Wednesday, July 26, 2023 Some material taken from Who Found You by John Strappazon
And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. Romans 5:19-20
Who does Jesus want to find through you?
Can you think of a time when you were in a strange city, and you lost your way? Being lost is a terrible feeling. When we are lost, we have wandered away and cannot find our way back. As Christians, when we speak of being lost, we are speaking of being spiritually lost and separated from God and not knowing how to find our way to Him. Jesus came for the sole purpose to find us and save us. He came to seek us out and rescue us. He also has a purpose for us as His children to spread His Good News and lead others to salvation in Him.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10
God has a plan for every person’s life and that plan includes a plan for our salvation. He has already planned exactly how it will go and who will be involved in the process. John Strappazon shared with us this past Sunday some points to remember about how God wants to use us to help others find salvation in Him:
You are strategic in God’s plan for eternity.
As Christians, it is His purpose for our lives to go and make disciples. We should always be aware of the people in our lives that God may have placed there on purpose. We are always influencing those around us, whether we realize it or not. People are watching how we live our lives, and our lives are a living testimony to His Gospel, grace, and goodness. He places people in our path that we can influence for His kingdom.
You are just the right person for someone.
There is someone in your life now, or who will be in your life later, that you are the perfect person to deliver the good news of the Gospel to them. You are God’s plan for them. This person may be in your life right now and you may not like them at all. You may avoid them, but God may have you there for a purpose. Try to see them through His eyes. You may be that someone for them.
You can play a role in:
Changing someone’s trajectory. You could play a role in redirecting the path of someone’s life, a path that leads to death to a path that leads to life.
Changing someone’s legacy. When a person is saved, their legacy changes. They are no longer leaving a legacy of sin and death, but one of eternal life. Their decision will impact their family, which could change their legacy too.
Changing someone’s destiny. When someone becomes a Christian, their destiny changes from one of eternal separation from God to eternal life with Him.
Jesus was very clear when He left the disciples and ascended to heaven that we were to go and make disciples. One day we will stand before the Lord and be judged on how we have spent our lives.
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. 1 Corinthians 3:12-13
We can be saved and still have our works burn up. That is a sobering thought. We will be held accountable for how we have spent our lives as His children. We are called to be good stewards – with our whole lives, not just money. How we spend our time, energy, and money matters, not just in church, but every hour of every day. Our “job” while here on earth is to spread His Gospel to all we can and we have a limited amount of time. We should look for, and take every opportunity to be the person that Jesus uses to find others.
