Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Casual Evangelism

Think about something that you are ridiculously passionate about. Got it? Okay, good. Now imagine that you don't take this thing that you are so passionate about seriously. Be it a boyfriend, a family member, or your best friend, what if you didn't take that relationship seriously. What if you just let is slide by the wayside, not nurturing it and investing in it. It wouldn't last very long. When you treat an earthly relationship as such, it tends to fall apart.

Now think about your relationship with Christ. As Christians we say, "I am passionate about Christ." But then we turn around and we are casual in the way we share him with others. Matthew 28:18 says, "Then Jesus came and told his disciples, 'I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 NLT) This is an explicit commandment from Jesus Christ himself, telling us to go and make disciples. Not "go and beat around the bush and kind of invite someone to church" Is evangelism something we take seriously, or something we strive to mark off a to-do list. I believe we have taken this super natural concept and turned it into a menial everyday task. The action has become mundane and mediocre, like our apathetic existence.

We need to tell people about the Good News. And not just simply tell, but share, and explain. Bring people to the all powerful knowledge of God. We Christians, know the reality of eternity, yet we hold onto the real truth, keeping it a secret. Do we really hate the lost so much that we wouldn't share the amazing, and also grim aspects of what eternity holds? It would be like having the ability to save a bus full of people on a road to a fiery car crash. You alone have the knowledge and the ability to save them, but you watch as the bus speeds past, keeping the information to yourself. Would you actually do that? Of course not. You would do whatever you could to stop them from meeting their impending doom. The reality of this analogy is harsh, but its real. When we let lost people pass us by everyday, we are allowing them to journey on toward an eternity in hell. God has given us the responsibility of sharing his Truth. Acts 1:8 says, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (NLT) We have the Truth. We have the ability to share it. We can take ten minutes and share about the wonders of a life in Christ and a eternity in heaven. Or we can let the opportunity pass, and send them straight to an eternity in Hell. It's our choice, and its serious. So we should see it that way. It's serious. We have access to genuine peace and Joy. Lets share that.

I hope that I can also take to heart the words I've said, as well. God can do some great and mighty things, if a simple few would stand up and make a difference. It takes being serious about our faith though.

2 Timothy 2:8 Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach. And because I preach this good news, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the Word of God cannot be chained. So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen. (2 Timothy 2:8-10; NLT)

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