“Introduce Now To Rest Of Dying Universe, Christ's Emancipation. (I.N.T.R.O.D.U.C.E)”    

By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

SCRIPTURE:
^“They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.” (Mark 6:55-56, NIV)

Observation:
I asked myself what the people did?
Last time I learned that the people recognized Jesus for who He was. Now they take specific action involving other people. They did three specific things:

Interpretations:
I asked myself the significance of them running throughout that whole region?I thought to myself why do people run. People usually run when they are in a hurry to get to places or avoid people. There are athletic reasons too why people run but this was not the time they decided to focus on athletics. Instead, they ran throughout the whole region for a specific purpose. They recognized who Jesus was and wanted to bring others to Jesus. They wanted to do it quick too for they knew the healing power of Jesus. This is evidenced by what happens next.

I asked myself the significance of them ‘carrying the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was’
They did not wait for Jesus to come to the sick people but instead they took it upon themselves to lead the sick to Jesus. They took the initiative to look for all the sick throughout that whole region so they can bring them to Jesus. Once they found the sick, they acted on it. This is evidenced by what happens next.

I asked myself the significance of ‘and wherever Jesus went-into villages, towns, or countryside-they placed the sick in the marketplaces.’
It is very significant because the location of where Jesus went did not matter to them. Whether it was a suburb, rural area, urban area, etc, they did not let that stop them from taking the sick to Jesus. They knew the power of Jesus to bring healing and did their part to introduce the sick to Jesus. The key is introducing the sick to Jesus. They brought people to Jesus but they could not do anything further for the sick. It was up to the sick now to act. They did act.

“They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.” (Mark 6:56, NIV) 

I asked myself the significance of this verse and its implications?
As I read this verse, I felt ‘they’ did not refer to the ‘people who brought the sick to Jesus’ instead ‘they’ referred to the sick themselves. The sick were introduced to Jesus by the people that brought them to Jesus. The people could not save the sick or heal them for only Jesus could. They did their part in introducing them to Jesus. Now, it was up to them to act. I believe those that were in the marketplace did act. They (sick) begged him (Jesus) to let them (all the sick) touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him (Jesus) were healed.

The implications are profound. The sick had to act acknowledging their own sickness and a need for healing in their lives. The sick would have known  before that a ‘woman with bleeding who touched the robe of Jesus was healed’.

So now they have such faith that they want to at least be able to touch the cloak of Jesus, so they can receive their healing. Overall what others did for them played a role but others actions did not save them. It was the sick people’s willingness to ask Jesus for healing that saved them.

Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life.  Knowing Jesus should prompt me like the people did, to go to places, bring them, and introduce Jesus to them. My introduction of Jesus to them is because of who Jesus is and the healing Jesus can bring in their lives.

For me I am thinking more of spiritual healing and these verses can be an analogy. The people that heard of Jesus and His healing powers cared so much for their loved ones and those they know that they went throughout the region to bring the sick to Jesus.

In the same way, I need to bring the sick to Jesus. I need to introduce people to Jesus Christ. In essence, wherever people are, I need to share the Gospel with them and take the Gospel to them.

My favorite way of sharing the Gospel is to use the bridge diagram which the Lord helped me one day to use with just three newspapers and a pamphlet. I did my part of introducing the person to Jesus. I am called to spread the Gospel and obey the Lord’s Great commission. I was able to do that and want to share with you the example later.

It is important to remember though that me introducing the person to Jesus is not the same as the person introducing themselves to Jesus and asking Jesus to heal them of their sin. I know that I cannot save anyone. Just because I am a follower of Christ does not mean those I come in contact with and introduce to Jesus will become followers. It is the Lord’s work and the Lord has to work in their heart. They need to see their own sickness and reach out to Jesus as the sick people in the marketplace did.

When the sick reached out to Jesus asking for healing, Jesus healed them. When anyone introduces themselves to Jesus and asks for healing, Jesus will heal them. But for people to even know they are sinners and need a Savior, someone has to be sent to tell them about Jesus, to introduce them to Jesus.

I thank the Lord for the opportunity. If I were to die tonight, I would not have any regrets of being in ministry and seeing lives changed. Sometimes from a worldly view my mind wanders but I need to walk in the Spirit.

I had aspirations to become a lawyer and 'fight for freedom for Christians' and fight against the 'American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)' but things changed one day.

To minister to students became such a burden that after I got my first degree, I went on to do campus ministry for couple of years. My mission became ‘counseling broken hearts with the love of Christ’ to see lost souls come into the Kingdom of God. I knew for Christ alone could heal those that are sick and lost. BTW, this does not mean law school is completely out for me even now. I need to depend on the Lord for everything.

