Text:

‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every person’ – Mark 16:15

Thought:

I was writing Today’s Teaching sat outside in Lira, Uganda having completed the Pastors’ conferences there and waiting to travel to Rwanda.

• Not so long ago it was only the business world travelling everywhere, seeking new outlets for their goods and services. Few missionaries were sent out by their churches into “heathen” countries, with varying success – revival in some places, while others thought it wonderful if just a handful were converted in a whole year.
• Now the whole world has become much more accessible. People work and take holidays everywhere. I have been to 28 countries since my first holiday to Jersey (Channel Islands) in 1971.

Since becoming a Christian in 1973, I have sought to share my faith in every country I have been to, whether my going there was for work, holiday or mission trip.

• Christians now have a wonderful opportunity to share their faith whenever they go abroad and they can help fulfil the command of Jesus to ‘Go’. Why is this so important and how can it become so effective?
• Firstly, because people you come into contact with may never have heard about Jesus, nor are they likely to unless someone tells them.
• Hotel and restaurant staff, shop workers, tour operators and even taxi drivers may appear religious or have no faith at all. Yet these are the people holidaymakers talk to all the time. If you ask God for an opportunity to share your faith, you can be sure that He will grant that prayer request. Usually these employees will have a grasp of English which will make it easier to talk to them, but through the internet you can easily obtain evangelistic literature in their native language to make what you are talking about much clearer.
• Secondly, people who become Christians in this way, often remain in the area where they are and can become very effective in sharing their faith too.

Jesus and His disciples travelled across the Sea of Galilee, landing on the coast of the Gaderenes, ¹ when they were confronted by an uncontrollable, demon-possessed man, who could even break chains that bound him. Jesus immediately commanded the demon to leave and the man became perfectly normal, able to sit still, dress properly and in his right mind.  When Jesus was ready to return back across the Sea, this man wanted to go with Him but Jesus told him to stay and tell everyone what a wonderful miracle God had done. This man started evangelising the 10 cities around where he lived, telling everyone what had happened.

• Who knows what will happen if you help someone to put their trust in Jesus? They could imitate you and because you told them, they will do the same for others out of thankfulness.

When Christians really understand there is a heaven and a hell, they will share their faith more effectively and urgently. Some find it hard to reconcile a God of love with a place called hell. They fail to understand that hell was created for the devil and fallen angels. ² God doesn’t want a single person to end up there. This is why Jesus is the saviour of all, especially those who believe. ³ By giving us a free will, God knows many will ignore their opportunity to be saved, by refusing to repent of their sin and receive Jesus as their personal saviour. The only sin God will not be able to forgive is their sin of refusing to believe in Jesus. ⁴

Perhaps as you are reading this, you are realising the importance of asking Jesus to be your personal saviour. Why not humbly and prayerfully ask Him to come into your life and show you what to do?

Finally, I end with a challenge for every Christian. If you are not sharing your faith where you live, you are not really likely to do so anywhere else. Home is where we must start. If your faith was the result of someone telling you about Jesus, then you have a responsibility to do the same for someone else.

I would love to hear from you that you are doing this and about the success you are having, whether individually or as a church.

Remember: ‘The one who wins souls is wise.’ ⁵

¹ – Mark 5:1-20

² – Matthew 25:41

³ – 1 Timothy 4:10

⁴ – John 16:9

⁵ – Proverbs 11:30