One way to show respect to any authority figure is to follow directions and rules, right? We follow company policies, traffic laws, classroom etiquette, etc. and show respect to each particular governing party by doing so. Well then...
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20 (The Great Commission)
So, I'm just gonna go out on a limb for a second and point out that it does not seem that Jesus gave any room for doubt in whether or not we are supposed to go and do precisely what He said we should go and do. I'm reading it online right now, in multiple translations and variations, and it pretty much all says the same thing, leaving no room for confusion. It's pretty clear that we are to go evangelize.
It's also clear that He is right beside us the entire time, within us even, to aid us in this command. His strength is what we should remember to cling to in this, because our own is insufficient for the journey (Philippians 4:13). And I'll once again quote a song from Downhere:
"You're not alone anywhere you go. You're not alone; hear the Voice whisper to your soul. A promise you can always hold... you're not alone!"
But let's be clear on something: this does not mean that you have to become Paul of Tarsus, winning over multitudes. This also does not mean that you need to be as powerful and influential as Moody or Spurgeon. What it means is that you and I have a calling in and on our lives from the Lord. That calling for some of us is to go a preach to nations who have never heard the Name. For others of us, it is to lead worship and sing praises to the Christ with every ounce of our being. Others still will write and write and write and write and write (wink*) and always have more to learn and more to share. But let's not forget that there are some who stand in the back of the sanctuary and hand out bulletins. There are others who swing doors for people, to make them feel welcome. Others still are there to watch children and teach the very simplest truths of Christianity to the little ones. And every single person - all the way from the most powerful conversion in the Bible (Paul) to the kind staffer who cleans up Kleenex from the pews - is under a calling. The honoring of each calling makes us one body (1 Corinthians 12:27).
That calling becomes that person's realm of evangelism. And if we do it, and do it well, God will take our small and feeble efforts and multiply them. We may never see that multiplication, and we may never have a clue that it even happens. But if we do not work at whatever it is as though directly for God (Colossians 3:23), then we will never have the opportunity to see Him move in us. And since we know that a relationship with Jesus is what matters most, and we know that relationships are formed in small steps, then we must infer that each individual step that is taken toward Christ is a small victory. If you are the one who smiles at that person visiting who has not yet met the Lord, and they smile back, your calling has been fulfilled and they are one step closer. Amen and amen to that for each time it happens!
And, again, we may not know the outcome of our efforts. But as my Senior Pastor says, when we have the opportunity to witness our faith coming into contact with God's faithfulness, mountains will move! They may not move in front of us... they may not even move in our lifetime... and you and I may never be able to say that we led multitudes to the Savior. But even one sinner choosing to turn toward Christ causes immense joy in Heaven (Luke 15:7), so we must all remain ready and willing to be faithful to our calling. Because...
"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."
2 Timothy 1:7
Do not fear the process of evangelizing. And do not fear the word and its definition. And do not fear the calling placed upon you, blessed one, for the fulfillment of that calling IS both evangelism and worship! Go forth, have no fear, respect the Lord in the calling He has placed upon you and honor Him in doing so!
God bless you all!!!
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