Fearless Missionary

How imperfect we are as human beings. How sinful our very nature, to its core, is. The filth that comes rushing out of our mouths is like an infinite waterfall. The sludge that fills our minds is like a septic tank that cannot be emptied. Our righteous deeds are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).

But does this stop Jesus from asking us to fulfill His purpose on Earth? Does this stop Jesus from opening His arms and giving out blessings to every filthy rag in existence? By no means. As a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ we have been given a gift that is beyond anything else in this world. That gift is summed up in one word, grace.

Grace is the free undeserved gift of God presented to you; you cannot earn it and you cannot be good enough for it. You can only receive it with a thankful heart.

This is an essential truth that the apostle Paul understood better than most people ever will. In Acts 26 Paul appeals to King Agrippa and lays out his life as a religious leader, in the strictest sect of Judaism; the Pharisees, and how he was confronted by Jesus on the way to Damascus (to persecute Christians there!). This confrontation between Jesus and Paul led to Paul's conversion to Christianity. This is what he is being persecuted and brought before the courts for in Acts 25-26.

What I want to draw attention to is Acts 26:27-29;

"King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do."

Agrippa replied to Paul, "In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian."

And Paul said, "I [pray] to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains."

Paul, deemed missionary by Jesus Christ himself, presents the gospel to King Agrippa. This is incredible seeing as Paul is supposed to be giving a defense for himself as to why he should not be killed! Paul persecuted the Christians harshly, Paul watched and organized the stoning of Stephen (the first martyr), Paul made it his life goal to kill the Christians and wipe out the name of Jesus completely, but Paul knew greater than anyone the kind of grace that he had received; he knew how much he had been forgiven. Paul's prayer is that the King would come to know Jesus, and everyone else who is listening to his words. We need to learn from this! We need to look at Paul's example; a fearless missionary. He knew that the gospel contained power, he knew what he had been forgiven and how incredible it was to be able to take part in that gift.

How on Earth can we sit here, being someone who has received this gift from Jesus, and keep it to ourselves?!?! This is selfish! We must go out into all of the world and share with them the incredible gift that Jesus offers! We cannot be afraid that man will hate us, we cannot be afraid that we might look stupid in the eyes of someone else, we must realize that the gospel contains power and that we are not acting on our own accord, but Christ with us (Matthew 28:20, Romans 1:16).

I want to leave this post with a quote from Charles Spurgeon, a fearless preacher of Christ.

"On the other side of Agrippa sat Festus - a man's man, a no-nonsense man, a man who thought Paul was crazy. Perhaps Agrippa thought, "I can't become a Christian! Festus will think I'm crazy too!" And because he wanted the praise of men, he rejected Jesus. "Alas, how many are influenced by fear of men! Oh, you cowards, will you be damned out of fear? Will you sooner let your souls perish than show your manhood by telling a poor mortal that you defy his scorn? Dare you not follow the right through all men in the world should call you to do the wrong? Oh, you cowards! You cowards! How you deserve to perish who have not enough soul to call your souls your own, but cower down before the sneers of fools!"