Kingdom Success

"You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth" (Revelation 5:10).

If we are going to be as successful as Christ in seeking and saving the lost” (Luke 19:10), then we need to take our commission seriously. The world we live in is as dangerous to the untaught soul as a bear is to an unarmed hunter. The soul that is not in Christ has no hope (Ephesians 2:12). But that is just an opinion to those without conviction of the seriousness of being lost. God has called His church together to care about the tragedy of this situation and He sent His Son to reveal a true example of deep concern for the lost.

One thing about our Example is His concern was not just a thought, it was motivation. He didn’t just care; He acted on His concern by sacrificing His life to provide the way to be saved. He gave His life to the cause He was sent to fulfill. We must look to His example and see the seriousness He illustrated about being separated from God eternally. That fact should pierce the toughest heart like an armor piercing round pierces the side of a Howitzer. This kind of concern for the lost makes Jesus and His disciples successful.

Another aspect of success in evangelism is seen in how Jesus sought out the truth seekers. He never ignored someone who was diligently seeking truth. Sometimes He was crowded by many, most of who were not serious about the life He offers, but He always found the soul that was seeking true life. Not only did He seek them out, He shepherded them. By shepherd we mean He cared enough to lay His life down to lead them to safety: “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16). Our goal in life as the Lord’s church is to lay our lives aside to provide the truth about salvation to anyone who is diligently seeking Jesus.

There is a serious problem with the church’s evangelistic efforts and that is how few are willing to take this work seriously. Granted, there are many sitting in the pews on Sunday morning, but you might be surprised when you see how few of these “pew packers” are true workers in the Lord’s kingdom. It is amazing how many people think that “going to church” is all that it takes to be “approved to God as a workman” (2 Timothy 2:15). The key word in this phrase is “workman,” not “pew warmer.” God has shown us the danger of being deluded by false securities (James 1:22). Jesus spoke harshly to His disciples about a lack of motivation and commitment to the work: “Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few’” (Matthew 9:37).

If the church is going to be successful in the cause God has established in us then we must be dedicated to the work. His desire is for all mankind to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4) and His desire is carried out through the church. Lets make sure we see the lost and fallen away as serious as our Lord sees them. Let’s make sure we are not just filling the pews, but that we are filling the word with the gospel that can save their souls. Let’s make sure we are not simply sitting on the premises, but that we are standing on the promises that cannot fail. If we will see the church’s work in this manner, we will be successful.

In His Grace,
Cub