At the end of today’s reading (Mark 16) we get another rendition of Jesus’ famous great commission. In this one he shares “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Last night we had in one of the missionaries we support to speak to our congregation.
We had with us Mike Flinchum who ministers in Chang Mia Thailand. Mike is living out the great commission by going into parts of the world were the gospel does not have as strong of a hold. In his presentation he showed us pictures of several baptisms, the life transformation of the people there by Christ, and a lot of the daily living. I really enjoyed hearing Mike share the work and ministry he is doing in Thailand.
Last night since he was here I cancelled my Wednesday evening youth group and wanted the teens to sit through the presentation. However, the guys mowing our grass at our apartment complex hit a gas line and I went home to check on Crystal who was not feeling to great. When I got back the presentation was started and many of the youth of the church were wandering around. With their parents there I did not say anything. But after the service I continued to think about how so few of them did not listen to the presentation and just wandered around the church grounds. The more I thought about it the more vexed I got.
Here was a guy who is doing ministry in another part of the world, and our teens were not in there to hear it. I know some of the responsibility is mine for not saying anything, but I also am saddened by the parents for not making their children go listen to something that could be life changing. They had them participating in praise team practice that was going on, let them leave because it was not “Youth Group,” or just let them roam outside. What Mike and his family are doing is living out the great commission in a powerful way, and our parents did not encourage their children to hear that message.
So where have you failed to be encouraged by another brother in Christ? What teaching opportunities have you missed sharing with your children? I hope and pray we do not continue missing those opportunities.
2 comments:
The first thing that popped into my mind was that that is the story of Christ. He provides opportunity time and again for us to accept His teachings and His gifts to anyone (everyone) that will listen and yet time and time again we will choose something (anything) else. Oh how saddened He must be at our perpetualy neglect to recieve and how patent He must be continuing to provide.
This is Greg.
The lamps have no oil. It takes as much supernatural power to save a wretched man as it did to create the universe. My sheep hear my voice and they follow after me.
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