EVERYDAY EVANGELIST

The late Billy Graham was the greatest evangelist of this generation.  I had the opportunity to help with his work when he was holding a crusade at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD.  I was surprised to learn about the extensive preparation that went into his crusades.  It is easy to assume that a lot of thought was given to the logistics of the venue, parking, crowd control, etc.  However, a lot of consideration and time was put into preparing the hearts of the people in the region through telecasts months prior to the actual crusade.  As well as, there was a tremendous amount of effort placed on training volunteers.  Evangelist Graham’s entire life, and ministry, had a single purpose: to share the good news of Jesus with the lost.

Have you answered the call to evangelize?  You may be thinking that you are not equipped to be the next Evangelist Billy Graham and speak before thousands of people.  Thousands of people may not be your platform, but what if I told you that evangelism is your calling.  In Matthew 28:18-20, And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

When Jesus spoke these words, He was not speaking only to the 11, nor was He speaking to the institution of the Church.  He was speaking to all us who would believe on Him, receive forgiveness for our sin, and experience spiritual birth to live a new life in Him.  Evangelism is not one person’s responsibility but all of our responsibility.  How will you find time to evangelize with all of your other responsibilities in life (work, family, ministry, school, etc.)?  It is in living your life as an example of the power of Christ that you will be evangelizing. 

Daniel was an example of a man who God placed in a pagan kingdom for His purposes.  When Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were selected to serve in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom, they chose to honor God and not to eat the king’s portion (Daniel 1:8).  When Nebuchadnezzar’s magicians could not interpret his dream, God gave the details and understanding of the dream to Daniel (Daniel 2:1-45).  These young men were so committed to God that the only “fault” that could be found in them was their love and dedication to God. 

As a result of seeing God deliver Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar declared, To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.  I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me.  How great are His signs, and how mighty His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation (Daniel 4:1-3).

When Daniel was delivered from the lion’s den, King Darius wrote, I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.  For He is the living God, and steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, And His dominion shall endure to the end (Daniel 6:26).

The lives of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were consistent with the words they spoke and the God they served.  In like manner, we are to share our faith with the lost.  We are to proclaim our God and let our lights shine so that men will see our good works and glorify God.  We are to be an evangelist in our everyday life!

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;  having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed (1 Peter 3:15-16).

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Copyright 2019 T.L. Lockley. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.