Are you Fulfilling the Great Commission?

This week I have really wondered if I’m in the right place – I know that I am, but some days are more difficult than others. Yes, as I mentioned last week, we can’t get bogged down with whatever is happening around us, we have to move forward and place our trust and dependence on the Lord learning more about Him and ourselves. But we have work to do as well. When Jesus left to be with the Father in Heaven, He gave us a job to do – go and make disciples of all nations. Are we doing that each day as we go to and from work? Are we doing that as we go to the grocery store? Are we doing that when we go to the ball game? I know I haven’t been. I mean, I work the Lord into most conversations, but I don’t go into the details of the Gospel. I just haven’t. 

This morning, one of our church’s Elders ministered, and she laid out our commission really clearly. We don’t have to sell Jesus to anyone, but we do have a command to tell people about him and why we all need him. We were born sinners (Rom 3:23) and the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). There is nothing we can do on our own to pay for it – we were condemned (Heb 9:2; Eph 2:8-9). But God loved us so much that He provided a way out of that punishment for us (John 3:16). He sent His son Jesus, a perfect sacrifice, to pay the penalty for our sins (Rom 5:8). Jesus served as a bridge for us be reunited with the Father in Heaven, both now and forever (1 Pet 3:18). When we believe on Jesus, we receive eternal life (John 1:12). That is a story of the Gospel. 

Do you have any idea how many people we pass on the street or in the aisle at the grocery store who are lost in darkness and may not even know it? I don’t and that’s really the point. People can be nice people and still be lost. How many people in our families are in the same predicament? They may be going about their lives, knowing something is missing, but not understanding what that is. I don’t want to be held accountable for their loss. I have to do better and I challenge you to do the same. 

I don’t know what to say, you might be thinking. Well, you can use the words above or you can tell your story about how Jesus saved you or you can study and let the Holy Spirit give you the words to say or you can admit you don’t know the right words, but you know Jesus saved you and he’ll do the same for them. I also have a tool for you – The Navigators Discipleship Tool. It provides a graphic and the scriptures above to explain how Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross are our bridge back to Father God. It tells the story of our redemption and how Jesus wants to have a relationship with each one of us (Rev 3:20). I highly recommend it. I’m by no means recommending anyone go on an evangelist journey, unless God is leading you to that. But I am suggesting that all of us have interactions with people who don’t know Jesus and this is a way for us to make sure they’ve heard of Him and why we need Him. They may not accept Him, but that is above our pay grade. Another tool for you is a YouTube video that moved me. It’s all about the G.O.S.P.E.L and it’s about 5 minutes long (Thanks Elder Melinda for all the tools today). 

At the end of the day, we have no excuse for not following Jesus’ direction. Make sure you’re doing your part. Be present and intentional. The Holy Spirit will do the work, you just have to step into it. I love you all and wish you the very best as you do your part in pointing people to Jesus. Be blessed!