Matthew 28:19-20
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
My Mom and I recently had the wonderful opportunity to attend a conference together for Christian writers and speakers in Charlotte, NC. Wanting to maximize our time away, we elected to fly out a day early so we could take in a few sites around the Charlotte area. One of the stops we decided to make was at the Billy Graham Library. While many of you are probably familiar with Billy Graham, for anyone wondering, he is an American evangelist most known for his large rallies and use of media to share the Gospel with others.
While touring the library, which I would highly recommend if you are ever in the Charlotte area, one thing clearly stood out – the passion Billy Graham had for sharing Jesus with others.
Without question, Mr. Graham’s passion for sharing the love of Jesus shaped every aspect of his life. His commitment to share the salvation message with others and his obedience to follow God led him on a wild adventure of sharing the Gospel with millions and advising presidents and world leaders along the way.
Reflecting on his passion, it made me wonder, do I possess the same zeal for sharing Jesus with others? Do I care more about knowing Jesus and making Him known than anything else? While I would like to say yes, if I’m honest, my actions and interests often tell a different story. Far too often my passion seems to reflect things of the world that have little, if any eternal purpose tied to them.
I’m guessing some of you may be able to relate. A quick scroll through social media often shows what we are passionate about. A favorite sports team, a hobby, our children or grandchildren, exercise, food, vacations, the list goes on. While there is nothing wrong with being passionate about or enjoying any of these things, we run into trouble when our passion for things of this world supersedes our passion for Jesus.
While we are not all called to be evangelists, as believers in Jesus Christ, knowing Him and making Him known to others should be our greatest desire.
In Matthew 28:19-20 we read what is now known as the Great Commission; we read how following Jesus’ resurrection He reappeared to the disciples and told them, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
This is Jesus’ instruction to all believers today – to share Him with others.
So how about you? If you are a believer, are you more passionate about sharing Jesus with others or about something else? If you find your passion for Jesus pales in comparison to other interests or pursuits, talk to Him about it. Ask Him to give you a passion for Him above all else and for opportunities to make Him known to others.
Imagine with me, if as believers our greatest passion in this life was truly knowing Jesus and making Him known to others – we would become an unstoppable force that could change the world. May this be our passion above all else!
