Ministers for the Messiah (May 17, 2023)

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved...and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:13-14)  Only a few Christians are called to be pastors, but we have all been commissioned as ministers to mankind by Jesus Christ, our Savior. It takes courage and commitment, but every believer has been commanded to minister in trusting obedience to the physical and spiritual needs of other people through humble service to humanity. Our multi-faceted personal ministries for Christ should include, as we are able and have the opportunity, selfless acts of kindness and compassion; generous giving of our time, skills, and resources; and fervent intercessory prayer.

One of the most important parts of our ministry as Jesus’ earthly ambassadors is evangelism—sharing God’s love and spreading the gospel of salvation that is freely offered to everyone through the blood Christ, our risen LORD, shed for us at Calvary. We all have poignant, powerful testimonies as personal witnesses to God’s saving grace and what He is doing to transform us into new creations in Christ. Our calling is to boldly and passionately share this eternal hope that we have as believers so that lost souls may come to faith in Christ, receive God’s gift of abundant and everlasting life, and join us in heaven someday. “For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” (2 Corinthians 4:5)

A touching biblical example of evangelism is the response of the woman of Samaria who rushed into town to tell others that she had met Christ the Messiah during a life-changing encounter with Jesus at Jacob’s well. After five broken marriages and a relationship with a man to whom she was not married, this wayward woman thirsted for “living water” (John 4:10) that flows through faith in Christ and becomes “…a fountain…springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14) As a result of her faith and public witness, “…many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified.”  (John 4:39) Like the Samaritan woman, we need to be telling thirsty souls about the “living water” of salvation offered only by Jesus Christ, and showing them a portrait of Christ in us!