“And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)
If we are obedient Christians, we will follow the command that God has given us in Mark 16:15 to tell others the Good News of Jesus Christ. But this command is not always easy to follow. Sometimes, we are afraid that others may laugh at us. Other times, we don’t know what to say. What are some things we can do that will help us obey this command?
Pray. Before we tell others, we should pray for them. Even though God uses us (no matter how young or old we are) to be witnesses for Him, it is ultimately the Holy Spirit who works in the hearts of those we tell. We can pray that the Holy Spirit will work in the hearts of our friends and neighbors before we give them the Good News. Also, we can pray for ourselves. Jesus promises that He is always with us, so we can pray that we will remember His promise and not be afraid. Jesus also promises that the Holy Spirit will empower us to witness for him (Acts 1:8)!
Prepare. Read your Bible and pick out verses that will help you when you talk, that Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sins of the world, that God raised Jesus from the dead, and that we only need to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead in order to be saved. You may like to use the Romans Road, or verses that go with the Wordless book. You can write out these verses on a card or underline them in your Bible so that you can find them quickly. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God is “powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword”!
Present. Start talking! Maybe you’re playing basketball with some friends and they ask you about why you have to go to church. Or maybe you’ve baked some cookies to take to your neighbor. We talk to people every day; why not talk about Jesus? You may choose to ask them directly, “Do you know Jesus?” Or you may choose to tell them about what you’ve been learning in Sunday School. Remember that Jesus is with you, so you don’t have to worry. And remember to be kind and polite.
If you are telling others the Good News of Jesus Christ, you are obeying God’s command. Your responsibility is simply to tell others; God will “give the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6)!
God wants us to obey His command, and He will help us to do so!
My Response:
» Am I afraid to tell others about Jesus Christ? Why?
» What can I do to overcome my fears and start obeying God’s command?