Why are we hesitant to share the Message of Christ?
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Acts 1:8
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 17:26-27
26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.
One name of Jesus is Immanuel, which means “God with us.” God became a human being and lived with us in this world. As missionaries, that is something we do. We go to people of different languages and cultures, and learn to speak with them and live with them.
And as Matthew 28:19-20 says, Jesus has commanded us to share the gospel. But what makes us hesitant to share it like we should?
Bryan, the guest speaker, shared with us three hurdles that make us hesitant to do so.
1. The first hurdle is Geographical
Matthew 28:19-20 calls us to make disciples of all nations. This would naturally call for people to go and leave their hometowns to live in other countries to share the gospel. However, many times when people think they have to be a missionary, they think they have to go to another nation.
Many cities in America have a diverse set of people with different cultures. We don’t have to go very far to encounter people that have come from another nation.
Wherever we go, there are people with all different kinds of backgrounds. When we go play sports, or go to the grocery store, or go to school and work, there are all different kinds of people that we can share the gospel with.
2. The second hurdle is Socio-cultural
Acts 1:8 says to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and ends of the earth. It also mentions to go to Samaria.
This is significant because back in Jesus’s time, it was not accepted for Jews and Samaritans to interact. According to Jewish laws, Samaritans were dirty people they were to avoid. However, when we look at Jesus in the story of the woman at the well, Jesus talked and interacted with a Samaritan woman.
Many times, we will interact with people of different culture. There are also times we may not want to be like them, whether it be accepting their social customs or not wanting to eat what they eat. In this manner we may not come across as loving and may even offend them for the wrong reasons. As Jesus came to live with us, we should live with the people and not only be accepting of other cultures but willing to embrace it.
In the DFW and Denton area, there has been a large population growth of foreign born people. There is ample opportunity to meet others of different cultures and live amongst them.
The problem is that people tend to be ethnocentric, that is, we tend to hang out with people that are similar to us. This is what our cultures have generally taught us to do. But this does not lead to good practices if we are trying to live out the great commission.
3. The third hurdle is lack of faith
In Acts 17:26-27, Paul is on mars hill debating philosophers and stoics.
In that area, there is a plaque dedicated to “an unknown god.” Here, Paul preached, and at the end of his sermon states that from one man God made all nations that they should inhabit the earth. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him. God is orchestrating movement of peoples.
Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus live a lonely life. They believe in a multitude of gods – they’re searching for meaning in life.
We don’t have to get on a plane and go 12,000 miles; we can go outside and go 12 ft to find another culture.
Let them know you accept them even though they may have different food or culture.
Show them what Immanuel means – that God is with us.
Discussion Questions:
What did you get from this message?
Which hurdle do you struggle the most with?
