Intentional About Sharing the Gospel

I was listening to a preacher at a missions conference recently who posed a question about the way that we share the Gospel with unbelievers. His question essentially centered on whether we only witness when there is a clear opportunity handed to us or if we make a concerted effort to go out on purpose to witness to unbelievers.

​I have to admit that my mind was intrigued, and I began to consider my own life. I find that often I leave my witnessing opportunities up to “chance” encounters with unsaved people as I am going about my regular life. As I have pondered on and prayed through these thoughts, I have come to the conclusion that waiting for the opportunities to witness is not wrong. BUT if that is the ONLY time I speak of the wondrous love of my Lord, I may be missing the point of the Great Commission as Christ gave to His disciples prior to His ascension. ​

The verbs and participles in the Matthew 28:19-20 account of the Great Commission seem to point to what some grammar books call contemporaneous action. (Now don’t stop reading on me because I am sharing some grammar…the English teacher and Greek student in me needs some kind of outlet!)

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” ​Matthew 28:19-20

​When Jesus commands us to go into all the world, the action of going is almost assumed.

Jesus is saying that those who are His disciples will, of course, be going to share the truth of the Gospel with others. The main action in vs. 19 is not the going. It is the teaching or making disciples.

​While followers of Jesus are going, they should be making disciples of those who they are going to and sharing the Gospel with. This understanding of the grammar in these verses helps me see that intentionally going to share the Gospel is a decision that you and I must make. While we are doing that, the Lord will lead us to people of whom we can make disciples.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record the familiar parable of the sower. Matthew 13:3b says, “A sower went forth to sow.” This phrase is in all three parables, and I have often skipped over it to get to the story. Anybody with me?

But let’s stop for a minute. What does this phrase indicate?

The farmer, or the sower, made a decision to go out that day and sow the seed. We know from the explanation Jesus gives the disciples that the sower is the one giving the Word of God which is pictured through the seed. But there was a choice made at the beginning of the parable—to sow or not to sow? ​

What am I doing to make it easy to sow the seed of the Gospel?

• Is my mind even thinking about that as I run my errands and as we all race toward the holiday seasons which are really centered on the Gospel?
• Is the only time I find myself speaking of Christ and His work in my life when someone asks me that direct question?

Don’t get me wrong…we MUST speak when we are asked about our faith. But, are we choosing to be purposeful in our propagation of the Gospel?

It is easy for me to be purposeful about my witnessing when I am in England, but God has used this simple study to help refocus my attention while I am in the States on furlough to be quick to see past my schedule and all the I have to do, and instead, to see the lost souls of people around me.

We have heard it said that we may be the only Bible that some people ever read which is why our actions and attitudes are so important. But may I encourage you to go out today with the distinct purpose of sharing the Gospel and the love of Christ with lost people that you know.

Make the choice to be the sower who went out to sow the seed!

How are you prepared to intentionally share the Good News of the Gospel?