On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ Matthew 7:22 News is on twenty- four seven everyday, there is always a new story trending and cases of the Co-vid virus are rising. The world is full of fear, doubt and uncertainty, days change and a new fear arises every hour. Christ gives peace, comfort, rest and truth. Life is scary right now, but imagine how your friends and famliy who don’t have a relationship with Christ, or a rocky relationship with Christ are doing in this chaos. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. James 1:23-25 Church for most of us has probably been online. Just because you are watching your pastor online does not mean you’re exempt from doing the Word that you hear. I understand church online is difficult because you are in your house with distractions. If it is hard for you, pray before the service, pray when distractions happen and find a quiet place to watch it. You can call a friend and watch it with them…reaching out to others is important during this time. Whether you are in a church building or watching online… Praise God that He has given you the gift of a pastor, church elders and your brother and sisters in Christ. If God has given you fellowship with a congregation in a service, do not take it for granted because one day that may not even be an option unless it is a underground church such as in commuinst countries. One thing we have to do as Christians is to be doers of God’s Word so people in our commuinty, famliy and friends can have the gift of Jesus Christ. Right now is not time to be doing nothing. Times of great desperation means there is a great need for God in our world. As a Christian we need to do our part. We need to tell others and have a relationship with God that is more than Sunday and Wednesday. We need to pray for the people that we know do not have a relationship with Christ. At this time, most church buildings are closed, but we are called to be the hands and feet of God. We as believers, are the church. “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”Romans 10:14-15 When someone chooses to have a realtionship with Jesus, its a celebrating moment because we gained a brother and sister in Christ and that person got the best gift ever. As a Christian, you’re the only one who God can use to share the greatest gift ever.
Questions to Ponder.
1. What have you done during this pandemic to share Jesus?
2. Is your walk stronger or weaker? What can you do to make it stronger to share Jesus?
3. If you know someone getting left behind, what are you doing to change that?
4. Are you praying for your pastor and their famliy? They are making very hard decisions and sharing Jesus more than most Christians today.
5. Are you going to be a doer of the Word?
6. Are you more afraid of this season or that many of your friends, famliy and people God has placed in your life not having a relationship with God?
7. Are you using this season as an excuse not to follow Christ deeper or attend church ( I am guilty 😔) but going on vacations and doing things you would normally do except church. How do you expect to share Jesus if you’re doing nothing to develop the relationship?
8. Are you living everyday like its your last day? If today was your last day, would your mission field have disciples that God used you to minster to?
9. Do we really care about sharing Jesus if the church doors are closed but everything around it is open? Do we really care about sharing Jesus when you can share the sermon on social media but few people do? Do we really care about sharing Jesus when caving to the pressure of the world seems easier than caving to the pressure of sharing Jesus? And in these unprecedented times, are you sharing Jesus with your children and youth or are you letting the world and its views minster to them?
10. If sharing Jesus put you at risk for sickness and death would you still share? In 2020 we see a risk that has always been there. The world did not change, believers did. In everything you do there is risk. Where do you draw the line, where the world says to, or where God says?
Even if there is a risk and it is not popular, it is what Jesus and his disciples did. Jesus took risks. He and his disicples ministered to people with leprosy.
Does the church blend into the world? Where are the people sharing the love of Christ. At times like this, it seems the church is fading away and we’re letting it because the risk outweighs God and fellowship. God is not first anymore and it shows in our society and culture.
Reflect on your relationship with Christ
Incorporate Jesus in your daily life and incorporate fellowship with other believers so you will be ready to share Jesus.
Selfishness and sharing Jesus don’t mix. Put yourself aside and focus on the people God has placed in your life.
Know that on judgement day you will be held accountable for what you did with your time on earth. One day you will sit face to face with Jesus and will be accountable for every decision you chose. Pray for your pastor they are like a captain guiding the ship your on. They will have to be accountable for the church and churches God has placed them at and what the members are doing. 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. Matthew 28:19-20
