"Go Into The World"

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15

Recently we have been having elections where I live- on a local and state level. I am a poll worker and have been for quiet some time. Sometimes the elections fall on the same day that my nursing home ministry is scheduled. In a couple of weeks the run-off election will fall on the same day that I was to go to the nursing home. This past Tuesday I was sharing with the nursing home residences that I won't be there at my next appointed time and why-- I have to do my "civic duty". Christians should be involved in various areas of life- politics, business, etc. We have heard a lot of teaching about this very thing over the past several years-- it's called "Market Place Ministry".

We should be involved in different arenas of life- not necessarily part of them by doing the same practices the world does- but definitely have a presence in them. Isn't that what the Bible teaches? For too long the Christian community has stayed behind the four walls of the church-- reduced to nothing more than another "social club" or "sub-culture". This was never God's intention for His church.

Jesus commissioned us to "go into the world and preach the gospel"- not stay in the church. In the Book of Acts we are told that once we receive Holy Spirit's empowerment, it's so that we can be "witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the world"- not just witnesses in the church. Jesus said that we are the "light of the world"- not the light of the church- and the "salt of the earth"- not the salt in the church.

The early church went to the temple and from house to house having fellowship with each other- until persecution arose which forced them to be "scattered abroad". God's plan was/is for the church to take the message of salvation out into the world. They were not doing that- so persecution came that would force them into His true plan. Will it take the same for this modern day church to get out there and fulfill His Great Commission? Jesus called us "fishers of men". How will you ever catch "fish" if you don't go to the "pond" where the fish are?

Have a great day. God never intended for His church to stay behind four walls, but to go into the world and give them the good news we already have.

For further reading:
Acts 1:8; 2:46; 5:42; 8:1-4
Matthew 5:13,14

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