Day Eight: Preaching as You Walk (Mark 2:13-17)
Devotional: According to the book “The Life of Francis of Assisi”, Francis once invited a young minister to join him on a trip to town to preach. All day long he and Francis walked through the streets, alleys, and suburbs. They rubbed shoulders with hundreds of people. Not once had you shared the gospel to the crowds.
As the young man walked home with Francis Assisi, he said to Francis with a sense of disappointment, “I thought we were going into town to preach the gospel”. To which Francis responded, “My son, we have preached. We were preaching while we were walking. We were preaching as people watched our behavior and interaction with others. It is of no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk?”
What a great reminder that how we live our daily lives around others is the most powerful witness we will have with those who need Jesus. Every day is an opportunity with the people who cross our path to show and share the gospel. It’s not inside the walls of the church, but outside the walls, that are the greatest opportunities to share Jesus with others.
In fact, the gospels record 132 contacts that Jesus had with people. Six were in the Temple, four in the synagogues and 122 were out with people in the mainstream of life. Today’s passage is a reminder that Jesus didn’t come to just hang out with religious people, He came for “those who are sick” (v. 17). And a lot of spiritually sick people won’t enter the doors of a church. We can’t expect them to come to us, we need to go to them.
Of course, we need to find balance. Time with fellow believers is very important. Scriptures teaches so… “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together…” (Hebrews 10:24-25a). Do you have balance in your life. Time with believers and intentional time with those who do not yet believe in Jesus? If not, our lives will drift towards the Pharisaical life, and we’ll forget why Jesus ate “with tax collectors and sinners” (v. 16).
Prayer: List five people (or groups of people) that you see on a weekly basis. Which ones don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior? Take time praying for the opportunity to share the gospel with them. Pray that they would give their lives to Christ.
Devotional: According to the book “The Life of Francis of Assisi”, Francis once invited a young minister to join him on a trip to town to preach. All day long he and Francis walked through the streets, alleys, and suburbs. They rubbed shoulders with hundreds of people. Not once had you shared the gospel to the crowds.
As the young man walked home with Francis Assisi, he said to Francis with a sense of disappointment, “I thought we were going into town to preach the gospel”. To which Francis responded, “My son, we have preached. We were preaching while we were walking. We were preaching as people watched our behavior and interaction with others. It is of no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk?”
What a great reminder that how we live our daily lives around others is the most powerful witness we will have with those who need Jesus. Every day is an opportunity with the people who cross our path to show and share the gospel. It’s not inside the walls of the church, but outside the walls, that are the greatest opportunities to share Jesus with others.
In fact, the gospels record 132 contacts that Jesus had with people. Six were in the Temple, four in the synagogues and 122 were out with people in the mainstream of life. Today’s passage is a reminder that Jesus didn’t come to just hang out with religious people, He came for “those who are sick” (v. 17). And a lot of spiritually sick people won’t enter the doors of a church. We can’t expect them to come to us, we need to go to them.
Of course, we need to find balance. Time with fellow believers is very important. Scriptures teaches so… “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together…” (Hebrews 10:24-25a). Do you have balance in your life. Time with believers and intentional time with those who do not yet believe in Jesus? If not, our lives will drift towards the Pharisaical life, and we’ll forget why Jesus ate “with tax collectors and sinners” (v. 16).
Prayer: List five people (or groups of people) that you see on a weekly basis. Which ones don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior? Take time praying for the opportunity to share the gospel with them. Pray that they would give their lives to Christ.
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