“How are
they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard?” –Romans 10:14
I heard a
haunting statistic recently: worldwide, 81% of non-believers do not personally
know a Christian. In the U.S., it hovers around 60%. Think of the sea of faces
your eyes pass by each day. They have souls; God knows them by name and has
numbered their hairs. They are humans with fears and dreams and families. The
overwhelming majority of them do not have a personal relationship with someone
with the message of the only hope of rescue for sinners.
In Acts 8,
Philip was asked to join an Ethiopian eunuch in a chariot heading home from
Jerusalem. The man was reading Isaiah. Philip asked him, “Do you understand
what you are reading?” Which the man replied, “How can I, unless someone guides
me?” How are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard?
Your
neighborhood is filled with sinners on a trajectory toward eternity to suffer
God’s wrath, and they do not know you or any gospel proclaimer personally. This
world is filled with sinners with no hope, and we have a message. Your
neighborhood is not unreached, because by God’s grace He sent you there.
For what
purpose did God rescue you? The Apostle Paul called himself the chief of
sinners rescued to display Jesus Christ’s perfect patience (I Timothy 1:16) and
that in the church God displays “the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness
toward us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). We cannot display without
intentionality. We are commanded by our Lord to make disciples of all people.
Every background, every kind of sinner, every type of folks who may be
uncomfortable to be around. Yes, they are blinded by Satan (II Corinthians4:4), but we do not proclaim ourselves but Christ Jesus who has the power to
bring light from darkness!
Do not be
intimidated and let not your heart be troubled, dear disciple of Jesus. You
weren’t given a spirit of fear, but of boldness to proclaim the truth of Jesus
Christ to such sinners. That is Jesus’ mission; that is your mission! Do not
hesitate to gain relationships with those who are not following Jesus. Do not
hesitate to tell them the glorious truth of Jesus Christ from His Word. With
urgency and grace-gifted boldness, share the love of Jesus with those in
darkness that they may see a great Light.
Heavenly Father, give us urgent and compassionate hearts to weep over sinners
like Jesus wept over Jerusalem as a people without a shepherd. May we trust in
Your Word and Your Holy Spirit to give us words to say as we faithfully fulfill
the Great Commission of our Lord. Grant us Your mercy, O Lord, in Jesus’ name.
Amen.
