Norman Cates shared the humorous story of a guy who prayed this prayer every morning: “Lord, if you want me to witness to someone today, please give me a sign to show me who it is.”
One day he found himself on a bus when a big, burly man sat next to him. The bus was nearly empty but this guy sat next to our praying friend.
The timid Christian anxiously waited for his stop so he could exit the bus. But before he could get very nervous about the man next to him, the big guy burst into tears and began to weep. He then cried out with a loud voice, “I need to be saved. I’m a lost sinner and I need the Lord. Won’t somebody tell me how to be saved?” He turned to the Christian and pleaded, “Can you show me how to be saved?”
The believer immediately bowed his head and prayed, “Lord, is this a sign?”
Are you looking for a “sign” to start witnessing?
Someone correctly said, “The longer a church has been in existence, the more its resources go toward its own preservation rather than toward outreach and evangelism. Our tendency is to design ministries that meet our own needs as opposed to the needs of those who have not yet entered the kingdom.”
But the church has been given this mandate by our Lord Jesus Himself. Matthew 28:18-20: “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 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. Amen.”
It is our imperative, our duty given by our Lord, to tell others about Jesus not just in our words but in our actions, in the places we go, and in the places where we live, work and shop. In all that we do, we should glorify Jesus Christ our Lord.
For a business to be a success it must “keep the main thing the main thing.” Jesus has given the church the “main thing.” That “thing” is to preach the Gospel, the good news of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, to save man from his biggest problem.
Man’s biggest problem is not the economy, terrorist threats, natural disasters, lack of education, drugs, sickness or death. Man’s greatest problem is that his sins have separated him from his God.
Until each one of us who make up the church sees that person in the grocery line, that neighbor next door or down the road, that person in the doctor’s office, or sitting next to you in a classroom… as a person who might be in grave danger of slipping into eternity without Jesus Christ… we will continue to waste our time and bring dishonor to our Savior.
The young salesman was disappointed about losing a big sale, and as he talked with his sales manager, he lamented, “I guess it just proves you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” The manager replied, “Son, take my advice: your job is not to make him drink. Your job is to make him thirsty.” So it is with evangelism. Our lives should be so filled with Christ that they create a thirst for the Gospel.
Watch sermons and read sermon texts and other articles by going to www.tomahawkmbc.com. Listen to Pastor Jack Ward’s sermons on WSIP FM 98.9 every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Watch his sermons on Facebook by going to his page.