Romans 1:8-17 Eagerness

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 

9 God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 

10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you.

11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong-- 

12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 

13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. 

14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 

15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome. 

16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 

17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." Romans 1:8-17 NIV

Paul was an amazing teller. He shared Jesus wherever he went. And many times he endured tremendous hardships to get to people who still didn't know about Jesus. 

And what an amazing story of hope Jesus is to a world who is searching, hungry, and lost in themselves. Some say faith is hard, maybe even impossible for them. I say, how could I not live by faith? Walking in my own judgement and direction is what is impossible.

However, the true question is, "Am I eagerly sharing Jesus the way I should be sharing Him?"

For years I have said I am a discipler, not an evangelist. My gifting is in helping people grow in their faith, not winning them to Christ. We have probably done a disservice to the gospel by making such distinctions. We are all called to share Jesus with others. Some of us have a gifting to do that, but that does not exempt the rest of us from letting others know about the power of the resurrection and the hope they can have through Jesus Christ. The Great Commission is for all of us, not just those who are "gifted."

So how do I share Jesus as a disciple-maker? I live Him every day in front of everyone I meet. I build relationships with people to share the love of Christ. When they feel hopeless, I show them Hope. When they are weak, I point them to the Strength. When they are lonely, I introduce them to a Friend who will never leave them. 

I am not ashamed of the gospel, but I must be sure I'm not living as if I am. Sometimes it's not popular to be a Christ-follower, but I'm not looking for popularity. I want to be a hope-giver like Paul. 

I recently heard Pastor Bob Roberts speak and He said, "You don't have to completely understand what others believe. You have to know the gospel and how to share it in love." 

Lord, help me to live as my heart believes - that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Give me boldness to love as you love and to eagerly speak your truth in love to so many who need to hear. So be it.

Further Thoughts:

1. Consider what is stopping you from sharing Jesus with others. What will you do about those obstacles?
2. Paul was a bold personality. Who else shared Jesus in the Scriptures who may have been more like you? What can you learn from their life? How can you gain the boldness of Paul?
3. Read 1 Corinthians 13. Love is the basis of all sharing of the gospel. Are you truly loving others if you are not sharing Jesus?
4. Read Bob Roberts book, Bold as Love. He talks about how to have a relationship with people of other faiths and belief systems.

Colossians 1:28-29 "The Proclamation"

Read Colossians 1:28-29.

"We proclaim him...." NIV

The word "proclaim" according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary means "to declare publicly, typically insistently, proudly, or defiantly and in either speech or writing : announce b: to give outward indication of : show." The third definition is "to praise or glorify openly or publicly : extol." Notice that proclaiming is three-fold: announcing, showing and extolling.

Announcing would be telling others about Christ in word or writing. Getting the message out and releasing the mystery. There's a dying world out there, and it is our job to "proclaim" Christ to them.

Showing would be living out what we are proclaiming. Christ within us makes us a new creation. The old is gone, and we should guard ourselves from ever letting it creep back into our lives. We must live exemplary lives modeled after Christ. Will we be perfect? No. But others must see an attractive difference in the way we live.

Extolling is never shrinking from praising God openly and boldly. Right now we have the freedom to do this in most places. But in our workplace and in schools, we have been restricted. Other religions haven't, but Christianity sure has. We have to find a way to keep our jobs and remain loyal to our Lord.

Our proclamation of our Lord admonishes and teaches others in wisdom so all of us may continue to grow and become even more like Christ. This is a constant battle against the enemy, and will be till we die or He returns, whichever comes first. (I vote for Him returning:) The consolation in all this is that the battle is not ours. We labor and struggle, as Paul says, in His energy. That is so awesome because I sure don't have enough energy to do it by myself. If I have access to the power of the Almighty Creator of the Universe, then I'm going to take it. That way, I'm assured of the outcome -- victory. (Have you read the end of the book?)

Further Thoughts:

1. Are you living a "proclaiming" life? Why or why not?
2. What are some practical ways in your life you can proclaim Jesus Christ?
3. Look up Scriptures on living by the power of God.

