As they work and labor for the Lord, the believers preach Christ as the gospel to sinners by preaching the word. Acts 5:42 says that the apostles did not cease “bringing the good news of Jesus as the Christ,” that is, they did not cease preaching Christ as the gospel. Acts 8:4 tells us, “Those therefore who were scattered went about the land bringing the good news of the word.” It was sovereign of God that the scattering of the believers from Jerusalem to other localities through persecution should carry out the spreading of the gospel for the fulfillment of the Lord’s word in Acts 1:8. For the believers to bring good news of the word is to bring good news of the Lord Himself.
One of the scattered ones who went about bringing the good news of the word was Philip. Acts 8:5 says, “Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.” Acts 8:12 says, Philip brought “good news concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.” These verses are a further indication that the believers should preach Christ as the gospel to sinners by preaching the word.
In 2 Timothy 4:2a Paul gives a charge to Timothy: “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season.” The word Timothy was to preach included what he had learned both of Paul and of the Old Testament (2 Tim. 3:14-15). Timothy was not merely to teach a word about salvation from hell to heaven. He was to speak a completing word regarding God’s revelation concerning Christ and the church. Such a healthy word is the truth, the reality of the contents of God’s New Testament economy. Timothy was charged to be ready to preach this word in season and out of season. To preach in season and out of season means to preach whether the situation is opportune or inopportune, whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether you are welcome or unwelcome.
In Mark 16:17 and 18 we see that those who work and labor for the Lord should cast out the demons in the Lord’s name and heal the sick by laying their hands on them. We should not think that because we are not in favor of the Pentecostal movement we do not care for the casting out of demons and for the healing of the sick. On the contrary, we should care for these things, but we should not practice them as particular items in our work. The particular items of our work are Christ and the church with the Spirit and the divine life. Nevertheless, as we preach the gospel in certain places, we shall encounter cases of demon possession. It is our duty to cast out the demons, to drive away the devilish power. There is no need for us to be asked to cast out a demon. Immediately, without being asked, we should fulfill our duty to cast out demons. However, when we meet those who are sick, we should wait to be asked before we lay hands on them for healing. If a sick person asks us to heal him by the laying on of hands in the name of the Lord and prayer, we should do this, leaving the matter of healing to the Lord. Quite often we shall see the healing. Sometimes, however, we shall not see the healing. Therefore, we should leave the matter of the actual healing to the Lord. Furthermore, we should be reminded not to allow the two items of casting out demons and healing the sick to surpass the main items of the gospel, which are Christ and the church.
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