Jump Start # 1408

Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

  Our verse, found at the end of Mark’s Gospel, often called, “the great commission,” shows the extent that God intended the saving message of Jesus to be taken. Into all the world—that is every continent, that is every nation, that is every city, that is every street, that is every house and that is every person in that house. All creation is every person.

This commission was given to the apostles. This was their duty. This was their calling. Does it apply to us today? In the sense that we want all to be saved, yes it does. To the extent that we have a caring heart, it does. However, if a person lives and dies in the same county he was born in and never travels far at all, has he violated this desire of Jesus? If this is a command intended for all, then many of us are in trouble for not doing this. Legend tells us that the apostles didn’t do this. Sure they spread out. Sure they went far preaching. Peter and Paul were in Europe. Thomas it is thought made it to India. But each apostle didn’t go to all the countries. God was not expecting each one to hit all places. As a unit, the apostles were going into all the world.

Some folks go overseas to preach and teach and others don’t. Are those that don’t less than those that do? No, not at all. This is the point that I want us to think about. This is not just for preachers, but for all of us. I  know a man who is extremely talented spiritually. He is a giant. He can teach. He can preach. He is very kind, humble and thoughtful. But he is a businessman. He teaches often. He preaches when he can. He’d like to quit the business stuff and preach. He’d be good at it. However, his world is not finding some congregation that will allow him to fill the pulpit. His world is all those people he sees every day. He sees more people, has more influence and can do more good than most of us preachers. Many of us are buried with our noses in books most of the day, all by ourselves. My friend is moving among people, many people every day. What a great opportunity that is. He is sharing. He is teaching. He is changing lives. His world is the folks that he sees every day.  The same goes for the school teacher. The same goes for the guy who works with the public. Your world isn’t hoping on an airplane and flying to a remote place. Your world is the opportunities before you each day. Your world may be as close as the neighborhood. Go for a walk in the evening. Look for people. Introduce yourself. Look for opportunities to make friends, build bridges and talk about the Lord. That’s your world. Your world might be all those uncles, cousins and family members that you are around all the time. Pray for the right thing to say. Let your light shine. Realize that “your world,” may be the very people that you know and are related to.

Is it wrong to go overseas? Never. But do your homework first. Talk to others who have been to where you are going. Find out if there are contacts already there and try to connect with them. Don’t just show up and expect the locals to stop what they are doing and allow you to come and preach because you just happened to be there. That wouldn’t work in this country. A preacher just shows up and thinks that a congregation must allow him to speak, unannounced and unplanned, is just a bit too full of himself. Don’t try to make people overseas Americans. The Jewish Christians tried to make the Gentiles Jews first, and then Christians. We can try to make some Americans first. Each area has it’s own customs, respect them. For instance, in India, the women and children sit on one side of the building and the men on the other side. Don’t try to change that. The manner in which the Lord’s Supper is served varies in each country. Be careful that you don’t force our traditions or opinions upon those in a different land.

Your world. My world. God’s world. Fill it with Christ. Fill it by living the message. Fill it by being hopeful, helpful and kind. Fill it by including the outcasts. Jesus did. We have our form of lepers, tax collectors and Zacchaeus’ today. Do as Jesus would.

Go into all the world and preach. Go across the street and preach. Go across the kitchen table and preach. Our world is where ever we can find listening ears and an open heart.

Roger