It is Pentecost Sunday, seven weeks after Easter Sunday, in 2023. Pentecost – when the apostles received the Holy Spirit and The Church of Christ was born.
There’s a rallying cry for every group that organizes itself by some attribute they hold in common. Sometimes it’s for political purposes, sometimes it’s a sports team or an entertainment franchise. Sometimes it is around a Person that promises to be life changing.
Christians are no different – we rally under a single banner – Christ crucified. [1 Corinthians 1:23-24] We rally under a single cry – ‘Let’s Go’.
Only spell it differently… LET’S GAHOE! This reminds us that we are God’s Army Here on Earth. We stand together, we live differently, and we fight uniquely.
Jesus commissioned His disciples to 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 He’d told them. And here we are, almost two thousand years later, the disciples that were made by other disciples that were made by other disciples, etc.
I say almost 2,000 years ago, because if Jesus was crucified at 33, then we have 10 years to hit that 2,000-year anniversary of that first Pentecost… so Let’s GAHOE!
What’s our 10-year plan?
Yes, God calls us to Him, but without fellow believers who preach the Gospel and encourage us in our rebirth, the devil has an easy time distracting us from becoming effective followers of Jesus. Look around you and consider what God cares about – people. Will you be around in 10 years? What about your spouse, your family, your friends, your coworkers, your neighbors, and your enemies?
Those of us that are older, may not be around in 10 years. The children become teens… the teens become young adults… the young adults become busy! If they aren’t introduced to Scripture early – the very Word of God – the primary instrument through which He speaks to us – they will not naturally be drawn to it. And the culture of this world will never encourage them to draw near to God.
Consider the growth of corn. The earth as we know it, never brings forth corn on its own. The earth, by itself, is the mother of weeds… not of wheat or corn or tomatoes or Christians! The hand of man must sow the seed and work the plow or else, there would never be a harvest. Such is the work of grace. And every Christian will be called to account, on that last day, to answer – what did you do with the grace you’ve been shown?
We know from John 3:16, that God desires to save all. We also know that not all will be saved. (Goal #1: sow the seed, so more may be saved.)
We know from 1 Corinthians 3:12-13, 2 Corinthians 5:10 that Christians will be called to account for the work they have done for the Lord as a response to His saving grace. Gone are the days where bold Christians must travel the world to share the Gospel. That is already being done. Christianity is growing in China and Africa and among the Muslim nations while in the decline in the West.
There was a time when I took for granted that everyone would know the stories of David and Goliath… or Daniel and the Lion’s Den. But ask a child, 12-years old and under, whose exposure in the world is limited to public school and Little League and you will be met with a blank stare. Remember Romans 10:14.
Ask a teen to tell you more about Daniel and would they be able to tell you that he was captured in Judah as a young and promising teen from Israel and brought to the Babylonian empire to be given a new name… a new education… new training… in order to serve the Babylonian king! Do they know how successful he was as he committed himself to putting God first in spite of the difficult circumstances he was in? Do they know that after the Babylonians were defeated, Daniel was promoted by the new regime, i.e., King Darius of the Medo-Persian empire? And this king would be tricked into sentencing Daniel, now about 80 years old, to be thrown into the lion’s den? Would they know that King Darius would pray to God for Daniel’s deliverance? Would they know that after Daniel’s deliverance, that this king would write to all the nations and peoples of his empire that they should revere the God of Daniel?
(Goal #2: share the great stories. If you don’t know them – learn them! If you can’t explain them, how are you going to spark the interest of a non-believer?)
You were saved to have a hand in saving others. You don’t have to go on a world mission, there’s a world of unbelievers in your own backyard… Become familiar with Adam and Eve in the Garden, Cain and Abel, Lamech and his two wives, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah and his family. The tower of Babel, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Esau and Jacob and the wild story of the twelve tribes of Israel. Read the story of Joseph… the Exodus from slavery in Egypt… the rebellions in the wilderness… the promised land under Joshua’s leadership. Then Judges 🤦🏼♀️ contrasted with Ruth 💕. Then the wild ride of Israel under the leadership of kings in 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings… along God’s warnings and promises from the prophets.
Why would anyone want to trust God if they don’t know the stories that reveal His trustworthiness? How will they know of His loving kindness and faithfulness? In a culture full of broken homes and broken relationships, who doesn’t want to hear of a God that wants to adopt them as a son or daughter and give them new life? A God that has shut the mouths of lions… calmed the raging seas… slew the enemies of His people? A God who works all things together for those that love Him. (Romans 8:28) He protects His children in ways we couldn’t even fathom… wouldn’t imagine… but cannot explain outside of His providence. (Isaiah 55:8-9) Just read Esther.
This is more than a book… more than a collection of books… this is a lifetime of meditation literature. If you know someone who is struggling in this world, right now, there is at least one story in Scripture of others that have faced a similar struggle. [Ecclesiastes 1:9, 1 Corinthians 10:13) If you are struggling in this world, dive deep into this love letter from God. The God who loves you enough to create you in His own image; loves you enough to die for you; loves you enough to watch over you; loves you enough to return for you.
(Goal #3: join the fight.) If we are God’s Army Here on Earth – then until He returns for us, we have but one mission. To submit to His authority and bring Him glory. When we believe Him, we recognize that nothing else matters. We willingly follow Him in obedience and trust Him with the outcome. Before we get out of bed in the morning we put on that full armor of God outlined in Ephesians 6:10-12.
The armor includes: the BELT of truth, the BREASTPLATE of righteousness, SANDALS fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace, the SHIELD of faith, the HELMET of salvation, and the SWORD of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
We can’t fight with the Word of God if we don’t know the Word of God. (When you’re under attack, don’t ask, What would Jesus do… you should already know what Jesus did! There are Gospel accounts of Jesus being tested in the wilderness by Satan, so don’t be surprised if you are too. Jesus fought with the Word of God. [Matthew 4:4, Luke 4:8]
By the way… here’s some wild news. The battle belongs to the Lord. All that armor we put on? We put that on just so we can STAND. When we know the truth, [John 14:6], we can fight the father of lies. [John 8:44, James 4:7] The more we experience these victories, the stronger we grow in our faith and are able to shepherd new believers.
If He’s given you 5 talents, get 5 more. If He’s given you 2, get 2 more. If He’s given you 1… DON’T BURY IT! (Matthew 25:14-30)
The late Dr. Timothy Keller, pastor to 5,000+ in Manhattan, NY was bold enough to preach truth, because as he liked to say… The Gospel Changes Everything.
He could tell his church… the gospel says you are more sinful and flawed than you ever dared believe, but more accepted and loved than you ever dared hope.
Learn to love the God who loves you all over again. Praise and worship Him, our King of Kings.