In Matthew 24, Jesus told His disciples about His great return. He warned them (and us) to stay vigilant:
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
The signs of our time sure seem to parallel the many prophecies related to Christ’s return. The political climate in the Middle East alone is clearly a pre-cursor to what the Bible calls “the end times”. And with the end times comes the opportunity for revival. Ironically, the church in Iran is one of the fastest growing churches in the world, and many Muslims in other countries are coming to Christ as well.
Let’s pray for spiritual awakening in our own country. It’s been about 50 years since the last revival here (the Jesus People Movement) and we desperately need reviving! The Holy Spirit is at work in the lives of men, women, and evangelical churches around the globe. People are hungry for a relationship with the Lord.
With the coming of the Lord, we also know that He will judge those who have rejected Him. I was encouraged recently in this regard as I read through Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 33:11, we read, “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.”
Along these lines, in Romans 10:13, it says, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But then Paul asks, “How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (vs. 14)
Those of us who know Christ know the answers to those questions. We are Christ’s messengers. We are to broadcast the message of His love, grace, and mercy to the lost. No matter who we are, if we know Jesus, we have a story to tell.
When the apostle Paul had opportunities to speak to top officials in the Roman government, instead of preaching an eloquent sermon, he simply told his story of how Christ saved him. Any follower of Jesus can do that. All over the Gospels we find people that Jesus saved like the woman at the well (John 4) and the man possessed by demons (Mark 5). When they believed on Jesus, they immediately told others about Jesus. And if they could do it, so can we!
In Matthew 24:14, Jesus said, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Let’s speed the day of His return by sharing the message of salvation through Jesus with others.
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 3:3–14
Personal Application
- Write out your story how you came to Christ and rehearse it.
- Share your story with someone this week. Simply ask them, “Hey, can I tell you my story?”
Jim Grassi, D. Min.
We cherish any verse in Scripture that reminds us to keep focused and intentional about evangelism and discipleship. “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5