I came across something I wrote 18 years ago that I thought I would share with you now. Please read it prayerfully and ask the Lord to give us His heart for this lost world. Then invite someone to join you this Sunday, 4pm, at the outdoor Christmas concert where they can hear about Jesus through songs, testimony, and a Christmas message.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:11-14).
God the Father was so passionate about saving a sinful world that He gave His only begotten Son as a substitutionary sacrifice for sin. Jesus was so passionate about reaching lost sinners that He sought them out. The Apostle Paul was so consumed with getting the gospel to lost people that he didn’t care if he died in the process. Paul told Titus that Jesus came to transform our lives and make us “red hot with passion” for Him.
Do you see the common themes here? Commitment, sacrifice, single-mindedness, and passion! This has been a hallmark of believers down through the ages. As we approach the Christmas season and focus our attention on the birth of Jesus – the Messiah of Israel, God-Man, Sacrificial Savior, and soon coming King of kings and Lord of lords – can we honestly say that our hearts are RED HOT WITH PASSION for people to know Jesus as Lord?
The Gospel must be carried by people consumed with seeing it reach the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). But the Age of Tolerance we live in dulls our sharpness, blunts our commitment, and obscures the reality of what is a legitimate goal verses what is illegitimate and nothing more than trivia. We live in an age that robs our faith of its inflammatory power. Too many people today want a Christianity that doesn’t disrupt their lifestyle or break into their leisure. They have big brains (lots of bible study) but small hearts (no passion for the lost). Being content with personal prosperity and happiness, many “Christians” have no understanding of the profound passion of Jeremiah (Jer. 9:1) or Paul (Rom. 9:1-3) for people to be made right with God. Many churches, catering to this hedonistic attitude (2 Tim. 4:3-4), have made comfort more important than conformity to Christ (Rom. 8:28-30; Col. 1:28-29). But even a casual reflection of the implications of the Incarnation should arouse in us a holy zeal for the glory of Christ and a willingness to sacrificially serve until all nations have come to saving faith (Phil. 2:5-8; Mt. 28:18-20). Evangelism is effective when it comes from a HOT HEART rather than from a cool mind!
A Puritan Pastor once said, “I marvel how I can preach stoically & coldly, how I can let men alone in their sins, and that I do not go to them and beseech them for the Lord’s sake, however they take it and whatever pains or troubles it should cause me.” Pastor Joseph Parker said, “As long as the church of God is one of many institutions, she will have her little day, she will die and that will be all, but just as soon as she gets the Spirit of Jesus until the world thinks she has gone stark mad, then we shall be on the high road to capture this planet for Christ.” It was said of Joseph Alane, “With infinite & insatiable greed for the conversion of souls he preached with far reaching voice, flashing eyes and a soul on fire with love.” Of John Wesley, “He went out to do for England more than was done by the armies & navies of England in the whole length of his life. What courage & what toil. Ease and he had parted company. And as for money, he lived on a pittance and gave away more than $200,000 pounds. Abused & maligned in his time he could say, ‘I leave my reputation where I leave my soul, in the hands of God.’ He said to his brother Charles, ‘When I devoted to God my ease, my time, my labor, did I exempt my reputation?’ On foot & horseback he traveled more than 225,000 miles, preached 24,000 sermons, and amid misrepresentation & abuse, never knowing the delights of love at home, subject to incessant attacks of the mob, the pulpit and the press, he did not abate a jot of heart or hope until he had reached the age of 88 and ceased at once to labor and to live.” At the end of his life one biographer concluded, “He was out of breath pursuing souls.”
How do we gain that kind of passion?
1) Study Jesus! When we read about His life in the Gospels, we are overwhelmed by His constant commitment to evangelize the lost! He did it through public preaching (Mt. 5-7; 9:35; 11:28-30; Mk. 1:39) but He also did it through personal witnessing (John 1:43 – Philip; John 3 – Nicodemus; John 4 – woman at the well; Lk. 19 – Zaccheus; Mk. 10:46-53 – blind Bartimaeus; Mt. 19 – rich young ruler; Lk. 23:39-43 – thief on the cross). He did it with great love, compassion, and tender mercy. 1 John 2:6 says that we should walk as He walked!
2) Study sinners! See how lost they really are! Look past the façade of “success” and see that positions, prestige, power, and possessions will not help them when they stand before the holy Judge of the universe. Realize that their false religions will not help them either because it is an affront to a holy God that sent His only Son so we might have eternal life through Him alone.
3) Study Scripture! See what it says about death, judgment, and hell. Then see what it says about eternal life, rewards, and heaven.
4) Study on-fire believers! Watch some people in the church that have a passion for the lost and find out what motivates them. Go out with them and watch them share their faith in everyday situations. Ask them to train you to do the same.
5) Pray! Ask the Lord to help you see lost sinners with His eyes of compassion (Mt. 9:36-38; 23:37).
6) Go! Evangelism is simply “taking the initiative to share the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit, leaving the results to God.” Some will plant, some will water, and some will see a harvest, but ALL should zealously get involved! Go for it!