MATTHEW 28
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
GET UP AND GO
Jesus left some wonderful final instructions for us.. so why do we do the opposite.
Many churches have events and programmes. but where do they have them.. in their churches.
When Jesus said these words.. there was one key word.. can anyone tell me what it is?
Is it Stay? Is it stop?
NO IT IS GO
The church thinks that people will come to it. Sinners are as likely to come to church, than criminals will go to a police station, we are enemies of God before salvation, it is only by the Spirit’s leading that any of us have come to God, although I went to church as a child and read the bible, I was still a million miles from God.
Now many people are brought to church by the faithful witness of believers.. like I was. We are to do this all the time, we are to befriend and love unbelievers and yes we can invite to events at our churches like barbecues and other outreach events.
But most people never would think of coming near a church, so how do we reach them?
We must Go…out into the world…out of our comfortable, carpeted and air-conditioned churches. When we were in the United Kingdom we had the privilege of sharing the gospel on the streets of Lancaster, handing out literature to people who mostly refused them. This is tough work, there were only 8 of us, including one godly couple in their 80’s. So many Christians live in Lancaster, but oh so few are ready to stand out in the cold and share the gospel. Now Open-air witnessing is not for everybody I realise that.
Recently we have started to share the gospel near my Mother in Law’s home, Helen plays the guitar and drums and this draws a few people and we just say a few words of testimony, people are fascinated by us being a cross cultural couple.
You can say a word, it doesn’t have to be some great theological outpouring, each one of you have as story to tell.. so tell it.
Jesus said to His disciples that the fields are ready for harvest but the labourers are few. Jesus tells us to go, and yet we find excuse after excuse to stay put.
Listen believer: This world will not come to us, we have to take the gospel to the world. Sure, there are some after much prayer and friendship will come to church, but they are the exception rather than the rule. They come to church, they sing the hymns, they hear the sermons and that’s it.
You can have all these big programmes, concerts and revival meetings in church, but unless we get up and go, sinners will continue to perish, only to experience a Christ-less eternity.
It’s Time to go! The harvest is ready. Jesus is calling. Harvest time!
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING
https://www.chick.com/battle-cry/article?id=Parable-of-the-Fishless-Fishermen
https://livingwaters.com/without-this-you-cannot-evangelize
GOD BLESS
KEITH