Go Tell The World
A mission, a commission, and a way of life.
When talking about the signs of the end of time Jesus highlighted the gospel would reach the entire world before the end came.
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
- Matthew 24:14 NKJV
Jesus’ final words to his disciples, as recorded in Matthew 28, are often referred to as the Great Commission and it is about making disciples. This is directly related to the gospel reaching the entire world. Also, notice that Jesus promises to be with us as we go about this task.
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
- Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV
In Revelation, the last book of the Bible, we have an angel flying with the gospel to preach to the whole world. Revelation is a highly symbolic book and I believe the angel (lit. messenger) represents us, going to the whole world with a message from God. Salvation is a free gift that God gives us through Jesus.
Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people
- Revelation 14:6 NKJV
The Bible, and Jesus Himself, make it very clear that we ought to be spreading the good news about salvation in Jesus. This may seem like a daunting task, but it does not have to be. Sharing the gospel gets easier with practice and can be very simple. I’ll share some practical tips I learned from the ministry of Andrew, Peter’s brother.
Andrew, Peter's Brother
Here are some interesting statistics about Andrew.
Andrew is mentioned in a grand total of 12 verses in the Bible.
Six out of the twelve times Andrew is mentioned in the Bible he is identified as Peter’s brother.
Out of the twelve mentions of Andrew in the Bible only once was he mentioned without any reference to Peter.
This means that even when Andrew is not identified as Peter's brother Peter is also mentioned along with Andrew. Andrew is seen primarily as tagging along with his brother, Peter.
We have no record of any sermon given by Andrew in the Bible. But there is evidence in the Bible that Andrew was a soul winner, though his ministry seems to have been more personal, on a one-to-one basis.
We see this more clearly when we look at all the recorded actions of Andrew.
Drops everything to follow Jesus (Matthew 4:18-20, Mark 1:16-18)
Asks Jesus a question (Mark 13:3-4)
Follows Jesus (John 1:40)
Finds his brother (John 1:41)
Brings his brother to Jesus (John 1:42)
Brings the boy with five loaves and two fishes to Jesus (John 6:8-9)
Brings Greeks to Jesus with Philip (John 12:20-22)
5K
Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-14
Imagine a crowd of five thousand men. The word (ἀνήρ anēr) used in John 6:10, Luke 9:14) means literally males or husbands, allowing for the actual number of people present to be much larger depending on how many women and children were present as well.
Imagine the scene, a huge crowd is gathered to listen to Jesus. They are tired and hungry. Jesus has compassion for them. He knows their needs, physical as well as spiritual. They are so hungry for truth they have even neglected physical food.
Jesus could have just sent them away, but He had compassion (Matthew 14:14; Mark 6:34). He knew their needs and wanted to help. Plus, many of them might have fainted on the way back home if Jesus sent them away on an empty stomach.
Jesus tests Philip (John 6:6-7), who automatically thinks about money, 200 days’ wages would not be enough! How often do we think money is what we need to solve our problems?
This was a test, of course, Jesus knew what He would do, but He let His disciples wrestle with the issue. A huge crowd, not enough money, not enough food, and you can’t/won’t send them away hungry.
Meanwhile, Andrew is out there, mingling, and making friends. He doesn’t know what to do either, but he does the one thing he knows to do, he brings someone to Jesus, a boy.
I can imagine Andrew saying,
"Jesus, I don’t know how to solve this great problem, but I want you to meet my friend. Look he has a small lunch and is willing to share! I have no idea how this might help, but here is what I can do."
Andrew just brings people to Jesus and asks Jesus to solve the problem.
I imagine Andrew thinking,
“I can’t solve everything. I am not even as popular or eloquent as my brother. I am not as good a leader. But I can bring people to Jesus. One by one.”
Practical Application
As I am writing this the holiday season is just around the corner. Families and friends will be coming together for parties, dinners, and celebrations.
What are some of the things God has done for you?
How have you witnessed the hand of God moving in your life?
Think about this and have some stories in mind to share with your family, friends, and loved ones. Sharing the gospel begins with an awareness of how God is moving in your life, begin by sharing that, and allow it to grow naturally. Never try to force your beliefs on anyone, but if someone is interested prayerfully share as they ask questions and show interest. Once you notice there is a desire for Bible studies feel free to contact me and I can point you to some resources to help you in the next steps.
What you can do now and pray that God would reveal to you what He has been doing in your life and help you craft a short story/testimony you can share briefly as the opportunity presents itself.
May God bless you and use you to help others find out about the good news of salvation in Jesus as a free gift from God.
