Universal Truth
Here at Cross Creek Church, our theme for 2024 is the word “mission”. We are called to be on mission for Christ, though sometimes it can be difficult to know what that looks like practically in our lives. We at More Than Sundays are here to help with that as best we can – this article is a part of a series about our God-given responsibility to live on mission in our communities, regardless of what those communities may be. We hope it is helpful and edifying for you. Please enjoy!
Evangelism – it’s an intimidating word. Spreading the good news about Jesus to others can be terrifying, especially if you’re an introvert such as myself. And we introverted Christians definitely need the Holy Spirit to guide us into evangelism – not only within our community, but throughout the world. However, not many of us are called as missionaries into other countries, so how are we to share the Gospel to the whole world without leaving our country?
As followers of Christ, we are responsible to bring the Gospel to all nations. “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV) Firstly, as Christians we must remember Jesus cared about the people he spoke to. Jesus went where he knew people needed to hear about the hope he brought to the world. For instance in John 4, Jesus stepped foot in Samaria, a region inhabited by the Samaritans who were considered by the Jews to be “the worst of the human race” (GotQuestions.org). During the Christ days, when many avoided Samaria, Jesus detoured there to meet with a Samaritan woman (John 4:1-26). He gently and without prejudice spoke to the Samaritan woman bringing her hope and love with the truth about our Heavenly Father. As Christians, some of us don’t have to leave the country to share the Gospel. We can simply go where some of the lost and the forgotten gather. When talking to nonbelievers, or those who don’t know Christ, as Christians we are also responsible to carefully listen to their perspective and find out the “why” to their belief. Jesus didn’t come to condemn us (John 3:17); therefore as His followers, neither should we. And as we approach nonbelievers with the Gospel, we must do so with kindness and gentleness. Not only will they feel valued and respected, but they will also feel accepted. In turn, we also get to know who they are as individuals and uncover hard questions and trials that may have lurked underneath others. As we begin to introduce Jesus to those who need him most, the news of his hope and the wonderful changes of his restoration and love potentially reach many more who need to hear about his healing and his nondiscriminatory, universal love.
Secondly, sharing our testimony to perhaps a public forum or in conversation may open doors to those who can relate to our story before Christ. Sharing our testimony is a very raw and courageous act that only Christ can bring us to when he feels we are ready to make it public. Doing so provides others who may not know Christ with the knowledge that there is hope for them. When others see and hear that we, followers of Christ, also struggled and wrestled with our darkness and brokenness, the feeling of being alone or feeling ashamed may subside. The best part of our testimony is sharing how we are made new through Christ and how he freed us from our chains of sin, shame, darkness, and brokenness – in this way, the light of Christ will travel into the darkened hearts of many, allowing hope to enter souls that perhaps were deemed hopeless. Sharing our testimony is vital because it means bearing witness to God’s truth; in Revelation 12:11 (NIV), it even says that those who overcome will do so “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Jesus wants us to tell others about His work in us. “As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, ‘Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” (Mark 5:18-19, NIV) Each time we share our testimony, we are sharing the Gospel and praising God for all He has done and continues to do in our lives (Psalm 71:15-19).
The more we remain obedient to God and the more we remain faithful in Him, the more eager we become to declare His glory and His truth to those around us and to those in nearby cities and states. The wave of the Gospel will inevitably then continue to circulate to the ends of the earth. May we, as His followers, desire to bring the Gospel to many who need to hear it. May He make us bold and brave to share His goodness and our testimony from the mountain tops.
References
GotQuestions.org. “Who Were The Samaritans.” GotQuestions.Org, 21 Oct. 2009, www.gotquestions.org/Samaritans.html