1 John 1:1-4 "The Witness"

Read 1 John 1:1-4.

"... we have seen it and testify to it...." NIV

John jumps right in to counter the false teachings of Gnosticism with an eye-witness testimony to the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ. John and the apostles heard Him, saw Him, and touched Him and could say that Jesus truly was "the Word of life." So John and the other apostles were proclaiming it to The Church so they would not turn away from the truth to the lies being planted among them.

In a similar way this is exactly what we are doing today, but in a spiritual realm. If we have received Jesus as our Lord and spent time growing with Him, we have seen Him, heard Him, and even felt the touch of His Spirit. The Holy Spirit, who lives within us, testifies to His existence every day. And the power of His death and resurrection is lived out in the lives of millions who follow Him. So many want to deny the divinity of Christ, but His work in our lives and indwelling in our hearts is part of the proof of His divinity. We are the living examples of who He is and why He came.

So, like the apostles, since we can testify to the power and truth of Jesus Christ, we have the same responsibility that they had in proclaiming to others "what we have seen and heard." Our Lord is alive and well. He is still at work in millions of lives, and we must share the hope and direction that He can bring through a relationship with Him. We are the body, and we are His Plan A. There is no Plan B. If we don't tell them, who will?

Further Thoughts:

1. Why does John call Jesus "the Word of life?" Where else in the Bible is He called this?
   
2. What statement does John make to give evidence that Jesus was with God from the beginning of time? For what reason does he emphasize this point?
   
3. What of Jesus that you have "seen and heard" could you proclaim to others? 
   
4. What would have happened if the person who proclaimed the power of Jesus to you hadn't?
   

Matthew 28:16-20 "The Great Commission"

Read Matthew 28:16-20.

"Therefore go...." NIV

Here's our job -- our purpose on this earth. We were not made to sit on our hands and wait for Christ to return. He's given us something very important to do and that is to share Him with the world. He desires none to be lost, but all to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. That is a pretty tall order and we all must do our part. If we were just to receive Christ and then sit around waiting for Him to come back, we might as well just die and go to heaven. There's nothing left for us to do. But that's not how He planned it, and we need to be obedient to His calling on our lives.

Last night, I was at my library's book club (yes, I'm a book club geek;-) We were discussing Lying Awake by Mark Salzman. It's about a cloistered nun. I thought it was interesting that in the discussion, a non-believer said that he thought it was very selfish of her to spend so much time in silence and prayer and not share what she had learned with the world or to help people other than the other 11 nuns in her convent. Now, I'm not speaking against cloistered contemplatives; we have learned from the writings of many of them over the years, such as, Teresa of Avila. But God calls very few people to an isolated contemplative life. Although we all should take regular times of prayer and contemplation, we are to live in the world and share what we learn and live with others. Not only do we have this Great Commission, but we have the greatest commandment that we discussed in an earlier post -- love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and the second, love your neighbor as yourself. To do so, we need to be out among people.

So how are we doing with the great commission? Obviously, we love studying the Word, and I, personally, am a lover of silence and solitude. But we can't just sit here with our Bibles all day. We also can't just go about our day in the world without letting people know about Jesus. We have a simple calling, lead people to a saving knowledge of Jesus and teach them how to live an obedient life. As we close out the Gospel of Matthew and studying the life of Jesus, now is a good time to evaluate how we are living our lives. Jesus not only came to save us through His crucifixion and resurrection, but He also is an example of how to live. If a gospel was written about us, what would it say about us in accomplishing the calling God has put on our lives? Maybe it's time for a few contemplative moments.

Further Thoughts:

1. Matthew gives a very shortened version of Jesus Christ's life after the resurrection. For a broader view of His activities and lessons, read the other three gospels.
2. Take some time today to list ways that you are living out the Great Commission. How are you doing?
3. What are some giftings God has given you that you could put to better use to reach people for Him?

