Day 16: Jesus' Holistic Ministry Approach

...he was preaching the word to them…. “Son, your sins are forgiven.” ... “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” Mark 2:2, 5 & 11

After Jesus’ baptism and temptation, He began going all over Israel, starting His public ministry--the time He spent interacting with others to show them why He had come. From the story of the paralyzed man, we can see three key parts of His ministry.
First was preaching, ministering to His listeners’ minds. Jesus talked to people. He told them about God and about their own relationships to Him. He told them about sin and repentance and salvation, and many people came to listen.
Second was forgiveness, ministering to wounded souls. Jesus didn’t just tell the people who came to listen to Him about forgiveness, He actually forgave their sins.
Third was healing, ministering to broken bodies. In addition to caring for the people’s spiritual needs, Jesus also cared for them physically, healing sickness and disabilities, feeding the hungry, even raising a few people from the dead. Jesus’ miracles helped prove that He really was the Son of God. As He showed the scribes (religious leaders), saying “Your sins are forgiven” is easy to say but hard to prove. It’s an invisible kind of healing, but making the paralyzed man walk is a miracle everyone could see.
All three parts of Jesus’ ministry worked together to help people in all aspects of their lives. This was a holistic approach to minister to the whole person.

Questions for discussion and reflection

  • Do you think one of these types of ministry is the most important? Why or why not?
  • How have you been ministered to in mind, soul, or body?
  • Are you serving in a ministry at North Valley? Check out the opportunities and join a team today! https://www.northvalley.org/ministries

Prayer
Dear God, You made us as whole people, with minds, bodies, and souls. Help us use everything we have to serve and glorify you. In Jesus’ name, amen.