20 Juiy 2025

THE MISSION MANDATE OF CHRISTIANS (5)

(Biblical & Spiritual Exhortations: BSE 21)

Besides the Four Gospels, the Great Commission of Christ is also given in the Book of Acts. This is given to them after He had risen from the dead: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit was poured on them on the Day of Pentecost and immediately they preached the Gospel and 3,000 souls were saved. Subsequently on succeeding days, more thousands were saved and their numbers increased.

The Holy Spirit empowered the believers with boldness of faith and enthusiasm so that Christ was glorified and all men were drawn to Him. This shows that the Holy Spirit is the Divine Evangelist working through the disciples. One cannot say that he is filled with the Holy Spirit and not testify about Christ and the Gospel. Christ said that “when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be My witnesses”. This is actually an automatic and spontaneous response of the Spirit-filled believer. We cannot be Spirit-filled and not evangelize!

To be a “witness” means to testify about Who Christ is and what He has done for us. The joy of salvation and forgiveness experienced make the newborn believer to share his experience with people. Legion experienced the transforming power of Christ in his life and immediately wanted to go with Jesus to cross the Sea of Galilee to preach the Kingdom of God. But Christ told him, “Go home to family and friends and tell them what the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you” (Mark 5:19-20). He was to begin his witness in his home and neighborhood – that was his Jerusalem.

We are to begin where we are – in our Jerusalem and then to “all Judea and Samaria”. The Promise of Acts 16:31: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved and your Household” can be realized only when we testify boldly and joyfully our experience of Christ and His Salvation in our Family. They cannot be saved unless they hear the Gospel through us and see the transformed life in Christ. So the responsibility is ours – through obedience!

Our witness begins in our Jerusalem and must extend to all nations – “the ends of the earth”. This is what the Great Commission is all about – “preach the Gospel to the whole world and make disciples of all peoples”. This Commission is not just for a selected few like pastors, evangelists and missionaries – it is given to the whole Church, to every believer in Christ. Each of us must seek God to see how we can do that. For example, we can pray for God to send workers in to His plentiful Harvest (Luke 10:12), support Gospel work and missionaries as well as go on mission trips. We can also volunteer for short term mission work by helping those in the mission fields. We can start by attending our Mission Camp and then visit the Churches we have helped to further encourage the new believers. May the Lord burden all of us to pray and seek God how we can be involved in fulfilling the Great Commission.

Click HERE to return to Biblical & Spiritual Exhortations Series

Click HERE to return to Articles Main Menu