Matthew 18:12-14 "The Lost Sheep"

Read Matthew 18:12-14.

"In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost." NIV

This passage is always such a comfort to me. As I pray for family members, friends, neighbors, aquaintances that don't know Jesus, I do so with a confidence that the Holy Spirit is never going to stop drawing them to Him. I don't have any hesitation in knowing that God wants them to come to a full saving knowledge of Him. So my desire, although possibly swayed by doubt in people, meets with His desire -- that all should be saved.

There is great comfort in this. We all know someone that is very far from the Lord and our heart's cry is that they accept Jesus. We've spent countless hours in prayer for the scales to be removed from their spiritual eyes, for their heart to be softened, for other believers to come into their life to speak truth to them. And through all that time, the Lord's Spirit has been reaching out to them -- drawing them to Him. All mankind is precious to Him.

Thank You, Lord, that my heart's desire began with Your heart's cry -- that not one should be lost.

Further Thoughts:

1. What other Scriptures show that God wants no one to be lost or perish? i.e. 2 Peter 3:9.
2. Is there someone you have been praying for a long time to come to Christ? Never, never, never give up. God hasn't.

Matthew 13:53-58 "Not Heard"

Read Matthew 13:53-58.

"And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, 'Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor.'" NIV

Speaking truth can be a lonely place to be. I've personally received some of the worst persecution as a believer from my own family member. I'm not exactly sure why that is - maybe it's familiarity. Our family and those who have lived around us have a difficult time of seeing us in any other light than the way we were before Christ. Therefore, to accept revelations that are new and foreign to them concerning the Christian life, sin, hell and heaven, can be clouded by personal history with the speaker.

In Jesus' case, He was known to His town as a simple carpenter's son and now the same people He was raised among must view Him as a miracle worker and the Messiah. I can see how that could be a stretch for them. And sadly, he had to leave his town and not minister there. His words were falling on deaf ears.

Those around us don't have to make as quite a leap as Jesus' town did with Him. After all, we are not claiming to be the Messiah. But when you are declaring truths that are in opposition to the way people live, they can be very offended when the message is coming from someone they consider of their own kind.

Can we ever have influence over those people we were raised with? Absolutely. Is it tougher and take a longer period of time? Yes. Do we need to be gently persistent? Probably. But in many cases, we have to wash our hands of the situation and accept that we will not be the one to make a difference. This is so hard to do because we love those people so much and want to share the good news we have found with them. We can still be loving and gentle as Christ, but directness will have no affect. The point is to never give up. We can continue praying for our loved ones -- praying that God would bring someone into their life they will listen to and that their heart will be softened to the message the Holy Spirit is drawing them to. Meanwhile, we maintain the relationship and continue to love them.

Further Thoughts:

1. Jesus was not the only one who had little favor with those he was raised. Who else in the Bible dealt with that? (HINT: Genesis 6, 37)
2. Do you have someone in your family/close friends that is in opposition to the gospel? Spend some concentrated time today in prayer for them and for how you are to deal with them. (i.e. approach them again with the truth, simply show love to them, shake the dust from your feet)

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, 47-52 "Reach Out to All"

Read Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43, 47-52.

"The kingdom of heaven is like...."

Commentators believe that the weed that Jesus is talking about here is the darnel. When it is young, it looks very much like wheat. But as it grows, it distinguishes itself from the true plant. We all begin in the same pool with a sinful nature. Before the age of accountability, we can look pretty much the same -- innocent, yet capable of mischief. Then there comes a point that we start making choices about the way we will live. Those choices are mostly influenced for good or for ill by the people that raise us and our peers. But in most cases, there is still a choice made none-the-less.

