The following post is from Sarah Short, inspired by my message in Carols last weekend.
It usually happens after hearing a powerful story from people sent to unreached people groups. We’re so powerfully moved by watching someone climb a mountain of uncertainty and sacrifice to see the name of Jesus made known to people who have never heard it.
And we find ourselves asking: God, are you calling me?
When we think about living an open-handed life—a life on mission, a life that says, “God, I’m yours and I’ll go tell it on the mountain, or wherever you’d have me go,” we often think we need to be sent away to truly be used by God.
Somewhere.
Anywhere.
But, surely, somewhere else.
– Overseas to a country in the 10/40 Window. – To an inner city apartment living among refugees. – To full-time ministry to the homeless.
Somehow in our minds, we’ve created tiered levels of evangelism. Starting at the very top, there’s the guy living full-time in solitude among a people who have never heard the Gospel. Down at the bottom, the base level is something like talking to our children or neighbors about Jesus.
And we sit and try to pinpoint where we land on these imaginary tiers (often feeling like we’re living primarily at the bottom), and asking ourselves, “God, can you even use me?”
But what if God has us here, right here, today, and our mission field is right in front of us?
What if it’s our neighbor across the cul-de-sac who needs to hear the gospel? Could it be that we’re working in our current job, with these people, because God wants us to be his light to them? Is the “mountain” God has called some of us to a beautiful pile of children he’s given us to train and nurture and love?
The beauty of the gospel, of the saving work of the cross of Jesus, is that we’ve been rescued and saved, and with that, we are all Good News bearers, with the same joy-filled message that those in our path, today, desperately need to hear.
What makes the angels rejoice? “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). That’s it: one repentant sinner. In any place. At any time. One repentant sinner causes a heavenly party.
Across oceans and across cul-de-sacs. On tiny park benches and in tiny cubicles. On mountains in Southeast Asia and on mountains of laundry in Southeast Raleigh.
You see, there are no tiers that separate us. My mission field, your mission field is wherever we are as we faithfully pursue the Great Commission. In this season. On this very day. At this moment.
The great joy of following Jesus, our gift of baptism into the family of God, is that we will go where he sends us, and we will live “sent,” today, wherever we are. Because we are all called. We are in the same army, fighting to win hearts for Jesus. Not to the same place. Not to the same people. But, always the same army.
You and I, we are Good News bearers, mountain-shouters—who are called to share the Gospel with the lost souls in our lives—in our neighborhoods, in our messed-up families, in our workplaces, to whomever God has placed before us. And we might just be the only ones God has placed there to share his love with them.
This Good News?
It compels us: To leave what is comfortable and safe to see the lost saved, because Jesus did the same for us.
So cross that cul-de-sac. Walk over to that cubicle. Pack up and go.
Go tell it on the mountain, whatever that mountain is for you and in the name of the One who has called and redeemed you, that Jesus Christ is born.
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For more, be sure to listen to the entire message here.
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