As the days went by I saw the campus as a mission field with so many people from so many nations converging to get academic knowledge. That is great but what is academic knowledge apart from the One who gives that knowledge. So, even as people continued in their academic pursuits as I have, I let people see that they need to come to know the One who gave knowledge. They need to come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Personal Savior for He is the Creator and we are the Created. He knows everything about us and that is wonderful to know. It is amazing how my reading of Proverbs 9 and one of the verses coincides so much with what I am learning.

"For the reverence and fear of God are basic to all wisdom. Knowing God results in every other kind of understanding." (Proverbs 9:10, TLB)

I love my job and am so thankful to the Lord and the managers who recommended me for my position as a floor manager of food services.  I would not consider it a prestigious job from a worldly point of view but it is so prestigious to me because of the opportunity to be on a mission field which is the campus for me. My full-time job is like tent-making for me. My job helps me with life’s expenses and also helps me not to depend on others for funding to do ministry except right now things are really tight since my beloved dad's funeral and everything that transpired after that in my life. I thank the Lord that my dad is with Jesus and Jesus will take care of our needs.

 I still see the campus as a mission field and see myself as a missionary from India reaching students with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in America wherever the students maybe from whether they are from rural or urban, expatriates, etc.

Some things are hard from a human point of view when you do not have a prestigious job but I am depending on Jesus Christ for the things I desire for Him to bring into my life.

My own manager asked me what I was doing working for him with all my degrees, minors, and another major and my response has been GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. Student ministry has always been strongly imparted upon my heart and even when one door closes, the Lord Jesus has opened other doors. When I get discouraged, He shows me that He is proud to use me for His honor and glory.

I share about myself to let you know how relevant the Gospel of Jesus Christ is even to this day. The verses we read in the Bible were not alive just then but they are alive even now. God's Word is living and active as Hebrews 4:12 states.

^"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, NIV)

What happened then happens now too. Just because we do not see the miracles of Jesus face-face always does not mean they are not happening now. They are! I have read about lame walking, the blinding seeing, the deaf hearing, and the dead raised to life in our generation.

I have seen students give their lives to Christ and have a turn around in their life. I have experienced the power of the risen Lord and Savior in my own life. It was because my mommy introduced me to Jesus Christ and I asked Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of my life. My mommy could not save me but she could only introduce me to Jesus! I had to introduce myself to Jesus to be saved. No one can save another for there is no name under Heaven by which we must be saved except the name of Jesus, the glorious precious Name.

I ask you now dear friend, who do you introduce to Jesus?
Dear friend, you do not have to be a missionary by name to introduce someone to Jesus. Whatever your profession is, you can use your profession to introduce people to Jesus as you depend on Jesus. One of my favorite devotionals has been on P.R.O.F.E.S.S.I.O.N in the archives to the right. If you are faithful, available, and teachable, Jesus will take care of the rest.

You say, you are afraid and do not know where to start?
Start with your testimony. Tell people how Jesus saved you and how you came to know Jesus. Tell them what Jesus did in your own life. If you are still shy to do that, a subtle way is the way you live your life around believers and non-believers. Let them see that the Christ you serve is not just a god among many gods. Let them see that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life as He claimed for He is. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus.  Live your life with Jesus before you live it for Jesus. Others will notice a difference.

I still highly recommend talking to others about Jesus. You cannot do it on your own strength for none of us can but you can do it with the power of Jesus working in you and through you. Allow the Spirit of the Living God to work in you and through you. Spend time in His Word and prayer. Let His Word penetrate your heart and let Him work in you.

Don’t push yourself and let Satan condemn you. For Satan will make you feel guilty even when it comes to the Gospel, not so you will proclaim the Gospel but so you would give up.

If it is hard talking to others about Jesus, wait on Him and let Jesus know how you are feeling. If you want training in talking to people about Jesus or introducing people to Jesus, with the Lord’s help I can provide the training. Lord has used me to train others in the past. I will be sharing a personal experience of mine on presenting the Gospel later.

If someone means so much to you, you are so excited to share about them with others. You talk about them and they cannot be off your mind. You daydream about them and think about them a lot. We do that a lot with human relationships.

Compared to the human relationships you are in, how much does Jesus mean to you?
If Jesus means a lot to you, you would want to spread the Gospel and introduce those that do not know Jesus to Jesus. You are introducing them to Jesus and not saving them for that is not your job. The person introduced to Jesus has to introduce themselves to Jesus.