Then as adults we truly distinguish ourselves by things as big as our career or religious beliefs to how we dress and the words we use. The differences begin to come into focus like the slow turning of a camera's lens. Here is where the four distinctions of the sower come into play -- seed on the path, in the rocks, among the thorns, and in good soil. The question as believers is: How do we view these different groups? The answer: Like wheat and darnel weeds. It is not our job to start weeding the world. Those that may appear to be hopeless, deep-rooted, stubborn agricultural menaces, could change into sweet grain ready for harvest. Never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit and our Lord drawing them to Him. You see, that's where the plant analogy ends. In our physical world, weeds never change into healthy, useful plants. But in the spiritual realm with the transforming power of Jesus Christ, they can. Look at Paul, look at Matthew, look in a mirror. God can still perform miracles today - He hasn't changed.

Our responsibility is to continue to live among the weeds and not allow them to infiltrate our lives with spiritual disease while at the same time spreading seed to reach as many as possible. The judgment is coming, but it is not our job. We must remain diligent until the end. Even though it should never leave our thoughts, it's not time for the harvest. We're still busy with the planting.

Further Thoughts:

1. Do you struggle with a judgmental spirit so much so that you give up on the apparent "hopeless cases?" Ask the Lord to show you those people as He sees them and to fill you with hope and purpose.
2. Saul is a prime example of the transforming power of God. Get to know Paul in Acts 8:1-3, Philippians 3:4-7, and 2 Corinthians 11:21-31. Then read his letters and hear his heart's cry for God's people.

Matthew 13:1-23 "The Persistent Sower"

Read Matthew 13:1-23.

"But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it." NIV

This passage can sometimes make me very sad. I just want more people to be in the good soil group. The other population is so much larger. I have seen seeds on the pathway, seeds among the rocks, and seeds choked off by thorns so many times that I have to fight discouragement. I want to scream, open your eyes, unstop your ears -- this is the Truth. Pay attention; you are missing out.

And then I wonder how much responsibility I must take. Did I show those people what the Christian life is really about? Did they see the victory they could have in my eyes? Did they see the hope in my attitudes and actions? Do I allow the power I do have in the Lord to shine out through my life or am I being sucked into the complaining whirlwind of frustrating circumstances and difficulties. I do not want to be owned by difficulties, but I do experience them. Am I sucked into joining the crowd in unified complaining or do I offer a hope and positive view that I truly believe that God has everything under control?

These four distinct responses to evangelism will forever dominate our lives. So how do we find the good soil and reach those that will accept the Truth? God only knows the hearts of men. I've known many who showed tremendous enthusiasm and eagerness for God, but after a time, they wandered away from their commitment. But that should never stop us from trying. We must continue to spread the seed, share the love of Jesus, and reach out to whoever will listen while walking the life that Jesus would have us walk. We cannot be responsible for other's response, only for our obedience. Out of love for my Lord, I'll continue to throw out the seed.

Further Thoughts:

1. Read through Acts and be encouraged by the numbers that received Christ through the apostles' ministry. He is the same Lord that is in charge today.
2. Does "hope" happen automatically because you are a believer? The enemy will constantly work to discourage hope in your life. Look up Scriptures with the word "hope" that will give you strength in seemingly hopeless situations so you are not sucked into his lies.
3. Does the Christian life take work on our part? Read 1 Peter 4:1-11.
4. Maybe you are reading this today, and you are one who has not found "root" in your faith. Seek the Lord through prayer and His Word. Find a body of believers to fellowship with. Good soil can be developed, but only through diligently seeking the Lord. He's waiting for you.

Matthew 12:15-21 "A New Way"

Read Matthew 12:15-21.

"Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place." NIV

Why didn't Jesus just wipe all His opponents out? He knew they were plotting to kill Him. He knew the evil they were spreading in the name of God and religion. He knew their hearts and their hypocrisy. The same power that He used to heal and call out demons could have been used to wipe out His enemies in one breath. Why? Why did He withhold judgement?

Because of His great mercy. As I go back and read Isaiah 42-44, I see a God who wants to give us another chance. He already wiped out the world once minus Noah and his family because of the evil in men's hearts. But now, He sees a remnant that has some hope. Even in their sin, God sees His chosen people as the hope of the world. And He says, "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." (Is 43:19) It's our second chance; our new covenant. He is providing a way out of our sins other than destruction and giving us a hope -- for heaven and for the salvation of the rest of the world through our work.

