“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Matthew 24:14
The frying pan was held high in her right hand as she talked to me. My wife, Amanda, usually holds something in her hand when she talks to me – a rolling pin, a hairbrush, nunchucks. I think she holds something to emphasize her point. Last Tuesday night, she was holding a frying pan.
Amanda opened the dishwasher door, turned around, held up the frying pan and asked, “What in the world are you talking about?” I was sitting at the kitchen table working on my sermon for Sunday. I said again, “I am worried about my message Sunday. I think it’s going to be the worst sermon in the world.” She said, “That’s impossible. That will never happen. You preached the worst sermon in the world last week.”
As soon as Amanda finished boosting my self-confidence, she stepped back. She obviously forgot the dishwasher door was open. She tripped, threw the frying pan in the air, and fell backwards. As Amanda was falling, she reached out to grab the countertop. She missed and slammed her right thumb down on the corner of the open dishwasher door. Somehow, the dishwasher door cut a deep gash in her thumb.
Amanda grabbed her bloody hand and said something spiritual. I think she said, “Oh Lordy!” I grabbed a towel and applied pressure to get the bleeding to stop. Not long after we arrived at the emergency room.
Walking in, holding her bloody hand, Amanda said, “I need to see a doctor. I need stitches.”
The lady behind the counter looked at Amanda’s hand and said, “We just ordered queso dip and chips.”
Another lady, a nurse in the back, said, “I just love the queso from El Charro. It’s a good thing you ordered it before they closed.”
“I know, right?”
“Do you know what else is good? Their guacamole. I could eat a gallon.”
Amanda was bleeding to death and they were talking about chips and dips.
In the same way, the world is bleeding to death, but Christians are too busy talking about unimportant things. This world is dying and going to hell, and we’ve got the Way to save them, but most Christians act like the good news of Jesus Christ is a secret.
The point is: Jesus commanded us to share the gospel with others (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8). He ordered us to take the gospel to the world (Matthew 24:14). He will hold us accountable for how we shared the gospel when we stand before Him (2 Corinthians 5:10).
You may be thinking, “I wouldn’t know what to say.” It’s simple. Just tell them that Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth and died to forgive your sins. Everyone who believes in Jesus is saved from the penalty of their sins and will spend eternity with Jesus in Heaven. Believing in Christ means to turn away from your sins and turn to Him. Confess Jesus as your Savior and Lord.
You could be the person that God uses to have an eternal impact in someone’s life, or you could just talk about chips and dips.
When was the last time you shared your faith? When was the last time you told somebody about Jesus?
What in the world are you talking about?
James Collins is pastor of Fort Scott’s First Southern Baptist Church. He can be reached by email at james@thepointis.net.