My mommy introduced me to Jesus in many ways but I had to introduce myself personally to Jesus and ask Him to be part of my life to be saved, to be healed of this deadly sickness known as sin. Now, because of the antidote I have accepted which is the precious cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, I am healed and my sins are covered over. This can happen to all who introduce themselves to Jesus. They can be cleansed of their sin.

I want to share with you one of the ways I was able to present the Gospel to a person. Our job is to sow the seed and let the Lord do the watering and growing so they will come to know Jesus.

One person just the other day was so interested when I told him how Jesus had healed me of my severe asthma that he wanted to know more about Jesus and what Christianity is about.

I praise the Lord two days later I had the opportunity to meet with him again. He was Hindu by background and I got to share with him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I had just got of work and felt like going home because I was so tired but felt I should call this person to see if he was still planning to meet. He told me that he was waiting for me at a church near campus.

When I met him I did not have a Bible on me or a writing utensil but prayed to the Lord to help me share the Gospel with him with what I had in front of me (3 folded newspapers and one pamphlet).

I put two newspapers together and shared with him how MAN and GOD were together in the beginning.

Then, I pulled the two newspapers apart and told him that is what sin had done to our relationship with GOD. Sin had separated MAN from GOD and now MAN and GOD were apart and there was a big chasm.

Now MAN tried to do everything he could to reach GOD by doing good works, etc but whatever MAN did he still could not reach GOD. All his good works were falling down the chasm. His good works were not providing a way to reach GOD. I told him that you can do 99 good things and one bad thing which will still separate you from GOD because GOD in His Holiness cannot allow sin to enter His presence.

Then I told him that is how religions of the world are. In all the religions of the world, people are trying to reach GOD by their good works. They think if I do this and that, it can give me access to GOD. I told him some think praying three times a day will make them right with GOD, others think worshipping idols will make them right with GOD but the bottom line is MAN made religion and everything still falls in the chasm. All our good works we do are like filthy rags to GOD, so that will not give us access to GOD.

So, I asked him if God should ask you "why should I let you into Heaven what would your response be" and to think about it.

I told him if your answer is the good works you think you do, that will not cut it and GOD knows that. Then, I mentioned to him because GOD knows MAN is trying to reach Him but cannot, GOD decided to take it upon Himself to provide the WAY to MAN. GOD loved MAN so much that He sent JESUS CHRIST into the world to come and save MAN when MAN turns to Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins.

I told him we do not get access to Heaven because of anything we do but because GOD decided to reach out to us in His mercy and grace through the promise of JESUS CHRIST. JESUS died on the cross for you and shed His cleansing blood to wash away all your sin so now when you come to JESUS CHRIST and ask Him to come into your heart, He will forgive you of all your sin and live in you and you can have access to GOD and heaven.

I told him when GOD asks me ‘why should I let you into Heaven?’, my response would be, “not because of anything I have done GOD because whatever I do is not good enough for you GOD because you in your Holiness cannot allow sin to enter your presence but because I believe in what JESUS CHRIST did for me and am covered by JESUS and His precious blood, so when you see me, you see JESUS’ blood covering over me and JESUS in front of me, I can have access to you.”

Then I emphasized when MAN and GOD were together and sin separated MAN and GOD, creating a huge chasm, GOD in His love for us provided JESUS CHRIST to become THE WAY to reach GOD.

Now, I took the 3^rd newspaper and the pamphlet and made a CROSS out of it and put it where the separation and the dark chasm existed.   I told him the CROSS became the BRIDGE for MAN to get across to reach GOD.

I took the 1^st paper and walked it on the CROSS to show him, MAN did not fall in the chasm anymore but was able to reach GOD when MAN decided to depend on what JESUS did for him. I emphasized JESUS CHRIST and Him alone to save us from our sin and reach GOD because of His grace. I told him JESUS CHRIST became GOD-INCARNATE to reach us.

I wanted to emphasize to him that it is by GRACE we are saved through FAITH and not of any good works that we should boast!

I want to share the bridge diagram with you here which I did not have to share with him in animation format:

Being a Hindu, he told me that he believed there were many manifestations of God but they were still all gods and JESUS is a god to him. I told him, no, no, no!!! Religion is man made. I even told him that the word Christian came to identify ‘Followers of The Way’. At Antioch, ‘Followers of The Way’ became known as Christians. They were Christians because they followed Christ.

Then, I told him JESUS said, “I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE; no one comes to the Father except through me.”

