I just finished reading the gospel of Matthew this morning in my daily morning bible reading and it got me to thinking about being a witness for Christ. Before Jesus ascended into heaven “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’ (or all peoples)” ~Matthew 28:18-19. Jesus is fully God and He was given full authority in heaven and on earth, He could have chosen any way He wanted to for the gospel to be spread throughout the world but He chose us. This is not a request from the Lord it is a command, he didn’t tell this to the great leaders of the day He gave this command to His disciples the people that followed Him. If you’re a Christian you are a disciple, a follower of Jesus Christ so He was talking directly to each and every Christian. He wasn’t talking just to pastors or other leaders in the church He was talking to everyone that believes everyone that claims the name of Christ. Your Pastor is probably a good man, a good speaker, and a good teacher but He is very limited; he can’t be more than one place at a time. Your pastor is in the church the majority of the time; he preaches a message on Sunday morning to who (believers), he visits the sick that are believers in the church, he councils believers in the church. Your pastor is a Sheppard; he takes care of the group of believers that are assigned to him by God. His job is to teach those that believe so that we can go out and be a witness for Jesus Christ telling all people everywhere “For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” ~John 3:16. I have been called by the Lord not to be a pastor but to be a witness for Jesus. Do you know that the majority of us are in a better position to reach the lost than our pastor is? Your Pastor is in the church surrounded by believers most of the time. We are out in the world working differing jobs coming in contact with all kinds of people. In fact we come into contact with people that never darken the doorways of a church, if you don’t bring them the gospel who will? In reference to Isaiah 52:7 in his letter to the Romans Paul was talking about believers spreading the gospel and how could anyone know that there is salvation alone in Jesus Christ unless someone tells them. He said: “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news” Romans 10:15.
And there is a lot at stake here we are talking about people’s lives, without Jesus Christ all of these people that you come into contact with on a daily basis are going to suffer for all eternity in the Lake of burning sulfur (Revelations 21:8). Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” John 14:6. Do you believe that, do you believe that there is no other way into heaven except through Jesus Christ? Jesus came for one reason and one reason only “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” ~Luke 19:10. Who is lost? Every man, women, and child walking the face of this earth that doesn’t have their trust in Jesus Christ, the bible says “everyone has sinned” ~Romans 3:23. Your coworkers, your customers, your friends, your family, the telemarketer that calls your home, the cashier at the grocery store; all need to hear that there is salvation alone in Jesus Christ.
If you are a believer I encourage you to tell people about Jesus and if you are not a believer I plead with you to repent (turn from your sins) and trust that Jesus Christ death on the cross is all the payment that you need for your sins.
“Not called, you say. Not heard the call, I say.” ~William Booth
God Bless,
Mike Peek
