Ministry to the Poor
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mourners, soothing the afflicted, speaking peace to the distressed.—
Letter 117, 1903
.
“And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as
His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and
stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto Him the book of
the prophet Esaias. And when He had opened the book, He found the
place where it was written, 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,
to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
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This is a wonderful description of Christ’s work. The Pharisees
and Sadducees despised the poor. The learned and rich neglected them,
as though their wealth and knowledge made them of more value than
those who were poor. But Jesus declared that it was His work to give
encouragement and comfort and help where it was most needed.—
Manuscript 65b, 1898
.
How Christ Awakened Soul Hunger—Christ’s chief work was
in the preaching of the gospel to the poor. He chose to minister
to the needy, the ignorant. In simplicity He opened before them the
blessings they might receive, and thus He awakened their soul’s hunger
for the truth, the bread of life. Christ’s life is an example to all His
followers.—
Manuscript 103, 1906
.
The Evidence of the Divinity of the Gospel—Christ met with
the greatest success among the poor, and with this class every human
being, whether learned or unlearned, may find abundance to do. The
poor need comfort and sympathy, for there are those who without
a helping hand will never recover themselves. In working for these
Christ’s disciples will fulfill their commission. This is the highest
credential of the gospel ministry. Had the gospel been of men, it would
have been popular with the rich and mighty; but it pours contempt
upon the rich and mighty, and calls upon all who accept it to work the
works of Christ, helping those who are destitute, despised, forsaken,
afflicted.
Those who take hold of the work for the love of Christ and the
love of souls will work in Christ’s lines. This world is a lazar house of
disease, but Christ came to heal the sick, to comfort the brokenhearted,
to proclaim deliverance to the captives, to give sight to the blind. The
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