A Man Sent From God

By Senior Pastor Prince Guneratnam

 

 

“There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John” (John 1:6). Who was this man? Why was he sent from God? The scriptures record that “the true light that gives light to every man coming into the world” (John 1:9), and John, a disciple of Jesus was sent to be a witness if the “true light”. One day, John saw Jesus coming towards him from a distance and he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

 

God gave his only begotten Son to be the Saviour of mankind and wanted a witness, someone who would tell the world that Jesus would come and take our sin. Jesus walked on the face of the earth, teaching mankind the Kingdom of God but sinful men took him and crucified him on the cross. He was buried and rose again on the third day by the power of God. Jesus lived on the earth for 40 days after his resurrection, declaring to the world that he was not dead but alive. Scriptures record that more than 500 people saw him alive before he ascended to heaven and just before he ascended to heaven, standing on the mount, he said to his disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15). This was his last command and mandate given to you and me (to all Christians).

 

God’s Method is a Man

 

The command to preach the gospel is not an option, something for us to do only when time permits. It is a command. God has designated that the only way the world will come to know Jesus is exactly as the scripture says: “There was a man sent from God….” God’s method is a man. He chooses men and women to tell the message, and this message is important because it is the gospel of salvation for mankind. Acts 4:12 declares that “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved”. There is only one message, one Saviour, one hope – till the whole world knows Jesus.

 

Divine Pattern in the Old Testament

 

In the Old Testament, you will find that God’s instrument had always been man. When the nation of Israel was a slave to the nation of Egypt, they cried out to God to save them from slavery. Slavery is a good illustration of what sin does to man, when a man becomes slave to sin. When the children of Israel cried out for help, God looked for a man. He found Moses. And when Moses died, God chose Joshua.

 

In the Book of Judges, God found 12 different judges who serve in 12 different epochs or periods of time. Each time God looked for a judge, he found one to help the children of God. When Israel cried out and asked for a king like all the other nations roundabout them had, God found Saul to be their first king. When Saul was rejected because of his disobedience, God found David.

 

Can God Use a Woman?

 

You might ask what about women. In God’s vocabulary, the human race is referred to as “man”. He speaks about you and as “man” and this includes both men and women. These are two books in the new in the Old Testament named after woman. One of these was Esther.

 

Once, Israel was caught in a political dilemma. A high official called Haman plotted to destroy all of God’s people. Once again God looked for a man. He found a woman named Esther. And because of her courage, God delivered them form wicked Haman and the Jewish race was saved.

 

The other woman was Ruth. She was an obscure woman whom God found when He looked for someone He could use. Because of her obedience, faith and commitment to God, Ruth had a part in the lineage of Jesus Christ.

 

When God thought it time to reveal the master plan He had in mind even before the foundation of the world for the salvation of mankind, he looked to the human race for a man. And who did He find? He found a simple, obedient peasant girl, Mary, who was willing to do the will of God and bring fourth the Messiah, the one who would break all barriers.

 

Divine Pattern in the New Testament

 

In the New Testament, Jesus looked for 12 men to whom he could entrust the Kingdom of God. He found His twelve disciples. There was Paul. There was Timothy, and many others.

 

Look at Church History

 

If you go back in time and turn the pages of church history, you will see God looked and found Martin Luther, John Wesley, William Carey, Hudson Taylor, Lillian Treacher, Amy McPherson, Katherine Kulman (who helped us build Calvary Church), Charles Finney, D.L. Moody, John Calvin, Dr. Paul Cho, and others.

 

God’s method is man. God is looking for you. You might not be a Martin Luther of D.L. Moody but you have a part in this last end-time period. You might not say that you are not one to cross oceans of fly over mountains to be a missionary. But God is looking for people for various types of ministries to fulfill the command to tell the gospel till the whole world knows Jesus. This commission is to all Christians. The Bible says: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21). We will hasten the return of Jesus Christ. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

 

The Maid’s Witness

 

Let me conclude with the beautiful story recorded in II Kings 5:1-14. The story goes: “Now Naaman was commander of the army of the King of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly respected, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.”

 

Leprosy is a good illustration of what sin does to mankind. It destroys the body by slowly eating away the flesh. In the same way, sin does not come in all its fury. It destroys you slowly but surely.

 

Mrs. Naaman had a maid. The fact that the Bible did not tell us her name is significant because otherwise, you will say, “Well, I’m not her.” The maid was a Jewish girl taken captive by Naaman in one of his battles, to assist his wife. One day, seeing the master’s pain and sorrow because of leprosy, she said to Mrs. Naaman, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy” (II Kings 5:3). We know the rest of the story, hoe Naaman was healed because of the little seemingly insignificant girl’s witness but she helped him find deliverance.

 

Till the Whole World Knows

 

Today, we have similar message to tell. Do you know any Naaman? What can we do? Do we have something to give, a message to tell the world? Can we do something to change the course of history in our land? Sometimes we adopt a defeatist attitude; we tell ourselves we are nobody, there is no use in telling etc. It is all too easy for some of us to throw in the towel.

 

I have news for you. The maid said, “There is a God.” Thank God for His healing power; it is still available. Jesus still forgives today: “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sin”(Colossians 1:13 & 14). Also, “Therefore, my brothers I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sin is proclaimed to you.” (Acts 13:38).

 

We have a God who can walk into the life of that unbeliever, that home, that difficult heart or that situation impossible with man. We can talk to a powerful God who says that all things are possible with Him. He can do a miracle. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).

 

How is all this going to be known? Who is going to take this message to our city and believe God for our land? Who is going to tell the world? Will you?

 

God is looking. He has not changed. His method is still in man. He found man in the Old Testament, and down through the ages. Today, He is still looking. Will you say, “Lord, Send Me”? (Isaiah 6:8).   

 

CALVARY NEWS

January – March 1991