What would be equally worse than having a cure for a disease and never telling or giving it to anyone? Answer: If you have the answer to how you have your past forgiven and given a purpose for living and a home in heaven and not share it with anyone. I’ve learned to check myself frequently, making sure that I haven’t gotten so caught up in my own walk with Christ, that I forget about those who haven’t been introduced to Him yet. Because I can get caught up in what I want God to do for me that I forget what he can do for others.
I had a conversation with a student that really got me thinking. The student took a bold chance and invited a friend of a different faith to church. The two had heard that day in church about how Jesus Christ is the only way to God the Father. So in a conversation after the service the friend asked the student “do you think I will go to hell based on what I believe right now”? The student, knowing that this could go horribly wrong and probably change their friendship, said “yes”. Now the response the student’s friend gave is what motivated this post. The friend responded with “well thanks for caring enough about me to invite me to church”. The friend went on to say, ” I have other Christian friends and they have never invited me to church. If they believe what you believe about where and how I would spend eternity, why wouldn’t they care enough to invite me?”
This conversation got me thinking about how important it is that we share Christ with everyone because it simply shows that we care. duh!! ha. Simple concept but very profound. Sometimes in order for us to show that we care, it takes us to not care about what other people say or think. This student took a huge step not caring what the friend would think and invited the friend to church. The fact that the friend equated being invited to church as an act of caring for her should be a wake up call to us. Who do you need to care about this week and invite to church? I believe there are a few lessons we can learn from this student that had the boldness to invite not just a friend but one of a different belief to church.
- Jesus Christ died for everyone so there is no one excluded.(John 3:16) So reach out and invite your friends to church. It doesn’t matter what they believe or where they are in life, God can reach them. Pray for opportunities to talk with those friends about Christ.
- Being bold in sharing your faith in love, will have an affect in the lives of those you share Christ with, in some way. Even if they don’t come to Christ right away, you have planted a seed in their life that will produce fruit.
- Be motivated by God’s love. Those who do not have a relationship with Christ cannot fulfill the purpose God has for them here on earth in Christ. Christ died so we would have the opportunity to be in relationship with Him. We should want that for everyone we know.
- Sharing Christ with others who don’t know Him is valuing your eternal relationship with them as-well-as your temporal one here on earth. Because God cares about them both.
I know how hard and scary it is sometime to share Christ or invite someone to church. Especially knowing that religion is a very hot topic for people, but the cost is too high for us not to share and invite. I find the strength to share Christ, in knowing that it’s something God has called me to do. The people I share with and invite are better off regardless of whether they come to a service or receive Christ because a seed has been planted. So I rely on Him to use me in His plan to change lives. It’s not in my own strength that I share my faith but through Christ who strengthens me. We have all been called to spreading the gospel. So care about someone this week and share Christ and invite them to church. I would say think about it as if their life depended on it because IT DOES! You never know who’s waiting just to be invited.
hope it helps
ac
