Why Share The Gospel?
Why share the Gospel? Because Jesus shared the Gospel when He walked this earth 2,000 years ago. Mark 1:14-15 says: Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people (Matthew 4:23). These are just a few verses about Jesus preaching the Gospel.
Jesus sharing the Gospel is more than enough, but why share the Gospel? Because Jesus sent His disciples out to preach the Gospel (when the Lord walked this earth). These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give (Matthew 10:5-8).
Jesus Sent The Seventy Out
After Jesus sent out the 12 disciples, He then sent out 70 believers to preach after that. After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
Woe To You
But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.
He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven (Matthew 10:1-20).
The Early Christians Shared The Gospel
In addition to Jesus and His disciples sharing the Gospel, the early Christians also shared the Gospel everywhere they went. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word (Acts 8:3-4). Then Saul encounters the Lord Jesus while Saul was on the road to Damascus and he becomes soundly saved (Acts 9:1-19). The Lord changed Saul’s name to Paul, then the apostle Paul shared the Gospel everywhere he went.
After Paul’s conversion, the Bible says: Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God (Acts 9:19-20). In Acts 20:20-21, the apostle Paul states: And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 11:19-21 says Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
Jesus Tells Us To Share The Gospel
Why share the Gospel? Jesus shared the Gospel. The apostles shared the Gospel. The early Christians shared the Gospel. The apostle Paul shared the Gospel and Jesus tells us to share the Gospel. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8).
In Mark 16:15-16 And he (Jesus) said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Those Who Don’t Believe Are Damned
Why share the glorious Gospel with others? Those that do not believe are damned! God’s wrath already abides upon all unbelievers (John 3:36). Jesus is the only way of salvation (Acts 4:12). Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). Over 165,000 people die each and every day. Sadly, the majority of these people die outside of Christ Jesus. A minority of the people on earth profess to be Christians and not all who profess Christ are truly saved.
So we share the Gospel with others because many, many people are lost and on the broad road to destruction. Few are actually saved. Jesus said: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it (Matthew 7:13-14).
Are You One Of The Few?
Jesus said few there be that find eternal life. Oh folks, there is nothing more important than your eternal soul. You will spend eternity in Heaven or Hell. Which is it going to be? If you are counting on your own goodness, your good works to save you, then you will fail. You are headed for Hell. Only Jesus saves, but what a mighty Savior He is.
Why share the Gospel? Because we need a Savior. We have all sinned against God. None of us have loved God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength, all the days of our lives. We have all fallen short of God’s glory. That’s why Jesus came to this earth 2,000 years ago. Jesus did what none of us could do. He lived a perfect, sinless life. Jesus never sinned in His thoughts, words or actions. That’s right, God is so Holy that unrepentant sinners will be judged even on their thought life.
Even though Jesus never sinned, He willingly went to the cruel cross in the place of guilty sinners. Jesus willingly laid down His life as a ransom for many. As Jesus hung on the cross after He had been beaten with 39 lashes of the whip, the Lord bore God’s anger over sin. Jesus died on the cross and was buried and rose again the third day. The Lord defeated sin, death, Hell and Satan. Salvation is for all who repent and believe the Gospel.
Confess And Believe
Romans 10:5-13 says: For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Oh, confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead. Call upon the precious name of Jesus Christ and be saved.
(This message was lifted up in downtown Springfield, MO on February 24, 2023)