From the Great Omission,

Back to the Great Commission

 Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.  Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever, I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.  Amen.” 

Recently when I was looking at a HeartCry Missionary Society magazine cover, the title said, “The Great Commission: How beautiful are the feet…”  As I looked down at my big feet (and no, I’m not going to tell you how big they are), they did not look so beautiful.  I began to evaluate my evangelistic efforts over the past six months by the standard set by Jesus, and I can say that I have not been following the Great Commission but rather the Great Omission.

I recognized that I had allowed myself to become a poor steward of my time and efforts during the last six months.  Seldom would I step out to share the gospel during the week, because I assured myself that I would make up for it at the outreach I was leading at the end of the week.  I allowed perfect moments to go by when I could have shared with my co-workers, but honestly I often held back out of shame.  That stung recently when I read Romans 10:11, “For the scripture says, whosoever believes on Him shall not be ashamed”. 

I’ve also held back from sharing when I am out on a date with my wife or spending time with my family.  I reasoned that when I focus on my family when we’re out, I demonstrate my love to them.  But this action indicates a love for my wife and children that is greater than my love God.  I can say this because of what Jesus said in Luke 14:26;

If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

 Jesus is not asking me to hate the members of my family, but he is saying that if you claim to be His disciple then His desires and battles are at the forefront of your mind above all others.  Honestly, I have blamed my family for my lack of sharing, when I am the one who is just using it as an excuse. 

 What I have done is allowed myself to make excuses for not sharing the gospel consistently, every day.  If I claim to be a Christian but I’m not sharing the gospel consistently, then I am following the great omission, and I feel a need to question my faith.  Now many people would say that this is too harsh a critique, but the scripture is clear when we are not forsaking all other things we cannot be a disciple of Christ (Luke 14:33).  I’ve been quick to quote Matthew 6:33 (But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.) but to be the servant for Christ I must battle for God’s kingdom each day. 

 If you are not guilty of this, then please pray for me and all the others who are struggling to fulfill the Great Commission.  If you are like me, then please consider these two steps that I’m suggesting, and contact me with additional ideas that will keep us focused on God’s kingdom work.

Share the Gospel at Work:

Each week I spend forty or more hours working as a medical social worker.  This commitment is the most time consuming of all in my life.  If I do not take the time to share in this one area, then forty percent of my waking hours each week are absent of God’s Kingdom work. 

To make the greatest impact, I have decided to share the gospel with everyone who I work with in the pediatric emergency room and cystic fibrosis center.  I first heard this suggestion from Mark Cahill.  After Mark spoke to a youth group from Minnesota, the kids went back and made a list of all the kids and faculty members in their high school.  Each Sunday and Wednesday, the youth would gather together to report who they shared the gospel with and pray for the upcoming encounters.  And within three months everyone in their school heard the gospel message! 

This method seems to work because the goal is written down, and you have follow-up and accountability.  I plan to make my own list and find other brothers who will do the same thing.  If you prayerfully consider this and find that you are being lead to join me then contact me by e-mail and we will begin to work together to reach those that we work with.

Share the Gospel Where You Are:

I have allowed myself to get lackadaisical and not look for open doors to share the gospel in those moments between activities.  I have found myself separating my time to evangelize from the time I spend with my family.  Even when I am on a vacation, alone with my wife; I have pacified myself from sharing the gospel because I want the vacation to be a special time alone with Jen. 

This was especially true when Jen and I were in San Francisco May 23, during the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Festival.  As our hearts broke, seeing some of the reported 350,000 people celebrating the sin in their life, Jen turned to me and said, “Sweetie, we are not of this world”.  As happy as I was that Jen was experiencing the same sadness, I should have suggested that we step out and speak the truth to some people.  Instead, I kept reassuring myself that I was on vacation with my wife.  To my horror now I can envision the devil and his demons cheering my unwillingness to fight in the midst of that spiritual battle. 

As I sit here now, I realize that when I fail to engage in the battle I not only keep from affecting God’s kingdom, but I’m setting myself up for temptation and a potential fall.  This very thing happened with King David.  It was when David stayed home, instead of going out to battle, that he was tempted by Bathsheba and eventually fell.  Brothers and sisters, how often do we set ourselves up for an ambush when we stop the forward advance in battle, only to find ourselves in greater temptation and eventual turmoil?  Let us be in the battle so that the devil is on the retreat.

To deal with this, I am going to sit down with my family and explain why I must be in battle even when we go out as a family.  I will explain to them that I must put God before them or else I risk Christ not calling me His disciple.  Then as a family, we will begin praying for the opportunities and people that will hear the gospel when we are out.  By doing this I will make my family members my accountability partners in the battle, and train my children that the battle never ends until we are called home.

Battle Until You’re Called Home,

Doug Koch