalm 107:9).

PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for providing all I need for this life and the next through Your Son, the Lord Jesus.”

QUOTE: “Christ satisfies the soul and brings contentment to the longing soul but only to the soul seeking Him out of need.”