This means being a Hindu will not save you, being a Muslim will not save you, being a Buddhist will not save you etc for only JESUS can save you.

He still had a lot of questions and I told him that I cannot explain everything to him but just as Jesus has answered my questions and doubts as I came to Him, He will answer yours too. I told him this I do know that JESUS is real to me.

I told him that I was Hindu by background and had severe asthma. I told him none of the Hindu idols could heal me. I told him my mom was a devout practicing Hindu until she gave her life to JESUS CHRIST after watching the Billy Graham Crusade in 1978. Then, through the years our mom shared JESUS CHRIST with us and read Bible stories for us. I still was Hindu by background but I was learning about JESUS CHRIST.

One day I said to myself if JESUS is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow as the Bible says then what JESUS did then, He could also do now. Since I had severe asthma, I wanted JESUS CHRIST in my life to heal me so I asked JESUS into my heart as my mom prayed with me. I was healed of my asthma too as Christ came to live in me.

I told him JESUS CHRIST is so real to me. Then, I told Him that I follow JESUS CHRIST because He is real. I also shared with him to remember just because I became a follower of JESUS did not mean I did not face any hardship or struggles anymore for I did face them. But, I told Him that JESUS is there to give me the strength and endurance to bear. He mentioned inspiration and I told him that JESUS gives His peace.

I told him JESUS is real and you can have JESUS in your life so one day you can meet GOD in Heaven. I told him the only other option is Hell and you do not want that. I told him it is exciting that you can meet JESUS face to face one day as you become His. I told him that I can pray with him right now and he can give his life to JESUS asking JESUS to come and live in him. I told him that I will pray and he can repeat after me.

I also told him about Christmas and Easter! JESUS came as GOD INCARNATE!  JESUS died for our sin and came back to life to save us!

I shared with him one Easter afternoon, I felt I should go online and open a counseling chat room. I told him a person came into the chat room and I prayed with her and she prayed with me and gave her life to JESUS CHRIST. Then, I told him it happened over the internet and I could not see the person at all like I see you so wondered about it. I then told him how I had received a letter in my mailbox from her. She wrote saying that she had become a Christian in a chat room I had created for counseling and that now because she became a Christian, her husband had come to know JESUS CHRIST too! She also sent money for me to continue in ministry.

I wanted him to see that JESUS CHRIST is real. All the theological answers were not what made an impact on him but testimonies. After I shared with him, he asked me is it that simple to pray and then you become a Christian. I told him yes, when you ask JESUS to come into your heart, He will make His home in you.  Then, he told me he wanted JESUS in his heart.

Then, he asked, you don’t have to believe but just pray?

I said of course you have to BELIEVE. You do not pray asking JESUS to come into your heart if you do not BELIEVE in JESUS. I told him it is not like a mantra where you just say things for the sake of saying it. No, it does not work that way. Praying just words without belief becomes words if you do not believe what you are praying.  Even if you believe what you are praying and it is not true, there is no true effect. I told Him Jesus is the Truth!

Then, he said I do not mind having JESUS in my heart for who does not want JESUS in their heart. JESUS is a god to me. I said no, no, no!!! JESUS cannot be a god to you. JESUS has to be the only WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE! JESUS has to be real in your life.

The Bible says, you should not worship idols. You cannot follow JESUS and still worship idols. JESUS does not want you to worship what you create. JESUS is the CREATOR and we are the CREATED. We need to worship the CREATOR and not idols.

Then he says to me if I become a Christian, what happens back home when they find out I changed from Hindu religion to Christian?

I told him if JESUS is real to you, you will not care what people think. When you have JESUS in your life, He will become so real to you that you can stand up to your family and others because of your love for JESUS. I told him it will not be easy and I heard of Muslim families where the person who became a follower of Christ is thrown away from the house because they gave their life to JESUS. I said, but you know what, they gave up their family too because that is how real JESUS became to them. Lord, provided Christian families to take care of them. I told him the cost of following JESUS and it would not be easy. He understood it.

I told him when we die we can be with JESUS in Heaven and also see those who have given their lives to CHRIST when we see Heaven. He asked me how it can be if our bodies die down here. I told him that our bodies here do die and decompose but when JESUS CHRIST comes back, He will give all of us new bodies so we can be with Him in Heaven. He took it all in understanding.

I asked him again if he wanted to ask JESUS into his heart. He told me he still had doubts and was not sure about everything but said something profound: He said, if I believe in JESUS, He will take my doubts, build my faith for only He can.

