Editor’s note: This column is Part 3 of a three-part series. The first two installments are “Prayer for the Lost Begins with the Spirit” and “Believers Should Answer Call to Intercede for the Lost.”
Nancy Duggin
Do you have a sense of urgency concerning those who are without Christ? Where does such urgency come from? We need only to examine the Gospels and Paul’s teachings to understand that any urgency we experience is driven by the belief in the imminent return of Jesus Christ and the need for others to hear the gospel and accept Him as their Savior.
Each of us will live for all eternity. The question is: where will we spend it? This question should fuel our urgency to present the gospel through prayer, personal witness, and commitment to missions.
Jesus’ command to His disciples stresses the urgency of evangelism. Revisit the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20. This is not just a suggestion but a directive that carries the weight of eternity.
Time is short, and our lives are fleeting. No one knows the number of their days, so we must share the gospel often and in love. This urgency flows from God’s steadfast love for those who call His Son their Savior.
Consider Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, “For you are fully aware that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” The opportunity to share the truth of who Jesus Christ is remains limited and should be seized whenever possible.
In 1 John 2:6, we read, “Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” Evangelism was Jesus’ mission, and as we reflect on this verse, we are called to do likewise.
I recently had a fifth grader ask me if her older brother, who says “he hates Jesus,” will go to heaven. We looked in God’s Word for the answer. She understood that her brother would need to choose Christ to go to heaven. The good news? She accepted Christ that day, becoming the first person in her family to become a believer.
It is a joyous privilege to share the gospel. It also shows our gratitude for all Christ has done and continues to do in our lives. Ephesians 2:13 says, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
When was the last time you took advantage of an opportunity to share the gospel? If you can’t remember or if you have never shared the gospel, I encourage you to stop now and ask the Father to give you a heart for those without Christ and the boldness to share about the One who has saved you from sin and death.
Second Peter 3:9 reminds us that God “does not want anyone to be lost.” These words should cause us to realize that no one is too far from God to come to know the saving grace of His Son, Jesus Christ.
We are not responsible for one’s salvation, but only to share. One’s eternal destiny rests on his response to the gospel. We know this from John 3:36: ”Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”
The TBMB serves churches by multiplying gospel leaders who advance God’s Kingdom through a collaborative network of spiritually healthy churches reaching Tennessee and beyond for Christ.
Will you join us in reaching every Tennessean with the gospel? Your active participation is crucial in this mission. Begin today by praying, by name, for those you know without Christ and for the opportunity and boldness to share the gospel.
Become an intercessor with the TBMB by going to www.tnbaptist.org/prayer to sign up. B&R
