There is a quote attributed to a bishop by the name of Zinzendorf that says, “Preach the Gospel, die, and be forgotten.” While this may sound bleak, we should really view it as our life’s mantra. And before you assume that it does not apply to you because you are not a preacher, think again. Jesus said to his disciples,
“And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.”
Matthew 24:14
Jesus told his disciples that all corners of the earth would hear the Gospel. This does not just include every political country in the world, but rather every nation, tribe, and tongue. Estimates show that there are approximately 7,400 unreached people groups in the world today that have not heard the Good News. It is going to take a whole lot more than just those with the formal title of “preacher” to reach all those people.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we have been given the best news ever: Our Heavenly Father sent his own Son to live a sinless life and die in our place so that we might live in eternity with Him (ref. John 3:16). If you truly believe this, you have experienced the life change and the overflow of joy that comes with knowing this. If you truly believe this, you know that the greatest blessing that you could ever receive is knowing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
If you don’t know Jesus personally, the work that you do for those unreached people groups matters a lot less. Knowing Him as your Savior is your greatest need, and to know Him is the greatest blessing you can have. To know Him is to have the knowledge that your sins have been forgiven. To know Him is to have the assurance that when you die, you will go to heaven. To know Him is to be set free. Trusting in Jesus as your Lord and Savior is the greatest blessing that there is.
When we understand the sacrifice of God sending His Son to die on our behalf and the grace that we have received, how can we not share it? It is literally life-saving news. Reaching those who are unreached is about much more than just meeting any physical needs they have. It is a matter of eternity. So, while we may show them the love of Jesus by caring for them, we must also show them the love of Jesus by sharing about Him. Jesus changes everything and trusting Him changes our eternity. And because of this, the greatest blessing that you can give is to share Jesus with someone else.
There are two ways that we can bless other people by sharing Jesus with them:
- sharing your faith story with those around you
- getting involved with what God is blessing all around the world
Let’s start with the former of these two. Sharing your faith story can be as simple as telling others how God has been at work in your life, how He has been faithful and constant. There are people who have yet to accept Jesus for any number of reasons, and your story might just resonate with them enough to nudge them in that direction. It may make them comfortable enough to start asking questions. When people can see the life change that has happened and that no one is too far gone from God and a story they might relate to, they are more likely to be open to Christ.
If you have never shared your faith story, this may seem intimidating. But, let me remind you, as a believer in Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. 1 Corinthians 6:19 tells us that we are temples of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us. He will guide you through these conversations. And while it is our privilege and responsibility to share about Jesus, it is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit to draw other people to Him.
The second way that we can bless other people by sharing Jesus with them is to find out what God is blessing and get involved with it. There are many people and organizations all around this world that are sharing the Gospel. They are caring for the poor and vulnerable by being the hands and feet of Jesus. And while God may not have placed a calling on your life to be a missionary in a different country, you can certainly support the work around the world that He has called other people to. This can be by partnering in prayer, volunteering, or giving financially.
At Sunnybrook Community Church, we have international partners that are doing this work. These partners are in Tanzania, Papua New Guinea, El Salvador, India, and Haiti. We support them financially as a church, pray for them and their work in sharing the Gospel, and send teams of people on mission trips in many of these countries. But there are many different people and organizations that you can support all over the world. Find one that you are passionate about and support it wholeheartedly.
You see, God’s plan is to bless the nations with the good news of Jesus. We saw it in Matthew 24 when he was commanding the disciples to preach the Good News to all nations. To reach the whole world, you and I need to do our part. Reaching all nations includes our neighbors here and the 7,400 unreached groups around the world. Share your faith story with your neighbor. Get involved with those who are doing the work of Christ in the far corners of the earth. Do your part.
Be reminded that we have been blessed with the news that Jesus died for us so that we live in eternity with our Heavenly Father. The joy that comes from that kind of love and sacrifice should pour out of us. It should move us to action because we want everyone to hear about Jesus and experience that joy. It should create in us a desire to devote our lives to sharing the Gospel, not for our sake, but only for the sake of magnifying Christ. Let Him alone be remembered and lifted high.
Preach the Gospel. Die. Be forgotten. And hear our Heavenly Father say,
“Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Matthew 25:23
Cover photo by Joseph Corl on Unsplash
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