I told him, yes, JESUS will help you grow in your faith. I reminded him I have been a Christian for 20 years and had my questions and doubts through the years but JESUS has helped me through them and he will help you too! I told Him Jesus still helps me with issues. He was now ready to accept JESUS into his life. PRAISE GOD!

I told him that I would pray and that he should repeat after me. He told me to go slow and not have long sentences. I said ok and prayed with him and he repeated after me, giving His life to JESUS CHRIST, the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.

I told him now ‘you are a Christian and one day will see JESUS face to face in Heaven.’

I told him he may feel something or may not feel anything after praying but not to go by feelings because JESUS promised not to leave us or forsake us. I told him JESUS will stay with you and not let you go. I told him he has the Holy Spirit in him. I told him there is partying in Heaven and they are rejoicing right now celebrating because you gave your life to JESUS CHRIST!. I told him the Bible says there is rejoicing! Thank you JESUS! I gave him a big hug and told him that he is now a brother in CHRIST.

Friend, I want to be on campus as long as the Lord keeps me so I can do His work and also address issues of morality from a biblical perspective. This is why www.pittsburghstandard.com exists too! The paper covers other issues too but they are all a means to interest students and non-students to come and read the religious section of the paper.

You can make a difference friend. You can be ready, for Jesus will come one day and take His own. Tell your loved ones about Jesus by your actions or words. Let them see the difference in you. Remember most of us who have come to know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Personal Savior have come because someone introduced us to Jesus.

Now won’t you do that friend?

“But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:8-13, NIV)

People want to hear Jesus and there is a cry, “introduce now to rest of dying universe, Christ’s emancipation”

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" (Romans 10:14-15, NIV)

May you come to know Jesus so personally that you cannot help introduce Jesus to those around you by testifying to His love! Amen!

“Introduce Now To Rest Of Dying Universe, Christ’s Emancipation.” (I.N.T.R.O.D.U.C.E)/”Who do you introduce to Jesus?”

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I love you so much. Thank you for loving me so much! We are sorry for our sin. Please forgive us and help us. Thank you Jesus for dying for my sin and coming back to life to save me! Thank you so much Jesus for what I have learned from your Word. When the people recognized you and who you are, they did not remain silent but took action. They went throughout the region and brought the sick to you. In essence, they introduced the sick to you. When the sick introduced themselves to you and asked for their healing, you did heal them. Thank you so much Jesus. You not only heal our physical infirmities but our spiritual condition too. You have healed me of my damaged spiritual condition because apart from you we all are damaged goods. Thank you for your healing in other areas of life too! You alone can make us what we need to be. Because of what you have done for us, help us to remember that always and want to introduce others to you. We need your help Lord for we cannot do it on our own. We are weak, we are scared and at times just frightened but we know you can help us. We depend on you and wait upon you Lord for your healing. Come Lord Jesus and reign in us. Help us to get people ready for your coming. Thank you so much Jesus. We thank you for the lives that you save. We thank you for the Promise! Lord, I pray right now for the one that does not know you! You know their questions, their pain, their condition, and they need you. They need you even when they feel they do not need you. Please intervene in their lives and I know they can introduce themselves to you and come to you. Thank you for loving them so much that you died for them. If they were the only one, you would have still died for them. Thank you Jesus! Help us to live for you and serve you. We acknowledge you as our Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you for saving us. Thank you for hearing our prayer and answering us! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

May you be uplifted knowing Deliverer openly understands bringing total Salvation! Amen!

If you would like to invite Jesus Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your life, you can this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim God's promises for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special time to come to the Lord. You can come right now as you pray this prayer, meaning it in your heart and finding your new identity in Christ Jesus.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I am a sinner Lord. I am so sorry for my sins. I confess my sins to you. I confess the wrong things I have done and the times I messed up my own life. I need you Lord right now and in the years to come. I have gone my own way and have not found what only you can give me. You alone have the words of Eternal Life. You alone love me unconditionally for who I am. I thank you Jesus. Thank you for going to the cross for me, for dying for my sins, shedding your precious blood for me, so I can me made whole. I am covered by your blood Lord! I come as I am and  accept you Jesus into my heart. Please come into my heart Jesus. Please make my heart your home. Please live in me Jesus. Thanks Jesus for coming into my heart and living in me. Thank you for forgiving me of all my sins. Thank you for giving me a new identity in you. I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior as I believe in my heart that you died and came back to life to save me now and forever. I give myself to you and ask you to be in control of my life. Thank you Jesus through the  days, we can do things together. Thanks for being my Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you Jesus you have heard my prayer and answered me. Thanks Jesus for changing me and helping me through life's storms and winds. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!