“Go ye therefore” does not require skill, knowledge, or eloquence – only faith.
Luke 17:7-10
Have you ever noticed that the Bible doesn’t use the word “maybe”.
Why?
Because God didn’t create a “maybe” world. His kingdom is black and white. When it comes to sin, there’s nothing wishy-washy or flexible in God’s eyes. Sin is sin and no one receives a free pass. Everyone is treated the same.
Some people think this is being hateful. To me, it’s the very essence of God – the thing I rely on the most. God’s promises will not change. They will not fail. They are just and absolute.
The main emphasis in today’s Tiny Words. Big Life. quote comes from one of the most important verses (of course, they’re all important) related to God’s commandment on living a Christian life – Matthew 28:19.
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
Imagine what the Bible would be like if Matthew 28:19 said, “If you feel like it, go ye therefore…” Or, “If you’re skilled enough, go ye therefore…”
But that’s not what it says… Kind of a big difference.
The trouble with today’s world is that people are inserting a bunch of “maybes” into the living word of God. Personally, I can’t think of a single thing more dangerous than that. I can also promise you this – God is not happy about it. No one distorts His word and gets away with it. A day of reckoning will come to those who partake in this unholy alliance of so-called Christianity and a world-based view.
Enough soapbox preachin’… Back to our post.
Today’s Tiny Words. Big Life. quote doesn’t need nor use any “maybes”. Like all of God’s commands, it’s simple and direct.
“Go.”
The very sound of that short word can send shudders down our spine. But, we needn’t be scared or intimidated because we’ll never have to go alone. If we obey His word, God will send the Counselor (Holy Spirit) to be with us. We shouldn’t let the fear of not being good enough prevent us from going because our words will be used by God himself to penetrate the hearts of those who will listen.
In today’s Tiny Words. Big Life. Bible verse, Jesus is talking to His disciples about how they should approach their work for God – the things He commanded them to do. To illustrate His point, Jesus uses an example of a servant who works in the field for his master. After working, should the servant expect to be rewarded for doing his/her job?
The short answer is No. The job is the commandment. The work is what you should be doing.
In the same way as the servant in the field, God expects us to share the Good News of His son, Jesus. He commands us to go to all people and teach them about God’s love and His plans for the redemption of their sins.
The Tiny Words. Big Life. takeaway is this: Pray for the call of urgency to go and bring others to Christ. Pray for the love of others to overwhelm you, causing you to go and take action on their behalf. Pray to speak boldly to all who are lost.
One more thing…
Imagine that you’re outside, standing in the grass. It’s a beautiful day. Out in front of you, there’s an unsaved person standing in the middle of a road. In the distance, you see an 18-wheeler barreling down at a high rate of speed. If you do nothing, the unsaved person will surely be killed.
As you consider your options, you might say to yourself, “I can’t do anything. I’m not fast enough to get there in time.” Or, maybe “Surely, someone else will do it.”
So, what do you do?
Here’s a hint… it doesn’t include the word “maybe”.
Don’t walk.
“Go ye, run therefore.”
Luke 17:7-10
7 “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”