Author : Keith Sharp
Stunning change sweeps the globe in our time. Communism has collapsed in the Russian Empire and is being replaced by democracy and the free enterprise system. Arab states previously bitterly hostile to the U.S. were our allies in a spectacular victory over a brutal Arab dictator. African nations formerly repressed by Soviet backed dictators move painfully closer to freedom.
While those who love freedom view these times as both exciting and dangerous, those who love Christ see the far greater need for the freedom He alone can give (John 8:30-36). However, far too many Christians see neither responsibility nor opportunity in these momentous events. What is our obligation toward evangelism in other places?
The Great Commission
While the Great Commission was primarily given to the apostles of Christ, secondarily its commands are to all Christians (Matthew 28:19-20). We today are also obligated, as we have opportunity and ability, to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). How are we to accomplish this daunting goal?
First Century Church Our Model
The Jerusalem church is a model for us in this as well as in other matters. This congregation is the preeminent example of success in local evangelism (Acts 2:41,47; 4:4; 5:14; 6:7). But the brethren in Jerusalem were guilty of spiritual nearsightedness. The apostles had been direct-ed to preach, not only “in Jerusalem,” but also “in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). But it took a great persecution to cause them to be scattered beyond Jerusalem (Acts 8:1). When this happened, the disciples went everywhere preaching the word (Acts 8:4). They traveled “as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word” (Acts 11:19). As the result “the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:21). The Jerusalem brethren also sent out the evangelist Barnabas “to go as far as Antioch.” His preaching greatly encouraged the new converts to faithfulness. Thus, a great many people were added to the Lord” (Acts 11:22-24). Only when the brethren in Jerusalem zealously took the gospel into other places were they truly successful at evangelism.
The congregation at Antioch followed the example of the church in Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas were eminently productive in their preaching efforts in Antioch (Acts 11:25-26). But the Christians at Antioch were taught by the Holy Spirit not to be selfish in the use of the enormous abilities of these inspired evangelists. Rather, the Spirit directed them to send these men out to take the gospel afar (Acts 13:1-3). Upon the return of the preachers from foreign lands, the brethren at Antioch were anxious to hear of their work and assembled for this purpose (Acts 14:26-28). How many churches today are too selfish to share their evangelist with others and too unconcerned to hear reports about preaching in far places? Later, Paul and Barnabas left Antioch again, this time separately, to preach abroad, each taking with him another evangelist from Antioch (Acts 15:30-41).
What was the result of these zealous efforts? Around A.D. 30 the Lord commanded, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” About A.D. 60, one generation later, when Paul wrote to the Colossians from prison in Rome, the gospel had gone into “all the world” (Colossians 1:5-6) and had been “preached to every creature” (Colossians 1:23). In one generation the first century church fulfilled the Great Commission.
Four Keys
How was the New Testament church, beginning with a little band of twelve “uneducated and untrained men” able to accomplish this incredible task? There were four keys to their success. The holy, loving, faithful lives of the disciples were a living demonstration of the effects of the gospel (Acts 2:42-47). They were so zealous to reach the lost, they preached everywhere even in the face of bitter persecution (Acts 8:1-4). The only tool of evangelism they employed was the gospel (Acts 11:19-21). And the only organization they formed for evangelism was the independent local congregation (Acts 11:22).
Our Opportunity
If first century Christians could take the gospel to the known world in one generation without the use of automobiles, airplanes, radio, television, or the printing press, what should we be able to do with the aid of all these means of swift, easy, safe transportation and mass communication? If the Pax Romana (Roman Peace) enabled evangelists to travel throughout the Roman Empire with the gospel in the first century, what should the collapse of the barriers of tyranny do for us? If the Koine Greek language as the lingua franca (international language of commerce and trade) provided first century disciples a medium through which to preach to the world, what should the English language occupying the same position provide for us today? It is yet “God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). He is even now “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20). The gospel has the same power to save today it had almost two millennia ago (1 Peter 1:22-25). If we will use the same four keys first century disciples employed, they will open the door to the salvation of a lost world now, as they did then.
Conclusion
The Master urged the twelve, “Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest” (John 4:35-36). Brothers and sisters, look at all the poor, lost souls where you live, in your country and throughout the world. Let us take them freedom from sin in our time.
