But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
Acts 20:24 ESV
It is best that I give a gentle word of correction when I witness disciples of Jesus going astray. If I stay silent, biting my tongue, then I am guilty of participating in the sins of others.
Tell me about yourself. Are you a program manager or do you make disciples? Are you a performance venue overseer or a shepherd of souls? Do you answer to a budget or to the Lord?
Here’s the deal. Whatever you’re doing, those who follow in your footsteps will copy. You’re leading by example whether you realize it or not. Whatever sins you excuse, your followers will magnify and multiply. How you lead is what the innocent will think is right, whether it is or isn’t.
We have a responsibility to conform our lives to the teachings of God’s Word. Anything not done in faith is sin. Disobedience is sin. What is sin? It’s missing the mark. What’s the mark? It’s the bullseye. It’s the glory of God. It’s abiding continuously in the love of God.
Have we fallen short? Scripture tells us we all have and if we’re honest we all know it’s true. That’s not a reason to give up. God’s Word also says to confess your sins and God will erase the charges against you. Without honesty, we’re going nowhere.
The Great Commission and the Great Commandment are what we are supposed to be about as followers of Jesus, everyone of us who claims to know Christ. There’s a great push in institutional churches to move to disciplemaking cultures. This is their answer to Cultural Christianity. I think it’s the right idea, but it often devolves right back into a program to be maintained. What’s the answer?
It all comes back to the heart. If we love people more than programs, more than prestige, more than power, we’ll do the right thing. Making disciples is best done like how nuclear families function. Remember those before corporations destroyed them to increase their profitability? One generation raises the next.
Disciples should go, two by two, and create new disciples by preaching the Gospel and equipping those that respond. Too much of ministry in America has become babysitting baby Christians and feeding them watered down milk to pacify them. It’s time for the Church to mature. How can we be prepared for the marriage supper of the Lamb if the Bride isn’t ready?
It’s time to grow up. It’s time to go forward. Each of us must answer to Jesus on Judgment Day for what we did with the gifts we’ve been given. With great gifting comes great responsibility. The greatest among you will be a servant of all. Prepare the people God has given you for ministry. It’s all hands on deck time. The world is sinking and the true Church will arise.
Father God, give us wisdom and resolve to do Your will, not our own in these last days. Give us co-workers and like-minded disciples to work alongside us in Your Harvest fields. Give us great success in being obedient to Your leading and Your calling on our lives. We pray all these things in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Acts 20:26-30 ESV