1 John 1-10.10.22
Scripture
1 John 1:3-4 NLT
“We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.”
Observation-What does it say?
John writes this epistle to share with others what they have seen, heard, and know; and that is Jesus was God in the flesh. Jesus walked amongst us, showed us how to live, and sacrificed his life to restore the relationship between sinful man, and a Holy God. John encourages his fellow believers to go out into the world and share with others their testimonies of Jesus. Tell the world that we are all sinners in need of a savior. Tell them that our savior is Jesus Christ! Let them experience the freedom from sin and God’s grace the way we as believers have.
Understanding-What does it mean?
Evangelizing is not just for pastors, missionaries, and ministry leaders. It is for ALL who call themselves Christ Followers.
When I first became a Christian, I was scared to death to go out into the world and evangelize. (Not going to lie, I still get kind of scared to do it). But when I was younger, I always felt that it wasn’t my calling or responsibility to do it. I thought it was up to the pastors, ministry leaders, and all the people working out there in the mission fields to share the gospel. I was nice and comfy, knowing that I was saved, and unwilling to get out of my comfort zone. But let me share with you all something that I found out the more mature I became as a Christian. Did you know that not sharing the gospel with someone can be a sin? You see, there are two types of sins that I learned of:
Sins of Commission: Doing something you should not be doing, (like breaking a commandment).
Sins of Omission: Not doing something that you ought to do.
“Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” -James 4:17
So, with that being said, we all know Jesus’ command for us before he ascended into Heaven.
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””-Matthew 28:19-20
So you see, it’s the responsibility of EVERYONE who calls themselves Christians/Christ Followers to go out and share our testimonies and the gospel of Christ with the world. For a lot of us (me included), it’s going to take us out of our comfort zones, and stretch our faiths beyond what we could imagine. But know that Jesus, left His comfort zone in Heaven, and like verse 20 of Matthew 28 reminds us, Jesus is with us ‘til the end of the age.
Life Application
Don’t just sit in the stands and watch. Get in the game!!!
Christianity is not meant to be something we are all alone on an island doing. It is something that is meant to be doing together. We need each other as Christians to support, pray for one another, and help each other out. We all have different God-given gifts we bring to the table to accomplish God’s mission. And the only way we can really accomplish this mission is by working together, with God spearheading the plan. So let’s not wait and expect for others to go out there and get the job done for us. That’s just being lazy! Let’s go out there and contribute whatever gifts God has blessed us with. Let’s work together as a team. With God’s Mission in mind, and with His people working together, we can accomplish anything!
Let’s start by all being part of our Halloween Outreach at Pastor Levi and Katie’s house. It will be a great opportunity for us to come together, to connect with our community, and share God’s love with them by inviting them to church and offering prayers for those in need. See church or ask me for more details. Hope to see you all get involved and be part of something bigger than ourselves. Let’s get in the game!!!
-Moses Gaddi