"Lighting the Fire"
Jotting – Week 51

Share and Encourage

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God” (Romans 15:4-7).

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Do you have favorite stories to tell about sharing the Gospel? One of mine is the time we handed the gospel of John booklet to a waitress; on our way out, she told us, “This is the best tip anyone has ever given me.”

Another is a first-grade story. We had been studying the story of Martin Luther and had reached the incident of Friar John Tetzel selling indulgences. The children listened wide-eyed when I told them that this man was selling forgiveness of sins. Almost to a child, when I asked, “Can forgiveness of sins be sold?”, they shook their heads slowly and said, “Nooooo.” They were amazed that anyone would be so foolish to sell forgiveness when Jesus offers it free–and then amazed that anyone would buy the forgiveness that was theirs for the taking. The faith of children evidenced in the classroom that day will stay with me for years.

Sharing the Gospel–the Good News of Jesus–is a wondrous thing: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” (Isaiah 52:7). When the person who hears believes, or draws closer to Jesus, or comes into a relationship with their Lord, how exciting to tell someone else that story.

Sharing such stories encourages others to do the same. Even telling how God is at work in your life, what He has done for you in the past days or weeks, what you have sought in prayer and how God is answering is uplifting to the spirit.

When we tell these stories to one another, we do so in order to “bring praise to God.” God wants us to live together in peace and unity, and encouraging one another in the faith, in witnessing, in living a life for God, in praising and thanking God, always draws people together in the Lord.

When others see the joy we have in one another and in our Savior, they will long to have that same relationship of faith. We won’t be able to keep it to ourselves: “Wait till I tell you what happened when I told ... .” “Can I tell you how God is working in my life? I want you to have that joy too.” “Come and join us on Sunday morning (Tuesday evening/Saturday noon) to listen how God is moving among us and bringing people in to hear about His love.”

First, be sure you are in the Word daily. This week, concentrate on reading in the book of Acts or one of St. Paul’s epistles. Read how the disciples went out to proclaim the Good News. Read the letters to see how Paul encouraged his readers (and us) to stay faithful, to work for the Lord, to tell others all that God had done.

Next, choose two or three people to share a story with and/or encourage in their faith walk. Write their names down on a sheet of paper. Cross off the names as you complete the joy of building up and strengthening others.

Plan to tell one or two stories in a Sunday school or Bible class of how you shared the Gospel with someone.

Pray: Heavenly Father, You have given us one another to love, to help, to encourage and build up. Lord, here are three people I want to talk to and encourage this week. I pray for (name the three people). Open up a time and place for me to do so. Give them opportunities to tell someone they know the great Gospel message. Then place others in my way that I may tell the Good News of Jesus so they may know of Your great love for them. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.