Once upon a time, two men lived next door to each other. As neighbors, they would always wave at each other, say hi, and chat on occasion. To the casual observer, the two men were good neighbors, and some would consider them friends. There was only one significant difference.
One of them had a relationship with Jesus and one didn’t.
The man who knew Jesus always felt that he should tell his friend the Good News of Jesus, but it never seemed to be the right time. One of them was always in a rush, other people were around, or the subject never came up. So, he never did.
One day after coming home from work, the man of faith was told his friend and neighbor suddenly passed away. As he began to tear up, his cries turned into bitter sobs as he realized he had never told him how to be saved.
He cried for days grieving for his friend, and vowed that he would never hold back from telling people about Jesus for the rest of his life. As a result, he reached tens of thousands of people for Jesus before he passed away.
Every bit of this story is true. Is any of it true for you? I know it is for me.
I’ve often missed out or flat out neglected telling someone about Jesus because it was inconvenient at the time. I have even done this with something as simple as inviting someone to church if you can believe that.
If you’re in the same boat, these truths will help you better understand the importance of telling someone about Jesus:
God wants everyone to know Jesus.
1 Timothy 2:3-6 tells us this all-important truth:
This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For, there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.
Throughout the scriptures, God doesn’t pull any punches about his love for people and that he deeply wants EVERYONE to be saved, and so should we.
Jesus commanded us to go.
We read this direct command in Matthew 28:18-20.
Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
This is referred to as the Great Commission because Jesus is commissioning us for a mission.
Isn’t it interesting that right after Jesus tells us that he has ALL authority in the universe, the very first thing he tells us is to GO and make followers of him?
Of all the things he could have told us he tells us this first. That’s why it’s not called the great suggestion.
Eternity is at stake, literally!
I know we don’t like to think about death or the afterlife but they are both very real.
Romans 6:23 tells us that when we and our friends come to know Jesus we are promised eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Our hearts’ desire should be the same as God’s. We should want everyone to have eternal life through Jesus.
If we don’t tell them, they won’t know.
Romans 10:14-15 tells us that if we don’t tell them they will never know the truth of Jesus.
How can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? How can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
So, who are you going to go and tell? It’s up to you! This is the importance of telling.
