Years ago, I worked with a guy whose son had drowned in a horrible accident. As you can imagine, he and his wife were devastated, and that pain carried with them for years. How could it not?
During our time together, we struck up a pretty good friendship. He knew I was going to Bible college at the time, so he often asked me questions about God, and I did my best to answer him.
To be honest, I never really thought about it too much. Until one day, he followed me around, and I couldn’t figure out why. Until finally, he gets the courage to tell me what’s on his mind.
He said, “Zac, I want what you have.” Standing there confused, I just stared at him. Then he said, “I want Jesus in my life!”
Shocked that I had been any kind of influence on this guy, we prayed right there in the parking lot, and he gave his life to Jesus. It was the first big step toward the healing he needed.
I wish I could say that I have always been a good witness for Jesus and seized every opportunity. But I haven’t. I’ve often missed out or flat out neglected telling someone about Jesus because it was inconvenient at the time, or I wasn’t in the mood.
To my embarrassment, I’ve often forgotten why telling others about Jesus is so important. 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.
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.
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.”
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 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!
We don’t like to think about death or the afterlife, but they are both very real.
Romans 6:23 tells us that we are promised eternal life when we and our friends come to know Jesus. “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? And 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 let me ask you. Who will be in heaven because of you?
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