Further Thought: “Many have no faith in God and have lost confidence in man. But they appreciate acts of sympathy and helpfulness. As they see one with no inducement of earthly praise or compensation coming to their homes, ministering to the sick, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, comforting the sad, and tenderly pointing all to Him of whose love and pity the human worker is but the messenger—as they see this, their hearts are touched. Gratitude springs up. Faith is kindled. They see that God cares for them, and they are prepared to listen as His Word is opened.”—Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 145.
The unselfish ministry of Jesus opens hearts, breaks down prejudice, and creates a receptivity for the gospel. The church is the body of Christ meeting needs in love everywhere. Christ sends us out into our communities to make a difference in His name. Though we certainly need to be careful about being contaminated by the world (and that is a very real and dangerous threat to our church), we still must learn to reach the people where they are and to be used by God, who wants to take them from where they are and bring them to where they should be.
Discussion Questions:
• Why is the compassionate ministry of Christ so powerful in breaking down prejudice and opening people up to hear spiritual truths? Try to imagine how much more effective our witness as a people would be were we to reflect the same selfless concern for others as Jesus did.
• Think about a time when you said something that might have been true, correct, or even needed, but you said it wrong; that is, you said it with a bad tone or attitude. What did you learn from that experience that could help you not to do it again, such as waiting until you calm down before speaking?
• Dwell more on the idea that all the people healed or even raised from the dead would eventually die. What should that tell us about how we ought to be conducting our outreach and ministry to those around us?
• What types of ministries can your church launch in your community that you are not currently doing?
• How can we create spiritual opportunities for seekers through our felt-need ministries?
Inside Story
Surprise Treat in Sudan
By. Glenn Mitchell
Living in Sudan was a challenge for a Seventh-day Adventist couple working for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency. Daily temperatures hovered at 102-108 degrees Fahrenheit (39-42 degrees Celsius) from May to September. A cold drink was a treat after a day of work for my wife, Suzanne, and me.
Returning home one day, I followed Suzanne into the kitchen and hopped up onto the counter to chat while she prepared a meal. As I sat on the counter, swinging my feet as a boy does, Suzanne asked me what I wanted to drink.
“What do you have?” I asked.Placing her hands on her hips, she informed me in a haute voice, “I have Orange Fanta, root beer, or Sprite.”“Hmm, I want Squirt,” I said, referring to a favorite cold drink that I hadn’t seen since leaving our home in the United States.“I don’t have any Squirt,” Suzanne said, maintaining the same haute voice.I jumped off the kitchen counter, threw myself on the floor and, in the manner of a child, began to throw a tantrum. Kicking my feet and pounding my fist, I demanded the beverage. “I want Squirt! I want Squirt!” I cried.
It was to no avail. There was no Squirt. Suzanne and I laughed and laughed about our silliness. Moments like these made hard days easier to bear.
Two hours later, a friend pulled into our driveway. She worked with the U.S. Agency for International Development in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, and acted as our liaison officer for several ADRA projects funded by USAID. She allowed us to receive mail at her official address, and on this day she was delivering a box with much-awaited hair products from the United States. I tore open the box, knowing our American friends would have included a bag of chocolate-covered raisins for her. Sure enough, the coveted bag of raisins lay right on top. Underneath the raisins were nestled two bottles of hair conditioner. But wait. Something more seemed to be in the box. Digging under the packing paper, I found, waiting in all its green glory, a big bottle of Squirt!
I had never requested the beverage from anyone in the United States. But on a hot day in Sudan, God provided a special treat. Weeks before I had asked Suzanne for the drink, the bottle was on its way to 
Khartoum. God cares about even the smallest details of our lives, and He loves to give. “To give is to live” (The Desire of Ages, p. 623). God promises, “Those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing” (Psalms 34:10, NKJV). When God saw me being silly and throwing my tantrum, He must have smiled and thought, “Wait and see what I have in store for you.”
Khartoum. God cares about even the smallest details of our lives, and He loves to give. “To give is to live” (The Desire of Ages, p. 623). God promises, “Those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing” (Psalms 34:10, NKJV). When God saw me being silly and throwing my tantrum, He must have smiled and thought, “Wait and see what I have in store for you.”
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