We live in a world where the majority of the people around us are lost and dying in sin. They are lost because they have never obeyed the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As people who probably have friends and family who are lost, what can we do to reach these people?
- Befriend them. Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors, groups of individuals most people chose to avoid (Matt. 9:9-13). Why would Jesus go against the common practice of society? Jesus knew you couldn’t lead someone without first befriending them.
- Love them. The second greatest command is to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matt. 22:39). Jesus lived this commandment out daily. When He saw the crowds of people, Jesus felt compassion for them (Matt. 9:35-36).
- Serve them. Jesus came to earth to be a servant (Mk. 10:44-45; Phil. 2:5-8). If we want to make a difference in the lives of others and help lead them to Christ, we have to be willing to get our hands dirty (Jn. 13:12-14).
- Pray for them. Jesus spent a lot of alone time praying. Don’t you suppose at least some of His prayers were devoted to praying for the lost? In the Lord’s prayer of John 17, Jesus prayed for 1) Himself, 2) His disciples, 3) Future believers. What better way to reach non-believers than by praying for them on a continual basis and asking God to help you teach them.
- Teach them. I know this may seem like one of those “duh” moments, but I think many times we fail to act in this area. Jesus was about the business of teaching (Matt. 4:23; Mk. 6:6). How often do we teach those who are lost? As Christians, it’s our responsibility to reach out to non-believers and teach them (Matt. 28:19-20; Mk. 16:15; Acts 1:8).
Sin is a BIG deal and it’s time Christians started treating it that way! Let’s open our eyes and ask God to give us opportunities to reach the lost around us (Matt. 9:37-38).
Now that’s Something to Think About!