Dear Friends,
"Then the 11 disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain
where Jesus had said they would find him. There they met him and worshipped
him-but some of them weren’t sure it really was Jesus!
He told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven
and earth. Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them
into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then
teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; And be
sure of this- that I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” Matthew
28.: 16-20. (Parenthesis, TLB).
Our lives are different because these 11 men committed to follow
Jesus. They accepted the challenge and the cost of being and making disciples.
And today you and I are the beneficiaries of their ministry.
Down through the years the message of the wonderful good news of
the gospel, was passed on to those who would then pass it on to others
and one day you became a beneficiary of that message.
Maybe it happened in church, in school, in an office, or like me,
at a conference.
And as we look back at that special moment most of us can remember
a person or persons who were instrumental in that decision.
For me it was a college football player, Chuck Beale. He was a
teammate of mine, who had heard the message, and was on fire to share it. It
was his enthusiasm and determination to be used by God that resulted in his
sharing the message that was passed on to him. And today I am so grateful
he did.
You probably have a Chuck in your life-someone who influenced you
to follow Jesus. Maybe they were the ones who shared Jesus with you and you
accepted Him. Or maybe like me, the person influenced you to explore the faith
and you did, and as a result you came to know Jesus.
What happened forever changed your life and mine, and it all began
with someone God used to impact and influence you.
Jesus called His disciple to go into the world and make disciples
and we are the products of that call. The message those disciples shared with
the world is the same message you and I heard and our response to it has
changed our lives for all eternity.
So my question to you this morning is, have you thanked the one
who passed along the message of those disciples? Does that person know your
life is different because of his or her words, prayers, or actions?
I hope so. But if you have never taken the time to thank that
faithful witness that impacted and influenced your life, I encourage you
to do so.
Take a listen to the song “Thank You” by Ray Boltz, and then
pick up a pen, or the phone and share your thank you with that special person
or persons.
“Thank you for giving to the Lord, I am a life that was changed.
“Thank you for giving to the Lord, I am so glad you gave.
“One by one, they came as far as the eyes could see,
“Each life somehow touched by your generosity.
“Little things that you had done, sacrifices made,
“Unnoticed on the Earth, in heaven now proclaimed.
“Thank you for giving to the Lord, I am a life that was changed.”
And just as the message was shared with you, may you commit to sharing and passing it along to others ,who like you, will say “Thank you, I’m so glad you did.”
Yours in faith and friendship,
Tom
No comments:
Post a Comment