don't hold your tongue | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: don't hold your tongue | Previous Challenge Entry
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09/04/11
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Every Christian has a Divine Call on their lives. Every Christian is called to 'preach', to persuade. Whether or not you’re in ‘full-time ministry’ you should be a full-time Christian. This involves sharing the Gospel wherever you are in life. The Greek word for preach means to ‘proclaim, herald, announce”. There’s no mention of a pulpit, or an ordination service. Jesus didn’t ask us all to deliver sermons, speak at open-air services or stand on street corners shouting about fire and brimstone, scaring everyone within earshot to death. But Jesus expects us to share the Gospel Message with those around us. Whether this is through kind words, dropping a thought into someone's head, serving someone with your hands or ‘preaching' in season.

Churches no longer believe that they have to answer this call, choosing to sit comfortably in their pews instead of taking to the streets to share the Message. Churches have grown cold and insular, keeping within their four walls without a thought for those outside. This runs contrary to the Gospel, Jesus doesn't want us to keep ourselves to ourselves. He doesn’t want us to sit on our hands, hold back our hearts, or keep our mouths shut and our ears blocked. Jesus wants people to be persuaded to make peace with Him through watching on as we live our lives.

2 Corinthians 5:11 pleads with us to persuade others to follow Christ. The Message tells us to “work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God” (2 Corinthians 5:11 MSG). Paul goes on to explain that “if I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do” (2 Corinthians 5:12-14 MSG). Do whatever it takes to tell others the Good News that Jesus lives, and loves. Don't hold your tongue, holding back on what has to be said.

2 Corinthians 5:20 (Amplified Version) outlines our work role; we're called to be Christ's ambassadors. Paul's words are as follows, "we are Christ's ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ's personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favour [now offered you] and be reconciled to God."

Persuading men; this is our call, this is our commission. Burning hearts, determined minds, and eager feet, that's what we're meant to have. We're meant to be carried away in our love and passion for the Lord, carrying the Message with us through life. This responsibility falls on our heads and is found in our hands. The responsibility of sharing the Living Gospel rests on us. We can't take a rest, sitting back in our armchairs with our feet up knowing that there are people within reach who are walking the opposite way. Crossing their paths and pleading with them to make peace with God at the cross is our mission in life.

Hold this thought, as Christ's personal representatives He's authorised us to speak in His name and on His behalf. As His reps we're to translate what He's saying into the language of the people. We have to realise the weight of this. God has empowered us as His messengers, sending us out on a special mission.

The Greek translation for ambassador is 'on Christ's behalf'. Jesus has appointed us to take His place on earth. We're to be His voice box, allowing Jesus to speak through us, amplifying the message for all to hear. Being an ambassador can be used as a vehicle for the Gospel. We're meant to drive this Message home, persuading others to join the ranks.

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