Matthew 28:20- “The Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Luke 19:10- “For the Son of Man came to seek and save that which was lost.”
Jesus, God’s Son, came to earth because of a war; a war for our souls, a war for our eternal destiny. He willingly gave His life so that you and I could be rescued from the clutches of sin and the condemnation of Satan. He saw the cries of help, the desperate cries of those wounded by bad choices, addictive behaviors, and unholy flaws. He knew we couldn’t get out alive without help. He knew we couldn’t make it to safety, so He came to rescue us. His sacrifice, His death on the cross, paid the price for all who would believe in Him and receive His forgiveness.
And here is what I grew up hearing and believing, “If I had been the only person on earth, Christ would have died just for me.” While it is beautiful that the finished work of Christ on the cross takes care of all of us, I was Jesus’ “one more.” You were Jesus’ “one more.” Who is your one more? Do you have one? Is bringing spiritual rescue to people a conviction you hold? Who are you praying for? Who are you talking to about Jesus? What are you risking to get one more person into the Kingdom of God?
People are crying everywhere we turn today. Broken homes, addiction strongholds, financial challenges, abuse, confusion, insecurity, anger—all of these and more lead people to long for an answer, to long for hope. Yes, salvation comes in and through a relationship with Jesus Christ, but so do answers and so does hope. That is why Jesus said of Himself, “I am the Way.” People are looking for a way—a way out, a way up, a way forward. He said of Himself, “I am the Truth.” We can look around and see that we can’t trust our own ideologies and judgments as they have led us to self-absorption, hatred, and division. He alone is the truth. He said of Himself, “I am the Life.” People are spiritually dead without Jesus, and they know it. They may not know that He is the answer, but they know they are dead on the inside. They know things aren’t right. They know they have been chasing things that still haven’t brought their spirits to life.
We need a soul burden. We need a passion for the search and rescue mission of Jesus. When Jesus called the first disciples He explained to them that He was selecting them in order that they might become fishers of men. Jesus’ call to discipleship isn’t simply a call to a right relationship and right living, but it is a call to the mission of salvation. We have been called in order that we may call others to go with us.
Maybe our first step to winning the lost is an act of repentance. Maybe this first step is simply admitting that we really haven’t cared about the mission. Maybe we have been too busy, too focused on our own success and fulfillment that we haven’t taken time to invest in someone who is dislocated from the love of God. Maybe we need to repent from busyness. Perhaps it is fear that keeps us from sharing God’s plan of salvation. Either we don’t want to be labeled a fanatic or we’re afraid we can’t answer every question someone might ask. If we are afraid, we have given Satan an inroad into our lives because God doesn’t hand out fear. (II Timothy 1:7) Maybe we need to repent from allowing fear to paralyze us.
In Luke 10:2 Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.
What does that verse mean? It means that people need salvation everywhere. The potential for a harvest of souls is great. But are we as God’s workers, actively trying to harvest those souls? Are we planting? Are we watering? Are we working in the fields? If we aren’t, why aren’t we, and what will it take to get us to do so?
