Spreading The Word

Scripture

Mark 16: 15-18 (ESV)

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Devotional:

I must confess when it comes to speaking with people, I do not know, about the gospel I usually fail.  I am not bold.  Typically, I fail to strike up a conversation.  I get timid and fearful.  I even tell myself I can do things to support those that do boldly go forth.  But there a few truths or facts that we as Christians need to realize.

• We are not to be fearful.  In fact, we are supposed to be bold.2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV) “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

• We are told by Jesus, more than once, to go forth and spread the good news of the Gospel.Matthew 28:19 (ESV) “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

• God loves them just as much as He loves us.  Salvation is for everyone and anyone who accepts.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Each one of us has fallen short.  Each one of us is condemned to eternity without God in hell.  That is where all of us would end up but for one simple fact, Christ.  Jesus came, lived, taught, suffered, died, and rose again.  He is alive.  It is because of Him that we can have salvation.  That is the greatest gift anyone can receive.  Yet we hoard it for ourselves.  At least that is what we do when we are not sharing the Gospel.

I once heard it put this way.  If you came across your best friend’s house and it was in flames.  You know they are sleeping inside.  Would you just walk away and let them burn up in the fire and die?  Obviously not.  We would do anything we can to save them.  For anyone who does not have Christ in their life is that person sleeping in the burning house.  They will perish if not saved.  What will you do?  What will I do?  

It is not necessarily easy.  We might be afraid.  We can have a dozen excuses.  The reality is that we need to put all that aside and take it one step at a time.  Remember the Holy Spirit is with us.  We will be given power and boldness if we allow the Holy Spirit in and allow the Holy Spirit to do His job in our hearts.  My challenge to each one of us is to pray for boldness and for the Holy Spirit to be with us and enable us.  That we will rely on the Holy Spirit and do that which we know we must do…  Let us spread the good news of the Gospel.  We can change lives and the world…