Jesus Christ is your savior, my savior, and the savior of all mankind!
So what does it mean to share him with others?
Matthew 28:16-20 (WEB) says,
16) But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had sent them. 17) When they saw him, they bowed down to him, but some doubted. 18) Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19) Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20) teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
This passage in the Bible is called "The Great Commission." It is Jesus' last words to his followers. It is our assignment. It is The Great Commission! After giving us his own example of how to make disciples, he then commands us to continue to follow him, to imitate him, and make yet more disciples of Jesus. The Christian faith is not merely reading the Bible and understanding facts about God, but it is sharing Jesus' love with others and asking others to follow Jesus. God's intention is that the good news about Jesus' death on the cross for the sins of ALL mankind would be shared with ALL mankind. This world is filled with Satan's lies about God, suggesting that God does not love all mankind and that we are condemned. Read Zechariah 3:1-10 to see just how mean Satan can be toward Joshua and also toward us. The Great Commission is our great mission to defeat these lies and be used by the Holy Spirit to bring the good news to ALL mankind.
Acts 1:9-11 (WEB) says,
9) When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10) While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing, 11) who also said, "You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky, will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky."
Understandably after Jesus gave the Great Commission and then ascended into Heaven, the first disciples were stunned. I personally have never witnessed anyone teach with the authority of Jesus, work miracles, be raised from the dead, and ascend into Heaven. No wonder the disciples were reeling with their heads spinning. So God sent two angels to stop their spinning heads and point them back to their assignment. Friend, God's love for all mankind is proved without a doubt. Why do you stand there? Go tell your neighbor!
Matthew 22:34-40 (WEB) says,
34) But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, gathered themselves together. 35) One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him. 36) "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?" 37) Jesus said to him, " 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38) This is the first and great commandment. 39 A second likewise is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40) The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.' "
But we may still have questions and doubts. Answer your questions! Erase your doubts! Do whatever hard work is needed to get your feet planted on the solid rock of Jesus Christ! Pray! Read the Bible! Show your love for God by obeying his commands! And if you do not know how to begin The Great Commission, then begin (and end) with The Great Commandments above. Jesus keeps it simple for us because there are only two Great Commandments: 1) love God and 2) love your neighbor as yourself. God's commands truly are not difficult to understand or burdensome. The only challenge is that we must lay down our self-interests in order to be concerned about others.
The good news is too good to keep to ourselves. God does not just love you, but he loves all mankind! Salvation is not personal, but universal! Jesus commands us to join his forces to fight against the lies of Satan and tell our family, friends, and neighbors about God's love. Share Jesus!
