Jesus love for all people is seen in His compassion, understanding, tact and selflessness, and above all, His kindness. He made real contact with the people He met; He saw them. It was always His mission to relieve them of their heavy burdens and bring people to full recovery, both physically and spiritually. As followers of Christ, this should also be our goal.
Jesus took great care of His neighbors during His time on earth. Christ came to demonstrate God's perfect love, not to condemn, but to heal and save people from Satan's power.
In Matthew 10 and Luke 10, Jesus sends His disciples out to do missionary work, preaching the gospel and healing the sick. For us too, He is the great Example, which we may follow.
What is medical missionary work?
Personal medical missionary work can be defined as "the gospel of healing and blessing and strengthening."Counsels on Health, p.533.2.
It involves more than curing a disease. We find the purpose of this form of evangelism in the remainder of the quote.
"Take hold of the medical missionary work, and it will give you access to the people. Their hearts will be touched as you minister to their necessities. As you relieve their sufferings, you will find opportunity to speak to them of the love of Jesus....” Counsels on Health, p.533.3.
Medical missionary work can also be called personal, or friendship evangelism. It has multiple applications. It can prepare the way for the gospel and remove prejudice. Also, the practical work done supports the gospel. It can even provide an illustration of the gospel. The main goal, of course, is to point people to Christ, who can give complete healing from sickness and sin.
What does medical missionary work involve?
Medical missionary work is very broad. In His ministry, Jesus helped the whole human being: physically, mentally, spiritually and socially. We can also read this principle in the Bible as a command to all Christians.
In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah is already writing against sham piety and for practical charity.
Isaiah 58:6-7: "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?"
Matthew 25 deals with the last judgment, where the righteous receive their reward with the explanation, "For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me."When the righteous ask the Lord "when did we do this?" the answer is, "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 25:35-36, 40.
Who should be involved in missionary work?
Everyone, all believers! You have to put faith into practice, otherwise it tends toward formalism, emphasizing the outward form. Someone who experiences faith in this way may be so misled that he thinks that he has a relationship with God, but that is not right. The Lord warns against this (Isaiah 58, Matthew 7:21).
Our conviction and devotion to God must be put into practice. The evidence of true worship is concern for the needs of others. Prayer for the sick, lonely or those in difficult circumstances will then be supported with personal ministry. There will always be a desire in the heart to share knowledge that has eternal value.
Double blessing through personal missionary work
Evangelizing works both ways. Of course, the one who receives support or ministry is blessed by it. But the believer doing the missionary work also receives a blessing. It contributes to their happiness and health.
We read it at length in Isaiah 58.
“Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” Isaiah 58:8-14.
"Good deeds are twice a blessing, benefiting both the giver and the receiver of the kindness. The consciousness of right-doing is one of the best medicines for diseased bodies and minds. When the mind is free and happy from a sense of duty well done and the satisfaction of giving happiness to others, the cheering, uplifting influence brings new life to the whole being.” Ministry of Healing, p.257.1.
In conclusion
Personal medical missionary work is so broad that there is a task for each person in which his or her talents and abilities are best demonstrated. Doing this work of evangelism is essential for every believer, for every disciple of Jesus. He promises us that the harvest is great. Let us follow His example.
"For I have given you an example,
that ye should do as I have done to you."
John 13:15.
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