Proclaiming One Gospel
Read the Text: Mark 16
Memorize the Text: Now concerning that day or hour no one knows – neither the angels in heaven nor the Son – but only the Father (Mark 13:32)
Consider the Text: Mark 16:15-16
Jesus commanded all believers to be witnesses to the entire world. As a witness, believers received the call to declare the message of the gospel and to walk with new believers to aid in the development of disciples who make more disciples. As a witness, a follower of Christ must be a herald of God that declares the message of God so that people can become the children of God. In Mark 16, we are reminded of this calling.
We are called to PROCLAIM CHRIST. Jesus’ command meant that we are to be the herald of God. A herald is one who holds the responsibility to deliver a message to others from the king. In this case, we are to declare the message of God, the gospel, to the ends of the earth. The task remains simple since the message does not have to be formed by us, but instead we must be the mere mouthpiece of the Lord.
The message we must declare is the gospel. This message includes the declaration of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It is the declaration of what God has done for us through Christ so that we might gain eternal life. The proclamation of this message takes boldness and faith. As we rely on the Lord, he provides the needed boldness to carry out the task.
We are called to PROCLAIM TO THE NATIONS. The nations include every nationality, race, and ethnicity on the planet. Including the entire nations means we must declare to the people who are like us. These are the easiest people to relate to and often the most difficult to discuss the gospel with. We can speak with common ground and struggle because of a worldly concern about what the individual may think about us. The fact remains that we receive a call from the Lord to reach those that are near us and like us.
We must extend our witness to target those who are unlike us. These individuals become more difficult to reach because there is not a common ground to build on. Often, we face cultural barriers like language that keep us from communicating clearly and concisely. The hindrance can become a deterrent and an excuse that we use to lessen our responsibility to share.
We must also share with those who dislike us. These individuals may desire to harm us and stop us from sharing. It becomes difficult to approach them with the gospel because of concern over personal well-being and safety. When we are not cautious, we can also self-justify silence by believing they will receive what they deserve if we refuse to share. These are still the people Christ died for and he called us to go to and share.
We are called to PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL. The message we declare is not the message designed by us. It centers on the exclusiveness of Christ and exists because of the work of Christ. The message of the gospel focuses on the availability of hope to the one who lives in hopelessness. When we recognize the darkness and see the surrounding struggle, we should become more passionate and bold in proclaiming Christ. We must refuse to remain silent and must become unashamed in declaring the gospel.
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
