Evangelism is a tough thing. A challenge for Christians, and it almost makes us feel bad at times. Billy Graham is one of the greatest evangelists the world has ever seen. He is an inspiration to all of us, to do what we are called to do.
We often forget that there are many people waiting to hear the gospel. We often forget that we want to see people saved. We give many things, but not the most precious gift of all for the ones we love. Billy Graham understood the value of the message he was preaching, just as we know that because God loves us – we want to share it with the world. Of course we think, “But I’m nobody!” When the truth is that we don’t want to meet strangers or get rejected. But as Pastor Charlie Koh’s son said about his wayward friend, “If I don’t love him, who will?”
Ultimately it’s about how God transforms lives, it’s not about us. Begin with the desire to see people saved. Start with letting this great big secret of his love for you, out into the world. Don’t keep the good news to yourself. There is no method or script to follow. It’s about your heart.
First, love people. Everyone has needs, and you have the answer to meet them with. Invest in the moments of time it takes to really love someone. All your effort in life comes down to the only 3 things that are of any value. God, the Word and the souls of men. Have you been investing in the right things?
It isn’t easy being brave, even as adults. Children imagine that we are, but any Christian has felt like a coward more than a few times. We are all “too busy” with our day jobs and our night lives; when would we have time to ask a simple, “How are you?”
Luke 19
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
In this story, Zacchaeus summed up the very reason why Jesus came. The hallmark of the coming of Jesus lies in the chief of crooks and the most hated, wicked man. Although he was a wealthy man, he knew that there was something missing in his life. There are many people like Zacchaeus around us, totally rejected by life. Zacchaeus was also completely willing for Jesus to come into his life, responding to such a personal invitation. There are many others out there who are desperately seeking and saying, “If only someone would tell me how.”
In South Africa, Pastor Charlie saw the exponential needs of the black townships and asked himself, “Is there no Church?” The needs are there, all over the world. We need to move out of our comfortable places in life and start dreaming of a better tomorrow. God will empower us with a purpose and mission. Here’s the thing we can do as a Church, the little thing we can do: let’s start with one. Save one person for God this year. Wrap your head around this challenge and then get ready to go.
23 January 2011
Special Thanks to Pastor Charlie Koh
