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Guilty
of silence
Are we guilty of silence by not being
witnesses for Christ?
Why
is it that we will gladly share about the movie we saw or the
new whatever we just got; but talk about God and what He has
done for us…no way
Why
is it we want to socialize with people with whom we are
“like”; by this I refer to others with the same values,
income, race, religion, But when it come to sharing the gospel
with people who we don’t know we feel inadequate. Many times
this attitude of inadequacy really come from our not wanting to
associate with people who are different from ourselves. And many
times these are the people who we have criticized for being
poor, uneducated or for living a life of sin.
When
we do this have we somehow forgotten what it was like to be a
sinner? Have we somehow forgotten what it was like to be just
saved? Have we forgotten that Christ died for “all”!
Is
it possible that much of the same criticism we give to others
would apply to us? We talk about fellowship. But we seem to get
together with only fellow Christians. We say we enjoy times of
Bible study and prayer. But we usually do so with people of our
own income bracket and with little sacrificial love. Such
meetings are okay, but they don't really fit the meaning of
"fellowship" in Acts 2:42. Genuine fellowship involves
costly sharing--helping one another financially, bearing one
another's burdens, and rejoicing over one another's blessings.
While enjoying the fellowship with other Christians we are not
reaching those who are as we once were-- without Christ.
Unsaved
people see Christian’s who put their resources into fancy
buildings, so they can come visit for a few hours each week. If
lost people were to see Christians take their money along with
their labor and put in into programs, which would improve the
spiritual and physical situation in the impoverished part of a
community more unsaved people would come to know Christ. And the
reason is simple; they would see Christ being lived out in the
lives of those who had “real fellowship” with them.
Jesus
repeatedly emphasized the need to preach the gospel to the poor
(Matt. 11:1-6; Luke 4:18-21).
Paul
encouraged us, “ . . . as we have opportunity, let us do good
to all" (Gal. 6:10). As Christians, we should be quick to
give a kind smile, to speak an encouraging word, to help with a
loving deed. Mow the lawn or clean the gutters for an elderly
neighbor. Offer to drive someone who can’t to get groceries or
go wherever they may need to go. Look for opportunities to show
kindness to a single mother. Spend some time with an elderly
person, or spend some time with a child from a single parent
home.
Our
part in Gods plan is not an option.
1.What
is my role in God's plan for spreading the gospel?
Romans
10:13-15
13for,
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved."
14How,
then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And
how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And
how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how
can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written,
"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good
news!"
2.Should
I feel responsible if someone doesn't hear about Christ and
spends eternity in hell?
Ezekiel
33
6
But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the
trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the
life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his
sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.'
3.Where
should I start to share God's message?
Acts
1
8But
you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and
you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
4.How
much should I desire the salvation of the lost?
Romans
9:1-4;
1I
speak the truth in Christ--I am not lying, my conscience
confirms it in the Holy Spirit-- 2I have great sorrow and
unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself
were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers,
those of my own race, 4the people of Israel. Theirs is the
adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the
receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.
Romans
10;
1Brothers,
my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that
they may be saved
5.What
should motivate me to spread the truth about Christ? (2 Cor.
5:14-20).
14For
Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died
for all, and therefore all died. 15And he died for all, that
those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him
who died for them and was raised again. 16So from now on we
regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once
regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the
new has come! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to
himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of
reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself
in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has
committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are
therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his
appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be
reconciled to God.
Ephesians
4
1As
a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy
of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and
gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make
every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of
peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were
called to one hope when you were called-- 5one Lord, one faith,
one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and
through all and in all.
Living
Gods call is not a Sunday thing.
You
have to come down from the mountaintop and go to those who are
in the valley, meet them where they are because few will enter
the doors of a church seeking God. But many will receive when
they meet HIM where they are and just as they are.
If
we care about obeying Christ's command to proclaim the good news
(Matt. 28:19,20; Acts 1:8), we should feel a duty to tell others
about the freedom from sin and the hope of heaven that they can
have.
If
we care about the obligation given us to look after those in
need in we will go out and do something about it. Followers
of Christ are called to carry out the mission of Christ, of
whom it is said, “God
did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but
that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17).
This is the mission of those who know what it means to be
broken, loved, and forgiven.
Why are so many who say,
“I believe in God”, living as if they don't?
If we do nothing, we fail to reach the rich or the
poor, the educated or the uneducated; if we do nothing we are
guilty of the sin of silence.
Clyde
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