Mission Unaccomplished
Ephesians 3:1-13
Paul was on a mission—a mission from God. In his own words, his mission was to “preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (v. 8). This zealous evangelist understood that the gospel hadn’t simply been given to him to do with whatever he liked; it had been entrusted to him to share with others (v. 2; Col. 1:25; 1 Cor. 9:17). And even though Paul’s evangelistic mission led to many hardships (v. 1, 13), he viewed his calling as a privilege rather than a punishment (vv. 2, 7, 8). Paul’s view of his mission was shaped by his view of the gospel. Paul saw his mission for what it was—a privilege—because he saw the gospel for what it was—a treasure (v. 8; 2 Cor. 4:7; 6:10) and the ultimate good news (v. 8).
If we’re honest with ourselves, we’d be forced to admit that the vast majority of Christians today are not doing much to accomplish their God-given mission of spreading the gospel. According to statistics, a mere 2% of all Christians have led a single person to Christ. Maybe it’s because we don’t realize what a treasure the gospel is. Maybe we don’t understand what wonderful news we have to share. Perhaps we feel like we don’t know enough, or we feel uncomfortable, or we feel like it’s not our job. Possibly we are stifled by fear, or we sell people short by assuming they wouldn’t be receptive if we offered the gospel to them. Or just maybe we’ve gotten better at making excuses than making disciples.
In light of the church’s general failure in the area of evangelism, here’s the plea to each Christian reading this article: beginning today, become more actively involved in sharing Christ with others. Here’s a few simple suggestions to help you get started:
· Become aware of the need. See everyone you meet as a candidate for the gospel.
· Develop a genuine concern for the lost. Once you open your eyes to their need, open your heart to their unenviable condition in sin.
· Invite people to worship with you. Some people would come if you’d only ask.
· Plant seeds. Say an encouraging word. Lovingly share the Biblical perspective on the topic of discussion. Mention upcoming church events. Be complimentary of your church family to others.
· Pray for opportunities and the courage to seize them. Opportunities are literally everywhere.
· Equip yourself by studying the Bible and by reading books on personal evangelism. Knowledge is power.
Foreign countries across the oceans and across the world are not the only mission fields. You may need only to travel across the hall at work, across the desk at school, or across the street at home to discover the mission fields all around you!
~Daniel Hope