"Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel…" —1 Corinthians 1:17
“Paul states here that his call of God is to preach the gospel. But remember what Paul means by “the gospel,” namely, the reality of redemption in our Lord Jesus Christ. We are inclined to make sanctification the goal of our preaching. Paul refers to personal experiences only by way of illustration, never as the end of the matter. We are not commissioned to preach salvation or sanctification— we are commissioned to lift up Jesus Christ (see John 12:32). […] Jesus Christ labored in redemption to redeem the whole world and to place it perfectly whole and restored before the throne of God. […] The one passion of Paul’s life was to proclaim the gospel of God. He welcomed heartbreak, disillusionment, and tribulation for only one reason— these things kept him unmovable in his devotion to the gospel of God.” - Oswald Chambers - My Utmost For His Highest
Have you ever thought of yourself as a preacher? unless you are one, probably not. In our present day economy, "preacher" has a connotation of someone devoted to the vocation of being a minister, standing behind a pulpit on Sunday morning. While I was in Haiti … my moniker was “Pastor Charley”. I did not pastor a church but the Haitians associated me with those who did. Although I am ordained as a minister of the Gospel in Baptist circles, I never pastored a church and never will, most probably. My point, I am called to ministry and so are you, each in our own way according to God’s shaping. We are all called to “preach the Gospel” as we work out that calling.
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” 1 Peter 3:15
You don’t have to stand behind a pulpit to lift Jesus up. To tell people about what has happened in your life. Telling people about your life before Jesus, how you met Jesus, and your life now that you follow Jesus. But we can't just tell a story. People need to see the power of the God in our new life - the change that has taken place in us.
My folks were saved while I was in Vietnam. When I returned home, I returned to a changed family. I, along with my three older sisters, did not believe that the change was real. We knew our mom. How she could become very angry - her swearing - her yelling - slammed doors. But all of that was gone. Not just around people she was trying to impress, but around us, who knew the "old" mom. The Spirit used her testimony, primarily, to do a work in our hearts (Martie and me).
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17
If you are a Christian, that has happened to you as well. Personally, I think we make lifting Jesus up more difficult with “methods” when it should be as natural as talking about your family or why you do what you do for a living. I think we misspeak when we say that we "led someone to Christ". I think that it is the Spirit of God that does the leading and uses us to speak audibly and live the effects of the Gospel out visibly as part of that process. I am certain there are some people that you have known that you wanted to avoid when you saw them coming. They “attacked” you with the Gospel. Dr. John Maxwell said “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” It’s true. Another thing that is true is that you cannot save anyone. Salvation is a spiritual act - an act of faith in Jesus' redemptive work - a transaction, if you will, between an individual and God prompted by the Spirit. Our part is to lift Jesus up. His part is to send His Spirit to do a work in the person’s heart. Their part is to believe the truth and by faith in Jesus be saved … or not. We are to “fulfill our part”. Pretty simple, huh?
Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
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