The Work of Kingdom Apostling; Luke 4:40-44

Delivered during the Sunday morning worship service, 11/14/2021. After two spectacular healings on the Sabbath in Capernaum, a crowd gathers outside Peter's house as the Sabbath ends, seeking the touch of the Healer. Jesus works deep into the night healing every last one of them. But with this concentration on miraculous healings, is Luke establishing the ministry of the Christ as primarily a ministry of healing? Far from it! For Jesus Himself will express the true reason He has been sent-- to proclaim the message of the Kingdom of God through the preaching of His Word. We will carefully analyze how Jesus expresses His mission and purpose by focusing on four words and phrases He uses: "preaching the good news", the "Kingdom of God", His "purpose", and the fact He was "sent". When we consider this in the light of the miraculous healings, we will realize that Luke has just mapped out for us the modus operandi of the establishment and expansion of the Kingdom of God! Armed with this valuable understanding, we will also recognize that we in the church today must follow in the footsteps of both Jesus and the Apostles, and engage in what we will call-- the work of Kingdom "apostling".