That's why He endured the torment, persecution and ultimately death. Yes, He could have wiped them out, but for what? So the rest of the "righteous" people could flounder and probably, eventually turn towards their sinful nature. That already happened after the flood. But we now have victory over our sinful nature because the price for sin has been paid through the blood of Jesus Christ. We are no longer slaves to the sinful nature, but have the power to conquer it because Christ conquered sin and death through His resurrection. How much more powerful is a gift when you stop to think of what the alternative could have been.

Thank You, Lord, for a new way, a new covenant. Thank You for your grace and mercy which ultimately led to Your suffering and death. Thank You for second chances.

Further Thoughts:

1. Read through Isaiah 42-44 and remember that this was prophesied about 700 years before Christ. If you think your life is out of control, remember, God has a plan and is in complete control.
2. We are now the remnant, God's chosen people. Search the Scriptures for references to these names and read them knowing He is speaking to you.

Matthew 3:1-3 "Road Construction"

"In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

'A voice of one calling in the desert, "Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him."'" NIV

We'll get to John the Baptist tomorrow. Today I want to focus on this prophesy from Isaiah 40:3. I was wondering what making "straight paths for him" really means. If you look at the NIV study notes for Luke 3:4 (which is the same account), they say that when a king traveled to another country, the roads he would be traveling on were repaired and made ready. In a moral and spiritual sense, John was preparing the way for the coming Messiah through his message of forgiveness and repentance from sin.

This passage gave me a new thought about evangelism. Well, it's not new, just a way of looking at it that I don't normally do. I'm really not an evangelist. I have shared Jesus with many people and some have come to receive Him as their Savior. But my gifting is in discipleship. Someone else usually brings them to the Lord; I help grow them up. In fact, my husband is a very strong evangelist, so we make a great duo. He catches the fish; I clean 'em up so to speak.

But one aspect or should I say motivation for evangelism is that Jesus Christ is coming again. I keep forgetting this fact. Well, not forgetting, but certainly not thinking of it very often. Besides, I always remember my Sunday School stories about how Jesus will come when no one is expecting Him. So in my logical brain, if I'm thinking about His return, He can't come because I'm expecting Him. :-) I know, my husband sometimes questions my logic, too.

But in the same way that John was preparing for the Messiah's arrival on earth, we should be living our lives preparing for the Messiah's return. He is coming; we've been promised. We could even be living in the last days now. So we need to be getting the roads straight and prepared for Him. That means, people need to know Jesus. If they have not received Him when He comes, they will not be going with us "in the blinking of an eye." Now I'm not going to get into the whole pre-, mid-, and post-tribulation controversy. For me it doesn't really matter. I'm sold out to the Lord, so I plan on being ready for whatever comes. And as I understand, people will have a second chance to receive Christ, but it will be a whole lot tougher for them. I plan on taking to the skies when my Lord comes the first time. I don't want to be hanging around here any longer than I have to. I've got things to get to in heaven. Boy, the questions I have not only for Jesus, but Paul, Joseph, Esther... and so much worshipping to get in. I can't wait.

But in the meantime, we must be about our "Father's business." He is coming, and there are a ton of people that still haven't received Him. I'm sure each of us knows dozens of people right around us that need Jesus. It's so hard to watch them floundering. I want to scream, "Just let go; He will catch you." Even though they must decide for themselves, we can still keep loving them and sharing with them what Jesus has done for us. But we have to hurry. Time's running out. So grab your shovels, and let's get the road ready. The King is coming.

Further Thoughts:

1. What will happen when Christ comes again? (Read 1 Corinthians 15:51-58)
2. What are we supposed to be doing while we wait for His return? (See Matthew 28:19-20) Find other passages that tell what God expects of us.
3. Who around you still needs Jesus. Write down their names, pray for the Holy Spirit to draw them to Him, and keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities to share with them the love and grace of Christ. Then be about your Father's business.