Living the Jesus Priorities: Spread the Word

Spreading the Word has always been difficult for us, it seems. If it were not difficult, we should have every seat filled in every congregation every Sunday! Sometimes it is difficult to understand that we, each one of us, have been commissioned by God to spread the news of God's love for humankind and the mercy of God when we fail to show that love. Every person deserves to know that they are a person of worth and that God has a plan for their lives. Jesus' strategies for sharing this news were effective...and more than that, they can be replicated in our lives! What are the strategies?

1. Share the Mission

Matthew 4:18-22
18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea-- for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

Jesus did not stop, however, with those he originally called...check out Mark 9, when the disciples find someone outside of their group healing. The Disciples cry, "Foul!" but Jesus says, "If they aren't against us, they are for us." Check out the story of the man possessed by demons in Mark 5. After he is healed, he wants to follow Jesus but Jesus tells him to go home and tell his friends.

2. Invite Everyone!

Matthew 22:1-14
Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2 "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.' 5 But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12 and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14 For many are called, but few are chosen."

Fill the place! Invite! Invite! Invite! Don't judge who should be invited. Be God's love to people and bring them in! Jesus' invitation was always connected to the circumstance of the person. And don't worry about what people might think of you because you invite! What might they think? That you are a follower of Christ? That you care too much? That you love too unconditionally? There could be worse things....But to be willing to invite and let it become a natural part of who you are, you must take the time to really know Christ--not just the facts--but to know Christ as you would a best friend.

3. Challenge With Love

Matthew 19:16-22
16 Then someone came to him and said, "Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?" 17 And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; 19 Honor your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 20 The young man said to him, "I have kept all these; what do I still lack?" 21 Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." 22 When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

We are the rich young man. God did not send Jesus to solve our problems. What are we withholding from God?

Jesus said, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24)

Some questions to reflect on:

1. Who have you invited to join God's realm? Who will you invite next?
2. What are some ways you could share your mission to be a disciple of Jesus?
3. Who could you tell? What could you write?
4. What are you withholding from God?
5. Who in your life needs to be challenged? How can you confront that person with love and humility?