EACH ONE, REACH
ONE
WORK DOES NOT GET DONE WITHOUT INVOLVEMENT. WE CAN
TAKE NOTE OF A SITUATION. WE CAN HAVE GREAT ATTITUDES,
BUT IT TAKES A WILLINGNESS TO PERSONALLY INVOLVE
OURSELVES IF WE ARE GOING TO PUT THOSE ATTITUDES TO
WORK. HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO THE EFFORT OF
TEACHING OTHERS, WE CAN FEEL INTIMIDATED. SOMETIMES,
THOUGH, OUR INFLUENCE CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS REACHING
OUT TO THOSE WE KNOW AND LOVE AND WHO NEED CHRIST
IN THEIR LIVES.
TEACHING BY REACHING
IN MARK 5, JESUS CASTS A LEGION OF DEMONS FROM A MAN,
AND THOSE DEMONS THEN DROWN A HERD OF PIGS. THE
MAJORITY OF TOWNSFOLK BEG JESUS TO LEAVE, BUT THE
FORMERLY POSSESSED MAN BEGS TO GO WITH JESUS.
INSTEAD, IN VERSES 18-20, JESUS TELLS HIM TO GO AND TELL
OTHERS OF WHAT GOD HAD DONE FOR HIM, AND THE MAN
DOES JUST THAT.
JOHN 1 RECORDS JOHN THE BAPTIST TEACHING OTHERS OF
CHRIST’S COMING, EVEN POINTING JESUS OUT IN THE CROWD.
A COUPLE OF JOHN’S DISCIPLES BEGIN TO FOLLOW JESUS. ONE
OF THESE IS ANDREW, AND BETWEEN VERSES 41-45, THESE
INITIAL FOLLOWERS OF JESUS GROW THE DISCIPLESHIP SIMPLY
BY INVITING FRIENDS AND RELATIVES TO COME SEE JESUS.
JOHN 4 RECORDS JESUS VISITING A WELL, ENCOUNTERING A
SAMARITAN WOMAN. WHILE HESITANT TO TRUST JESUS AT
FIRST, THE WOMAN BEGINS TO BELIEVE JESUS IS A PROPHET,
AND THE CONVERSATION TURNS TO SPIRITUAL MATTERS.
WHEN SHE LEARNS THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, SHE RUNS BACK
INTO TOWN AND INVITES OTHERS TO SIMPLY COME BACK AND
SEE JESUS.
THESE INDIVIDUALS ALL RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
MESSAGE THAT JESUS SAVES. THEY ALSO UNDERSTAND THE
VALUE OF SHARING THAT MESSAGE.
THE INFLUENCE OF REACHING OUT
IN ANY SPIRITUAL WORK, THERE ARE FACTORS WORKING FOR
US AND WORKING AGAINST US. BRINGING OTHERS TO CHRIST
IS AN UPHILL BATTLE. STUDY AFTER STUDY HAS BEEN
CONDUCTED ABOUT THE REALITIES OF CHURCH SURVIVAL AND
THE NECESSARY ELEMENTS FOR CHURCH GROWTH. WE KNOW
WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK ON; THE CHALLENGE IS IN
INVOLVING OURSELVES IN THE WORK. INVOLVEMENT CAN BE
AS SIMPLE AS REACHING OUT.
WHO DO YOU KNOW WHO NEEDS CHRIST IN THEIR LIVES? CAN
YOU THINK OF ANY NEIGHBORS, TEACHERS, RELATIVES,
FRIENDS, FELLOW SPORTS PARENTS, OR COWORKERS WHO
NEED JESUS? THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE BEGIN TO RULE
PEOPLE OUT BASED ON OUR OPINIONS OF THEM. WE ARE A
CULTURE OBSESSED WITH PROFILING, BUT THE BIBLE IS FULL
OF EXAMPLES OF THE LAST PERSON WE WOULD EXPECT BEING
THE STRONGEST INFLUENCES. THINK AGAIN OF THAT DEMON-
POSSESSED MAN AND THE SAMARITAN WOMAN AT THE WELL.
THINK OF THE CONVERSIONS IN ACTS – AN ETHIOPIAN
TREASURER, A PHARISEE, A CHARLATAN SORCERER, AND A
PAGAN SOLDIER. THESE CONVERSIONS ILLUSTRATE THAT THE
GOSPEL IS, IN FACT, FOR ALL.
JESUS TELLS HIS DISCIPLES TO LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR REACHING OUT IN JOHN 4:35. HE SPEAKS OF THE PEOPLE
IN TERMS OF A HARVEST, AND MATTHEW 9:36-37 REPEATS
THIS ILLUSTRATION, ADMITTING THAT THERE ARE FEW
WILLING TO ENGAGE IN THIS LARGE WORK. THE GOSPEL IS FOR
ALL. WE SIMPLY HAVE TO REACH THOSE AROUND US, RULING
NO ONE OUT.
REACHING OUT IN OUR LIVES
THERE ARE THREE BASIC THINGS WE CAN DO TO INFLUENCE
THOSE AROUND US.
LIVE IT. OUR EXAMPLES SERVE AS OUR FIRST POINT OF
REACHING OTHERS. WE MUST PRACTICE WHAT WE
PREACH. OTHERS MAY WISH TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
CHRIST BECAUSE THEY SEE HIM IN US.
TALK IT. WE NEED TO INVITE AGAIN AND AGAIN. “COME
HEAR THIS SERMON.” “COME THIS SUNDAY.” TALK ABOUT
WHAT YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR CONGREGATION. TALK
ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO. INVITE
OTHERS TO STUDY WITH YOU, AND WE HAVE TO FOLLOW
UP.
PRACTICE IT. WE MUST PUT EFFORT INTO OUR WORSHIP
PERIODS OUR BIBLE STUDIES. FROM SCRIPTURE
READINGS, TO SONG SELECTION, TO TEACHING, TO
INDIVIDUAL PRAYERS, EVEN TO PUNCTUALITY – ALL
ASPECTS OF OUR WORSHIP SHOULD BE OUR BEST.
CONCLUSION
EACH ONE CAN REACH SOMEONE. IT JUST TAKES A
WILLINGNESS TO BE INVOLVED. IT STARTS WITH OUR
COMMITMENT TO BE INVOLVED IN THE WORK OF OUR LORD
AND THE WORK OF OUR CONGREGATION. REACHING OUT CAN
BEGIN WITH INVITING FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND FOLLOWING
UP. IT CAN START BY MAKING SURE WE REFLECT CHRIST IN
OUR LIVES. WE OFTEN HEAR OF THE PRINCIPLE, “EACH ONE
TEACH ONE,” BUT, BEFORE WE CAN TEACH, WE MUST FIRST
REACH.
