So, You Wanna Spread The Gospel

Posted on July 30, 2019 by America's Keswick in Freedom Fighters

“…at the same time the LORD spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, ‘Go, and remove the sackcloth from your body, and take your sandals off your feet.’ And he did so, walking naked and barefoot. Then the LORD said, “Just as My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder against Egypt and Ethiopia” – Isaiah 20:2-3 (NKJV)

“Did you ever wonder if anybody ever checks the life verse of others when we do Colony Roll Call?” asked my brother-in-Christ, Rob K. “Like when someone says Isaiah 20:2-3, we go, ‘WOW, Isaiah,’ but we never look it up.” So, since Rob brought it up, I looked it up and we both had a good laugh BUT there is something to this beyond the message that God is conveying through Isaiah to a people who are gonna be taken captive by the king of Assyria. It’s something that my boy, Matthew Henry once said, “The world will often deem believers foolish, when singular in obedience to God.” That got me thinking about the ridicule one receives trying to spread the Gospel to a lost world.

I’m not too sure if it is proper to say that Isaiah was the kind of evangelist we think of when the Great Commission comes to mind but we can’t dismiss the fact that he answered the call of the LORD when YHVH asked, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Once Isaiah responds, “Here am I. Send me.” he’ll be told the unfortunate circumstances that are gonna come to a disobedient region of the world and he’s gonna be the mouthpiece for it. Not sure about you, but as for me, this wouldn’t be something I’d be raising my hand for. So, what then of the Great Commission and our part in it? We say “I’m a Christian” but do we keep all that grace and mercy stuff to ourselves or do we respond with, “Here am I. Send me”?

One of the first things I do admit to you today is that I don’t think myself much of an evangelist. In order for me to share the Gospel I have to do a three-point sermon, so by the time I’m done folks are ready for lunch and a nap. My friend, Rob K, can do a 30 second breakdown on any of New Jersey’s popular boardwalks and by the time he’s done, folks are either walking away from him or engaging him. So, which one of us is doing the Great Commission work? Guess we better examine what Jesus said.

“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18b-20)

The first thing Jesus says is He’s been given all authority on heaven and earth. So, the driving force behind spreading the Gospel resides in Christ’s authority and we need to believe that. We live in a time where unbelief seems to be the norm, even in the church. If we aren’t zealous about Jesus ourselves how ya gonna get other folks to believe in something that you struggle to believe? Hmm…anyway. The second thing Jesus says is “Make Disciples” and this entails teaching those people who answer the Gospel call, not only all the commandments that Jesus gave, but why it’s important to do so.

And the last thing Jesus will say about the Great Commission Call is found in the Book of Acts. The disciples will ask him about restoring the Kingdom to Israel. Now Jesus coulda done the eye roll and went, “How many times do I gotta tell you, I ain’t restoring the kingdom to Israel.” Au contraire, He’ll tell them that it isn’t for them to know what the Father is up to but that instead, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

When it came to Isaiah, his call was to announce what people we’re gonna witness being done by the divine hand of YHVH. How many folks got saved? Only a remnant. As for Rob K. and myself and our calls, well let’s just say we have witnessed being saved by that same divine hand. Our part in all this is to do our part to add to that remnant. Not everyone is gonna respond to what any of us Christians try to either say or display about Jesus Christ in our lives but we ain’t supposed to throw in the towel. Instead, we are to be obedient in the sharing of the Gospel. Even if we’re sawn in two. Amen?

Written by Chris Hughes: Chris, a graduate of The Colony of Mercy (11-2003) has been married for 25+ years (Kathy), has a married son (Kevin) and a daughter in college (Karen). He has been a Freedom Fighter contributor since 2008.

Think About This: “Every Christian must become Christ to his neighbor” — Martin Luther

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalms 51-53, Acts 20:17-38| You can download our 2018 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “Lord, You will establish peace for us, for You have also done all our works in us.” – Isaiah 26:12

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal and theological views held by America’s Keswick.