Allow me to show you two snapshots of my life.
In the first frame, I am a new believer on a mission trip to Jamaica. Our team went door to door handing out bags of seeds and sharing the gospel with any natives who would listen, a venture that was terrifying for me. First, the idea of talking to strangers (much less strangers in a foreign country) was intimidating. Second, sharing my faith scared me so much that I lied and claimed I had the spiritual gift of intercessory prayer. While the team knocked on doors, I stood at a distance and pretended to pray. Lest you desire to give me the benefit of the doubt—don’t. I lied about spiritual gifts to get out of sharing the good news, one of many reasons I am gobsmacked by the goodness of God’s grace.
Snapshot two is more recent. I was invited to speak in a remote fishing village in Alaska. I would be dropped by bush plane into a region with no phones, where I would teach a native people group who were openly hostile to the gospel. My knees still knocked. My palms were plenty sweaty. But I went and delivered the good news to anyone who would listen—and a few who didn’t want to.
What shifted? I got a bigger view of God.
Here in chapter 28, the book of Matthew comes to a close with an awe-inspiring encounter between Jesus and His disciples. It’s a moment that could have been pulled from the movie Braveheart. The disciples have already scattered in fear during Jesus’s trials. They were nowhere to be found as He was being crucified and murdered. They mourned as His body was placed in a borrowed tomb. And then… they got a bigger view of God too. They felt the earth tremble as an angel rolled the stone away. They peeked inside the empty tomb. They ran their fingers along the scars in His hands. Everything they thought they knew about Jesus expanded, because now they served a risen Savior.
That’s why, when Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (v.18), they knew His words were true. And when He told them to “go,” they got busy going. Believer, aren’t you glad they did?
Church, we have been commissioned to go and tell, to preach and praise, to be disciples and make disciples. And there is only one reason to do it, one truth that will get our feet unstuck: Jesus. Is. Worthy. In this Lenten season may we gain a bigger view of Him. There’s a whole world waiting for us to go and tell.
Kenya,
I share your problem. I love the Lord and love spending time in HIs word and drawing closer to Him, but the big thing I lack is being able to share the gospel with others. I think fear of rejection and not wanting to offend people as well as not being very adept with words
is what keeps me from being open about my beliefs, but once in awhile, when I allow God to speak through me, I have found myself saying something that might be planting a seed in another. God uses all of us in many different ways to impact the lives of others. I try to think about the fact that He places people in my path for this very reason. I will pray for you to allow God’s goodness to shine through your actions first, and your words second.
“I am with you always to the end of the age.” I love this!
One example of God using me creatively, is when I was at work. A nice, older couple told me that I was very peaceful. I asked them if they were Christians, and they said they were Buddhist. That was God using me to plant a seed. It wasn’t anything overly complicated, but there was a small exchange and they saw Jesus in me. That was enough!
Matthew 17:20 New International Version (NIV)
20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Hi Kenya,
I believe that God will guide you to share His testimony in very creative ways. It’s what He did for me when I knew I had to make amends with my earthly parents, who had always hurt me and are unable and unwilling to ask for my forgiveness. Part of growing into spiritual maturity is also not not caring what others think, and focusing on all the benefits not just for you but for others. Jesus said He came and that we can enjoy life until it overflows. When you have a peaceful spirit, others who don’t know God sense it, and even want it! You are only the messenger, so that takes any pressure off. God wants our obedience and as a natural result, He does the rest. Don’t be discouraged, you’re already on your way!
Probably like many of us here, I still get timid to share my faith with others and I think that is why he called me to be a Missionary. Haha. But seriously. Being a stateside Missionary is scary and yet when I start to doubt, I am reminded that we are not guaranteed another day and if I don’t knock on that door, it may be the last opportunity to share with that soul. Keep on! He is faithful. His work and his word do not go void!
Working in corporate America (in California and San Francisco nonetheless) being bold and standing firm in your faith can be difficult but reading this is a reminder to be bold and open. Knowing He who has power over all things is on our side.
Hi, Ana! I am with you on this. I work in West Hollywood, CA, and know the struggle of being a Jesus follower among many young, “new age” believers. Something I do to deal with this is keep encouraging little things on my desk that have bible verses on them (like a little calendar and mouse pad—both from Amazon!) and to always be open to having conversations with anyone who brings them up. Oh, and also to always be as great of an image of Christianity as I can. Especially because nonbelievers might not open the Bible a single day of their life, so this might be the only chance we have to show them how great God is and to spread the good news to whoever we can. :)
I love this! So proud you are a witness in the workplace! I too try to have little sneaks in my conversation about Jesus (but I feel it is a little more welcomed in the Midwest) Keep being an ambassador for Christ!
One of the hardest things for me is to share my faith. Growing up in a culture that nearly mocked organized religion, to speak of God and church was the same thing, and it was a distasteful thing. It meant you were strange, different, and I didn’t know anything else but to go along with them. When I came to my own relationship with Jesus in college after realizing nothing else could possibly save me from myself and the world, my previously engrained ideas of God stuck and the fear of speaking out about faith lingered. To this day, even though my faith runs deep and I have a sincere desire to grow closer to God every day, I still dread speaking about it – even to those closest to me. What do I worry about, condemnation? Mockery? Lack of understanding? Being different? I honestly don’t really know, but I know that in order to truly live out the gospel I have to be willing to share. I can’t be afraid to speak the truth because it exemplifies who God is and what He has done – and that is nothing short of a miracle.
I pray today that I can speak truth into all parts of my life – even the ones that are uncomfortable and unnatural.
Thanks for sharing. The struggle you describe is mine too.
❤️