The Other Mandates Given to the New Testament Church
Luke 4:18-19 - “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, [19] To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Luke 4:18 is another mandate given to the New Testament Church to fulfill, but often neglected. This passage details the mandate expressed in Matthew 28:18-20 that all God’s people must accomplish before the return of the Savior. This mandate is mentioned in John 14:10-13. We are commanded to continue and fulfill Christ's works before His return.
Matthew 28:19-20 is the Great Commission. It is the mandate given to the Empowered Church to reach the lost with the Gospel of Christ. It does not stop in getting a person saved. The saved individuals must be introduced to the gospel of obedience (baptism) and the gospel of edification (teaching and discipleship). Everything that is learned must be shared with others through discipleship.
This mandate in Matthew 28 coincides with the first mandate in Luke 4:18, to “Preach the gospel to the poor” - the spiritually impoverished people without the hope of eternal life. But we are not only commanded to prepare people for eternity. We must also prepare them to faithfully serve God and fulfill the works and the greater works of Christ. We are identified as God’s Ambassadors and witnesses, responsible for spreading hope only in Christ Jesus.
Today, let us understand these mandates that many Churches have neglected and not taught and shared with God’s people.
The Lord Jesus Christ proclaims six mandates to His disciples for them to understand why He came to this world. It is called the “Messianic works of Christ.”
When Jesus returned to Galilee and Nazareth at the beginning of His personal earthly ministry, He immediately started His mission. This was after He was tempted by the Devil. But unlike the first Adam, the man, Jesus Christ, and the second Adam remained innocent and sinless, making Him the proper sacrifice as the precious Lamb of God.
He became known because of His wonderful works that many people were wondering who He was and inquiring about His purpose. To make Himself known, He quoted the words of the Prophet in Isaiah 61:1-2 to describe His messianic works that He graciously and victoriously accomplished while on earth.
In John chapter 14, right before He died at Calvary, He gave the same mandate to the Apostles to fulfill.
John 14:11-15 - “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
[12] Verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
[13] And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.
15] If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
These same works the Lord Jesus Christ left us to continue and complete before His second coming. To guarantee their fulfillment, He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in every believer and to empower the Church, the Body of Christ. This was fulfilled during the day of Pentecost, mentioned in Acts 2.
What are these works:
1.Preach the Gospel to the poor
2.Heal the brokenhearted
3.Preach deliverance to the captives
4.Recover sight to the blind
5.Set at liberty them that are bruised
6.Preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Conclusion:
To show how vital these mandates are, the Lord promised many blessings to those who will do them: John 14:13-16 - “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. [15] If ye love me, keep my commandments. [16] And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;”
To assure their fulfillment and victory, He gave us the Holy Spirit, and through Him, we have been given access to God’s power and grace. God knows that these could not be done without His power. Our natural abilities are not capable. Through the Holy Spirit present in us and the Church having His power, there is no reason for God’s faithful people not to be victorious in the work of the Lord.
Is your Church also fulfilling and teaching these mandates found in Luke 4:18? Or are we, like most Churches, only focused on fulfilling Matthew 28:19-20?
John 14:12 - “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”