Romans 12:11, “Do not be lazy but work hard, serving the Lord with all your heart.”
Do you remember when you found Jesus? What was the feeling? Was there extreme joy knowing you had a Savior and the promise of salvation. When you learned of Jesus was there a fire in your heart to share the good news and light of Jesus you now had?
Jesus has called all Christians to have a fire in their hearts and then spread that love to the hearts of others. Yet that doesn't mean we all are called to be evangelists and it doesn't mean spreading the gospel is trying to convert new people to Christianity, that is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Having the desire to share Jesus is not about your best sales pitch, it's about building relationships first, then building the love of Jesus in their hearts. “Evangelism looks more like a neighbor shoveling a snowy driveway than the street preacher who peddles salvation like a heavenly retirement plan.”- Grace Ruiter
As we grow in our faith, we learn that sharing Jesus with others is a privilege given to God's people. Yet, there still seems to be the struggle and some people find that when they share, they still can't generate the same fire and love they have for Jesus. This is because we are called to help build a fire not take on the entire fire. When it comes to sharing Jesus there seems to be three category’s people fall into. So, today I am asking you, are you a flint, a sponge, or a honeycomb?
What is flint used for when building a fire? Usually, it's there to give off sparks into the pile of wood, leaves, moss or whatever you use to start a fire. But the flint only gives off little sparks and if not used properly could help the fire die. As Christians do you only share as little as you can to spread the gospel? Do you fear rejection, maybe hold on to the good news of Jesus? Are you using your sparks to help the fire grow or giving so little it helps the fire die?
What about a sponge? They are used to absorb great amounts of liquid and then when squeezed all the liquid comes out in one big whoosh, drowning anything it may be squeezed onto. As Christians do you share too much too quickly, maybe push a little more of a sales pitch versus the shoveling love? If you squeeze all the gospel out at once to a new believer, you could take their small spark and completely extinguish it.
Proverbs 16:24 says, “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, making people happy and healthy.” Honeycombs are made by bees working together. They share the responsibility of growing the combs and as they work together, they developed the sweet taste of honey that can be enjoyed by all. As Christians we are called to be as sweet as a honeycomb and work together to share the good news of Jesus. We can do that by showing love and acceptance of others and build that relationship letting Jesus’ light shine through us and the good news will share itself abundantly with others.
Here are some simple ideas we can all learn, in sharing the good news and spreading the same joy we have in our hearts to others.
1. Pray for three people- We all know at least three friends, family, coworkers, neighbors or a stranger still lost. Take time to add them to your prayers.
2. Learn one gospel presentation- There are so many ways we are told in how to share the gospel. Peter tells us to be ready to give a reason for the hope we have in us- 1 Peter 3:15. So, find what works for you, not what you've been told. Be it a one verse presentation, an entire Bible study, your own experiences. Use what you know to tell why you have found Jesus and share that with others.
3. Share the gospel with at least one person- It's not always about the stadium preaching. Sometimes lost souls are won by simply sitting down and having one-on-one conversations. Pray God will lead you to just one person to share the good news with and grow from there.
It's not always about the numbers as many church leaders want to push. It's about your walk with God and your journey allowing God to lead you to the souls lost that He wants you to reach. Don't be afraid and let the little sparks of your flint stop you, don't be so overzealous you sponge out the lost. Simply be part of the honeycomb working together and let God's light in you be your guide.
Today let's continue our study with 2 Corinthians chapter 8. I hope you have been able to follow along as we have been studying different books of the Bible every couple months. Like I have said, digging deeper in scripture helps us in so many ways and draws us closer to Jesus and we can learn so much more of Him, his character and His promises to us. Let's continue our study today with 2 Corinthians chapter 8.
study 8, 2 Corinthians chapter 8- https://www.docdroid.net/cUOt79M/study-8-docx
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