Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV) 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.”
Have you ever been at the death bed of someone who is really close to you? What would they say to their loved ones if they knew that they were a few breaths away from passing on into glory? Probably, they gave instructions to their loved ones about things that were closest to their heart, that they desired to see done after their death. People about to leave earth don’t waste breath on things that aren’t important to them.
Jesus said quite a few things between his resurrection and his ascension into heaven. These are important words, among his last, a commissioning and a display of the passion of Christ. His last command should be the church’s first concern. And what is his command? Jesus’ desire is for us to urgently preach the gospel to the lost and make disciples for Him. We must be a carrier of revival by preaching the gospel and helping to deliver those who are oppressed by evil.
A few years ago, there was a story in the paper about a car that lost control and plunged into a reservoir. There were many joggers who witnessed the accident and who gathered at the scene to watch, but nobody plunged into the reservoir to save the driver or passengers, despite the pleas for help. The joggers were obviously concerned about their own comfort and safety. Eventually, someone plucked up enough courage to enter the water and got the first person out of the vehicle, but he was too late save the second. Both people could have been saved had the joggers just responded sooner.
Those onlookers are like Christians who witness the sufferings of unbelievers but are not willing to get out of their comfort zone to share the gospel with them. The lost are crying out for help! We need to respond to their plea!
Verse 19 says “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.”
This is Christ’s instruction: GO! So let us not be passive but active in going to people who are lost and need someone to love them. It is tempting to be satisfied with doing “maintenance church”. Doing maintenance church means as long as your life is alright, your cell group attendance is stable, and you have time to attend Bible study, you are unconcerned if the church is not growing or the whole world is lost without Christ.
But we have emphasized growing in godliness to be more like Christ in our character. So we must not neglect to be like Christ in our passions. And Christ’s passion is for the lost. It is impossible to truly spend time with the Heavenly Father without catching his passion and urgency. You are the agent of love. You are God’s answered prayer. Christ is mobilizing the church to go and reach the lost!
Luke 10:2 (NKJV) Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.“
We are able to sense and understand the heart of God for the lost throughout the ministry life of Jesus. There are many people who have never heard the name of Jesus or about God’s salvation plan. Jesus has a deep love and compassion for all these people, and He wants us to be His mouthpiece: to share the gospel with them and win them over for Christ. We know this because it was his last instruction to us. That should be motivation enough to obey!
Sermon Series: The Heart and Passion of Christ
基督对于失丧灵魂的热心
马太福音 28:18-20 耶稣进前来，对他们说：“天上地下所有的权柄都赐给我了。所以，你们要去使万民作我的门徒，奉父、子、圣灵的名给他们施洗。凡我所吩咐你们的，都教训他们遵守，我就常与你们同在，直到世界的末了。”
你曾经有没有陪在你心爱的人的临终病床旁？他们若知道自己时日不多了，将会对于自己心爱的人说什么呢？也许，他们会吩咐所爱的人最贴近他们内心深处的事，就是他们希望看到在自己死后一定要达成的事情。即将离开世界的人不会把最后的几口气息浪费在那些对他们不重要的东西上。
耶稣在祂的复活与升天之间说了不少事情。这些都是重要的话，在祂的最后的话语中显示出基督的热情。祂最后的命令应该是教会的首要的关注事项。祂的命令是什么？耶稣的愿望是我们迫切地向失丧灵魂传递福音，为祂训练门徒。我们必须宣扬福音，帮助那些被恶者压迫的人，来承载复兴。
几年前，报纸上有一篇报道说，一辆失控的汽车撞上了一座水库。有许多慢跑者目睹了这次事故，他们聚集在现场观看，尽管受伤的人们请求帮助，但没有人跳进水库去救司机或乘客。慢跑者显然关心他们自己的舒适和安全。最后，有人提起足够的勇气进入水中，把第一个人从车里救出来，但他太迟了，没有能够救第二个人。如果慢跑者的反应更快，两个人都可以得救。
这些旁观者就像基督徒，他们见证了不信者的苦难，但不愿意走出他们的舒适地带与他们分享福音。失丧的人在呼救！我们需要回应他们的呼求！
第19节经文说：“所以，你们要去使万民作我的门徒，奉父、子、圣灵的名给他们施洗。”
这是耶稣基督的指示：走！所以，我们不要被动，而是要积极地去寻找那些失丧的人，那些需要爱的人。单纯只做个“维护的教会”是很令人满意的。维护教会意味着只要你的生活是好的，你的细胞小组出席率是稳定的，你有时间去参加圣经研究。但你并不关心教会没有成长，或整个世界都失去了耶稣基督的境况。
但我们之前已强调过要在敬虔中成长，使得我们在性情上能更像耶稣基督。因此，我们不能忽视耶稣基督的热情。耶稣基督的热情是向着失丧灵魂的。我们若不能够真正地体会天父的热情和迫切，我们不能真正地与天父相交。你是个爱的传播者。你就是上帝所回应的祷告。基督正在动员教会走向失丧的灵魂！
路加福音 10:2 就对他们说：“要收的庄稼多，作工的人少。所以，你们当求庄稼的主打发工人出去收他的庄稼。”
我们能够从耶稣的服事中理解上帝对于失丧灵魂的心。有许多人从来没有听过耶稣的名字，也没有听说过上帝的救赎计划。耶稣对所有这些人有着深深的爱和怜悯，祂希望我们成为祂的喉舌：与他们分享福音，为基督得着他们。我们知道这一点，因为这是祂对我们的最后吩咐。这会激励我们来顺从神！
讲章系列：基督的心和热情
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