Good morning, Champion. The world starts with your world Mark 16:15-16 (NKJV) And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned". When you read this commission – that we all have in common – it can seem very daunting, especially if you read it in one of the older translations of the Bible. I want to take a couple of days to break it down and make it more do-able for everyday folk. Firstly we need to remind ourselves that this is the Great Commission not the Great Suggestion. Jesus has commissioned us (His body) to be busy with the incredible honour of introducing others to Him and helping them to be His followers too. If this is important to Him it should be important to us. But again, it should be something that is fueled by desire from the heart not obligation from the mind. So let’s start at the very beginning: "Go ye into all the world". How huge and seemingly undoable is that? Let’s re-look at it to make it something that we can all get busy with. Before you pack and set sail for Africa or the remote regions of China let’s consider your individual world. After all, the disciples were told to go first to their city, Jerusalem, then to surrounding areas, then finally to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). We must all realise the first world we need to be passionate to represent Jesus in effectively is the one that is unique to us right now. Without going anywhere you have a very real world that is unique to you, made up of your friends, neighbours, people you work or go to school with. The first people we need to go to with the good news of who Jesus is and what He has done is surely them, because if you don’t take responsibility for them who will? This personal world can actually be the most demanding one – let’s face, it in many ways it is easier go to the ends of the earth and stand up for Jesus with people that do not know you! You can project anything or impersonate anyone. But with the people in our everyday world you have to live it out too, because they know you and will be watching to see if you live it or just talk it, right? This does not need to be a negative reality but rather a strength to you. As you purpose to live out the new life God has given you in an authentic way you will catch the attention of those who know you; the changed life you live out before them will prompt the questions that you want to be asked. So don’t read the Great Commission and think you have to rush out and buy an air ticket for a mission trip some place far off; rather, ask the Holy Spirit to show you the people in your Jerusalem (immediate world) that need God, and ask Him for the courage to reach out to them on a daily basis. When the life you daily live matches the words that come out of your mouth, that will turn some heads for sure. GO INTO YOUR WORLD God bless, Andy
No comments:
Post a Comment