Gospel Strong

Sharing the gospel is intimidating.  The first time I can remember really being challenged and being convicted to share the gospel was the summer of 1992 when I was 18 years old and started working as a counselor at East Iowa Bible Camp.  During our counselor training the camp dean told us that part of our responsibility was to share the gospel with each and every child that was in our cabin.  So, every week of the summer I had a one-on-one meeting with 6-8 kids with the whole purpose of sharing the gospel with them.  I remember being extremely anxious before every one of those meetings, but God gave me strength I needed every time even though I didn’t feel like I was able to do it!

No matter how weak we might feel communicating the gospel, we need gain the strength from somewhere to be able to do it. Where do we get the strength to share the gospel with others?

READ:  2 Timothy 4:9-18

Gospel strong is God’s presence within us giving us the ABILITY to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ!  The word “strengthened” from the greek word δυναμις can also be translated “power”.  A couple of other prominent places where δυναμις and the sharing the gospel are linked together include Acts 1:8 where Jesus says, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” and Romans 1:16 where Paul says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes”.  Plain and simple, God supplies all the power necessary to proclaim the gospel.  God supplies us with the power to be a witness and He is the power behind what we say.  That means that all God really needs is our obedience and our vocal chords!  If we will speak the words of the gospel to another, God will do the rest.  What is the gospel?  The message that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose 3 days later in order to pay the penalty for sin and grant believers eternal salvation.  How does God’s presence help our ability to proclaim the message gospel?

The Lord is WITH us as we proclaim the message of the gospel (2 Tim. 4:17a) – When someone “stands beside” us it means they are with us in whatever way is necessary to provide encouragement and support for us.  It is the Lord who “stood by” Paul in His efforts to proclaim the message of the gospel.  Jesus said in Matthew 28:19-20, “All authority in heaven and no earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, . . . And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age”.  Jesus Christ Himself has promised that He will stand beside us and be a powerful personal presence with us in our efforts to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ!  In the midst of anxiety, fear, intimidation, and persecutions we can have calm, courage, and boldness knowing that God is with us.

The Lord proclaims the message of the gospel THROUGH us (2 Tim. 4:17b) – A megaphone is an electronic device that reduplicates and amplifies someone’s voice.  Our role in sharing the gospel is like a megaphone.  We are not the source of the message, God is the source off the message, and He communicates His message powerfully “through” us.  We are a simply a tool God uses to direct the gospel toward specific people.  Here’s the convicting part, people will not hear God’s voice if we keep our voice “muted”.  The only way for God’s message to get communicated through us is if “unmute” our voice and are willing and ready to share the gospel when we sense God “pulling the trigger” in our lives to speak.

CONCLUSION
God wants to communicate the message of the good news of Jesus Christ to someone within hearing range of we who are His megaphones.  God has intentionally pointed our lives in the direction of specific people so that when He pulls the trigger and speaks they can hear Him.  It is at those moments that we need God’s strength to “unmute” our voice and be ready to speak the message of the gospel!  Who in your life is God leading you to be gospel strong!?!