Preach The Gospel
Every child of God should have a heart for spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to those around him. It should be in our spiritual DNA to make sure that those whom we know hear the same gospel that delivered us from sin. The gospel of Jesus Christ is truly good news, for that’s what the word gospel means, “good news.”
What greater news is there than Jesus Christ died for you and me, rose on the third day, and is coming again? There is no greater news than that! We who are saved have experienced firsthand what this good news is really all about, and the questions that I must ask are: Do others deserve to hear the good news of the gospel? Do others in your neighborhoods, at work, at school, on campus, or even in the same house—do they deserve to hear that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world? The answer is a resounding yes!
Every person deserves to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, regardless of his station in life. He needs to hear that there is someone who loves him, who wants to change his life, who desires to alter his universe, who longs to reconcile his heart to Christ’s. Everyone deserves to hear that Jesus Christ is the only answer for mankind, and you just may be the one who can tell them.
When Jesus spoke those words from Mark 16:15, He wasn’t just talking about ministers of the gospel. Rather, He was referring to how every single believer is to “go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” That means you. First and foremost, you are to be a soul-winner. This means that you are not to sit on the sidelines watching others labor to bring in the harvest. Instead, you are to be a co-laborer to aid in this ever-increasing task. So, don’t be a spectator; be a participant.
What Does Preaching The Gospel Refer To?
Preaching is God’s method of proclaiming His Word—heralding the good news—and calling attention to the truth—Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The true gospel of Jesus Christ can never be changed or improved upon, and the reason is that it was given by the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit can never be changed. The word preach simply means “to herald or proclaim.” And what is it that we are to herald or proclaim? The same thing that was mentioned earlier: that Jesus Christ saves, heals, delivers, baptizes with the Holy Spirit, and that He is coming again.
To the sinner who is lost and undone, the good news is that Jesus Christ saves. To the person who is sick with cancer or some other physical ailment, the good news is that Jesus Christ heals. To the one who is bound by drugs, alcohol, immorality, or sin in general, the good news is that Jesus Christ delivers. To the believer who feels that there must be more to this Christian experience than where he currently is in life, the good news is that Jesus Christ is the baptizer in the Holy Spirit. To every child of God who has ever lived, the good news is that He is coming again! Jesus is good news! The Cross of Christ is good news!
We have good news to bring to the masses, and we should do everything within our power to daily herald this good news so that others can have a chance to experience it for themselves. This means that preaching is the single most important tool that God has to reach the masses, and the single most powerful tool to see people saved.
Saying Yes To Christ
A few years ago, I was hosting a rally in the lovely city of San Antonio, Texas. As I ministered that night on the subject, “I Know Somebody, Who Knows Somebody, Who Knows What To Do For You,” the Lord moved in a tremendous way. The power of God fell in that auditorium and we saw hundreds of people walk down the aisles to say yes to Jesus Christ.
After the altar call, one of our faithful volunteers, Charlotte Pennington, relayed a message to one of our staff members. She said that during the service, two ladies walked into the auditorium, both bound by sexual immorality. She said that during the service, both ladies sat there, and it was obvious that they were not living right. But when the altar call was given, one of them took out her cell phone and began to record it. And when I made the appeal for people to be saved, this same lady, bound by sexual perversion, slipped up her hand in response to salvation.
Charlotte said this woman followed the hundreds of others who walked down the aisle toward the altar, and, with tears in her eyes, she repeated the sinner’s prayer, and said yes to Christ.
That lady in San Antonio heard the good news that Jesus Christ not only saves, but that He can also break the bondages of sin. That’s what this good news is all about.
We have seen literally thousands of people at these one-night rallies respond to the altar call after hearing the good news that Jesus Christ is still in the saving business, and I believe we will see thousands more respond to that message. This truly is good news, for there is nothing else that can do what the gospel of Jesus Christ can do. No other person or message can bring about salvation, healing, deliverance, or help to the masses like the gospel of Jesus Christ. Millions upon millions upon millions of lives have been forever altered after hearing the gospel message—the good news of Jesus Christ.
The Cross Would Be At The Heart Of What’s Being Said
In all of this, we must not focus on the art of preaching, but rather on what is being preached, which refers to the Message of the Cross. It doesn’t matter how eloquent the person is, or how knowledgeable an individual may be, if he doesn’t present what this good news is all about, then no one will ever be saved.
There is one simple message that has worked from day one, and it will continue to work to the end of time: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16). This means that God is more interested in developing messengers than messages, for there is only one message, but many messengers. I believe this is one reason why so many believers and non-believers are confused, because many different messages are coming out of the church and proclaiming all sorts of different things. There should never be many messages, but rather one message with many messengers. The heart of every message preached by every preacher proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ should be the Message of the Cross, for it is the Message of the Cross that will reach the sinner and the saint alike. It can save the sinner and sanctify the saint. It works for every person, no matter his race, creed, culture, or social background—it’s the same for all.
Satan Fights The Cross As Nothing Else
Because of this, Satan attacks the Cross as nothing else. He has fought this message through intellectualism, modernism, psychology, and seeker-friendly and greasy-grace methods. Satan knows that if he can stop the Message of the Cross from getting out and perverting the true gospel, then he can continue to hold mankind in captivity. But seeing that he cannot stop it, he ever seeks to fight against it with all of his power, for he knows that in this message lies the secret to all victory over sin, to all blessing, and to more abundant life. Everything hinges upon the Cross of Christ, and Satan knows this. But he will not win. This message will go out to the masses and proclaim to all that salvation, blessing, healing, deliverance, and the baptism with the Holy Spirit, all come through Christ and Him crucified.
The Commission Is Entrusted To The Church
Christ has entrusted us, the true church, to continue what He started and to bring this message of hope to the world. It began with His disciples, as He commanded them to bring glad tidings of salvation and eternal life to those around them. Now, He has entrusted all who name the name of Jesus to further His work and His message. This is not reserved just for preachers, but it’s meant for every Christian to be a part of this Great Commission—to take what has been given to us and distribute it to those we come in contact with.
Let’s do our part and fulfill this Great Commission and take the Message of the Cross to our world—to those who live in our neighborhoods, those who we work with, those at our schools, and our family, friends, and relatives. Don’t leave this up to others. Let’s join together and win as many souls as we can for Christ.
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