God’s Great Commission — Spread the Gospel

One of the most important things in the life of a Christian should be his focus to preach the gospel message. Many people including myself at times become content with a gospel meeting once a week, or even just getting caught in the thought that a series of gospel meetings is enough and becoming content in not speaking to people we see everyday. God’s instruction was to go out and preach the gospel..

GOD’S GREAT COMMISSION

Mark 16:15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.
1 Corinthians 9: 16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.
19 ¶ For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.
20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.
21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
These verses are extremely important when we read them, and need to lay to our hearts what they mean to fully take part in the commission God has given us.

In verse 16 of 1 Corinthians 9, Paul reminds us of the seriousness to preach the gospel. In chapter 1 Paul reminds us that God has used the method of preaching to reach the ones that will believe, and here shows how important it is to fulfil the instruction that was given by God. From verses 17 to 22 Paul tries to explain how the gospel should be spoken. We should not be going out into the world with the air about us that we are better because God has saved us, no; not at all, Paul could word it perfectly “The gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting”.

Later in these verses he explains the Jew and the Gentile, the servants the ones outside the laws of God, the weak etc. He does not say that we should get drunk with the drunkard to tell him or her the gospel because he says in verse 21 that he is still under the law of Christ, as to live according to the will of God, yet what he is trying to say is that we should think as being equal with every person. We should become as appear to that person as making them feel as we should that we are as well only human as they are, but are trying to tell them a message that is very important.  

WHAT DO WE PREACH?

What exactly is the core of the gospel? If you sit in a gospel meeting, you will here a great deal of being invited to accept the gospel, you will hear in some cases many stories, but from the Bible what is the core part of a gospel message, and should be taking up the most of a message?

1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

The Core of the Gospel is the death and resurrection of Christ our Saviour. We see in this message to the explanation of why Christ died. He died because of our sin which is taking all unsaved to hell. Indeed the message of Christ is what the gospel is all about Christ and what He has done (Acts 20:24; Romans 1:9,16). But indeed within the gospel message we have as well the invitation to those who will trust Christ (Romans 3:22). And the need for the ones who realize their need to trust in Christ (Romans 10:13) 

WHO DO WE PREACH TO?

We often get caught up in our lives thinking that there are certain ones out there that we should not speak to. We may think of how they’ve heard the gospel hundreds of times so what’s the point anymore? Or we may think of how individuals are corrupted by a cult so therefore it’s a waste of time to speak to them. Both of these comments are very untrue and contrary to the word of God. God does not give us permission to dismiss someone for such reason.

We are told if someone deliberately rejects the gospel and completely refuses to listen to you then turn from them (Luke 9:5), but we can not make up reasons for ourselves and the first instance of a hesitation in someone doesn’t mean that speaking to them more, may not do any good. We are told to go out into all the world. So who all do we speak to? 

Atheists

Romans 1:14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians,  both to the wise and to the foolish. (rf. Ps. 53:1)

The Greeks were taken up with philosophy and study of things, while the barbarians were the opposite. In the world today we have people who are taken up with philosophy that they feel helps them explain away God. Paul felt a burden to speak to such people, as should we as well.

The Deserted Places

Romans 15:20 and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, 

Paul had a desire to preach everywhere yet he had a great desire to go out into the places where no one had preached before. How often we enjoy preaching the gospel in the same place constantly. God doesn’t speak against this yet speaks to encourage us to go out into places that have not heard the gospel yet or that it has not  been spoken in for many years.

The Proud

Matthew 19:16 ¶ And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

There are people in the world today like the man above that think that they are in some way good enough that they can do something to inherit salvation. As one man could say to me as I spoke to him “I’m not interested, I have my own church.” He was under his own delusion that his church would get him to heaven. Some people are so proud of themselves they will not listen to the clear teachings of the gospel, and feel they can do something to gain favour with God. But Christ could take the time to speak to the man above, and we need to take time with them as well to tell them about the Saviour.  

Religious

(Followers of Zeus and Hermes)Acts 14:11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”
12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.
13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds.
14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out,
15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

In this passage we read of people who are completely stuck in their ways such as followers of cults today, yet that did not discourage Paul but reinforced his desire to tell people of the one true God. Something we should have a desire to do as well.  

EVERYDAY WORK TO THE GOSPEL

Romans 12:16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited…..20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

A Christian should be willing to do the smallest of task for a person. We should show kindness to people even if they treat us extremely rude and unkind. We are not to return evil with evil. Why is this? What do you think the ultimate reason for this is? John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”Showing love shows the reality of what we are professing. We are being a disgrace to the name “Christian” to act otherwise.  

Feeding

Matthew 15:35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.
36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

The gospel is all about Christ, yet the subject of the message could take time to show compassion upon the people. How often have we taken the time to show compassion? The people we tend to preach too, do we take the time to help them? Are they struggling to feed themselves and their family? If so do we have as much interest to insure they do not go hungry? The author of eternal salvation cared, do we? 

Healing

Luke 20:50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.
51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

At the point of Christ being led away to Calvary, we can still find him showing care upon the people by healing them. Do we take care in people that are sick? Is your neighbour sick, and need a ride to a doctor? Can’t afford a prescription? Are we willing to help that person? Do we pray for their health as well? The gospel is the most important yet even Christ could take the time to show compassion over infirmities, do we show the people we preach to, that we truly care for their health and well being?  

Teaching

Luke 2:46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

We are very eager to just preach the gospel to people, but do we take the time to answer one’s questions? Many who experience people that question Christianity or say something in a mocking tone will suddenly dismiss them with the thought that “oh that person doesn’t really care”. This may not be the case at all. We do not know what that person has experienced in his or her life. Perhaps they have had a bad experience with false religion. Perhaps they need someone to spend time with them and reason with them, showing them that there is truth in the Saviour. Christ took time time to reason and answer, do we? 

WHY NOT GET DISCOURAGED?

1 Corinthians 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,
33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

We easily can get discouraged if we talk to someone and nothing happens, but that is not the reason we should be preaching or speaking to people. Paul had a desire to see people get saved, as we should to, but the reason for preaching for us is to bring glory to God, because it is not us that does the saving but God, and it is something we all need to realize. We are using the role God has given us, to preach and to teach. The rest is up to God, our duty and privilege is to bring glory to God.  

1Co 10:31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.