by Rebekah Harvey

In our Simple Truths Bible study this week we watched a video about the importance of sharing Jesus with those around us everyday. The gentleman that spoke, named Mr. Sunshine, was very passionate and yet practical in how he shares Jesus with people that he comes in contact with each day. He explained how when the Titanic sank that most of the lifeboats that were available were not even half full of people, they had launched without filling them up and then did not return to those that were perishing in the freezing salt water for the last miserable moments of their lives. Another terrifying fact he shared was that there had not been adequate training on how to load the lifeboats in case of emergency.

Mr. Sunshine uses everyday opportunities to start conversation and invite people into his lifeboat. People around us are drowning in a sea of sin, and most don’t even know it. This is the analogy that he used for inviting people to Jesus that are lost and dying without Him. After we receive Jesus as our Savior we are then to become a disciple of Jesus, an easy way to remember that is a disciplined one. Part of being a disciple is to make more disciples, we are instructed in Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”

We don’t have to have everything figured out to share Jesus with people around us, it is not the job of only the Pastor to share with others about salvation, it is each of our job to make disciples. God chooses flawed people to do His work, Moses was a murderer, and claimed that he couldn’t speak for God so he made a deal and had his brother Aaron speak on his behalf. David, called a man after God’s own heart, was an adulterer and a murderer. The Apostle Paul held the coats while others stoned Stephen who had been testifying about the Lord. We need to take the initiative and invite others into our lifeboat and leave the rest up to God, if you are rejected and likely you will be, it ultimately is Jesus that is being rejected not you. It is not our job to convince, convert or convict anyone, we simply invite others to Jesus and let Him do the rest.

Luke 19:10 says, “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Think about the person that shared Jesus with you, how grateful are you that they took the opportunity and risk of rejection and shared Him with you, that they invited you into the lifeboat of salvation. The question for believers regarding the command Jesus gave to go and make disciples is, am I being obedient?

God has placed you where you are specifically to be in contact with the people you see every day, every week and every month for a reason, a divine reason. We don’t need theological degrees to be obedient to Jesus. For most of us I imagine we need to put away the fear of rejection and remember it is not us that is being rejected, but Jesus and maybe you will have an opportunity for a great conversation about our great God.

Proverbs 11:30 “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.” 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

I encourage you to overcome your fear and be obedient and start having lifeboat conversations, rescuing lost people for eternity. Take the divine opportunities to make a difference and share Jesus today.

If you would like to watch the video use this link: https://youtu.be/icmX1ysMwY0?si=2nCznqzRGr5kfWAv