Called; Sent!
[14] But how will people call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how will they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher (messenger)?
The verse above makes reference to a project that is the heart of God, which is evangelism. The assignment that given to us as Jesus left the earth was to go and make disciples of all nations. This is an assignment that can only be done with the help and guidance of the One who gave it. It cannot be done solely by human intellect, labour or striving. It will not be done by wishful thinking, but by absolute dependence on the One who owns the work. I cannot also feel that the work is so massive that my contribution will not matter; like in the days when Nehemiah and company built thd wall, each man focused on what was in front of him, and the wall was finished in record time.
I just need to focus on what is in front of me, start from where I am and who I know, and see how God will use all that to achieve His purpose. This also means that I have to first believe in the message that I want to pass on, before it can become a message that will make sense to other people. You cannot give what you do not have. You cannot sustain a fake commitment to the things of God. You either have it or you don't. How can a man give what he does not first have? This is the heart of the message in the verse above: lives are waiting for the message of salvation and hope that I am living out right now. As Jesus makes clear, the harvest is ripe.
See how all the parts required are connected: a messenger or preacher must be available and equipped with all s/he needs for the assignment. The message has to be delivered in the right way so it can lead to the right response, which is that men may lift up their voices and call on Jesus for the salvation of their souls. It may look like a herculean task, but start where you are. Equip yourself with the information you need to be an effective witness and trust God to lead you to the right audience. I note that nothing is said about the people's reaction. I must not be distracted by such expectations. All I can do is obey as I have been sent; the results will be sorted out by God. God's time of favour is here.
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