Sent to Make Christ Known

“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.