Thursday, February 19, 2015
Go into all the world and speak boldly...
I believe that if you are a Christian taking the time to read this, then you want to be a Matthew 28 Christian. You are a follower of Jesus wanting to go into your world and make more followers.
It is a lifestyle not a plan or a program.
You live forgiven and that gives credibility to Jesus. You are living proof he gives new life.
You serve intentionally. That gives credibility to the message you speak.
But we must also speak boldly.
His demons were about to destroy him. They had robbed him of his family, his dignity, and any chance at happiness. He was lonely and depressed. Crying himself to sleep. Cutting himself just to feel the pain that let him know he was alive. He even called himself Legion because of the number of demons inside of him.
And then he met Jesus. And everything changed. He was healed. Freed from his demons. The whole town came out to see if it was true. There was this demon possessed joke of a man... dressed and carrying on a conversation with Jesus. And it scared them. The power. The new life. They begged Jesus to leave... and he did.
When Jesus was getting in the boat to leave, Legion begged to go with him. Great commission Christian ready to go on a mission. Until Jesus told him no. Instead he told him to go. Great commission language. But not go to somewhere different and far away. But to go to his family and tell them what the Lord had done for him. Speak boldly into his world.
Speak boldly. Tell your story. But do not confuse the message. Some read the Great Commission and think it should be used to prove the need to be baptized. That is not the message. The message is Jesus. Jesus told us to make disciples. Disciples following him. His disciples. He is the message. Jesus came. Jesus died for our sins. Jesus rose from the dead. That is the message. That is why we chose to be his followers.
Do not misunderstand. I believe in baptism. After all, Jesus said it. But baptism is the response to the message, not the message. If you make baptism the message, you will end up with a lot of baptized people who are not disciples. Make Jesus the message, and you end up with a lot of baptized disciples.
Live forgiven in your world. Because if our lives are not changing every day to look more like Jesus, we make our words about Jesus empty and powerless.
Serve intentionally because if we do not care enough to help people in this life, why would they care what we say about life that never ends.
Speak boldly because if we do not, we have not helped anyone. Not really. Jesus is the way. The truth. The life. He is the only hope in a dark, dark world. Speak boldly about the way to God. Speak truth. Speak life.
Live forgiven. Serve intentionally. Speak boldly.
Be a Jesus follower making other Jesus followers. Telling the Jesus story by your words and your life. Calling them to die with him to be born again to a new life (baptized), loving God (living forgiven), and loving our neighbors (serving intently). And then helping them learn to speak Jesus boldly into their world.
And on and on and on. Growing churches. Changing lives. Making a difference.
Speak the name of Jesus boldly.
It is a lifestyle not a plan or a program.
You live forgiven and that gives credibility to Jesus. You are living proof he gives new life.
You serve intentionally. That gives credibility to the message you speak.
But we must also speak boldly.
His demons were about to destroy him. They had robbed him of his family, his dignity, and any chance at happiness. He was lonely and depressed. Crying himself to sleep. Cutting himself just to feel the pain that let him know he was alive. He even called himself Legion because of the number of demons inside of him.
And then he met Jesus. And everything changed. He was healed. Freed from his demons. The whole town came out to see if it was true. There was this demon possessed joke of a man... dressed and carrying on a conversation with Jesus. And it scared them. The power. The new life. They begged Jesus to leave... and he did.
When Jesus was getting in the boat to leave, Legion begged to go with him. Great commission Christian ready to go on a mission. Until Jesus told him no. Instead he told him to go. Great commission language. But not go to somewhere different and far away. But to go to his family and tell them what the Lord had done for him. Speak boldly into his world.
Speak boldly. Tell your story. But do not confuse the message. Some read the Great Commission and think it should be used to prove the need to be baptized. That is not the message. The message is Jesus. Jesus told us to make disciples. Disciples following him. His disciples. He is the message. Jesus came. Jesus died for our sins. Jesus rose from the dead. That is the message. That is why we chose to be his followers.
Do not misunderstand. I believe in baptism. After all, Jesus said it. But baptism is the response to the message, not the message. If you make baptism the message, you will end up with a lot of baptized people who are not disciples. Make Jesus the message, and you end up with a lot of baptized disciples.
Live forgiven in your world. Because if our lives are not changing every day to look more like Jesus, we make our words about Jesus empty and powerless.
Serve intentionally because if we do not care enough to help people in this life, why would they care what we say about life that never ends.
Speak boldly because if we do not, we have not helped anyone. Not really. Jesus is the way. The truth. The life. He is the only hope in a dark, dark world. Speak boldly about the way to God. Speak truth. Speak life.
Live forgiven. Serve intentionally. Speak boldly.
Be a Jesus follower making other Jesus followers. Telling the Jesus story by your words and your life. Calling them to die with him to be born again to a new life (baptized), loving God (living forgiven), and loving our neighbors (serving intently). And then helping them learn to speak Jesus boldly into their world.
And on and on and on. Growing churches. Changing lives. Making a difference.
Speak the name of Jesus boldly.
