Topic: A Messenger With A Message [Sunday 18, December 2016]
Memorise: And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! – Romans 10:15
Read: 2 Timothy 4:1-5 (KJV)
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Bible in One Year: Leviticus 10-12, Psalms 120-122
MESSAGE:
The whole of the Bible and everything about Christianity is summed up in the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which arises naturally from believer’s love for God and the appreciation of all that He has done for us, is known as evangelism. The New Testament Bible stresses the importance of evangelism, and provides important guidance as to how it should be done. Matthew 28:19 spells out the great commission:
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
The focus of evangelism is the proclamation of the good news of the coming of the kingdom of God, including forgiveness of sins and hope of eternal life, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Daniel 10:6 describes the peculiar features of the original messenger (Jesus Christ) as follows:
“His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.”
The fiery face and the fire in His eyes represents the countenance of a no nonsense judge, the voice of a multitude symbolize peoples, nations and languages of the world. There is no place on the surface of the earth where His message will not be heard. Another thing the passage talks about is the Lord’s feet, how they appear like brass when on fire. Brass signifies strength. Jesus feet are said to be polished brass. This indicates that His feet are empowered trample upon His enemies. If you are truly located in your place of authority in Christ Jesus, the only place your enemies can be is under your feet. Like Jesus, your feet need to be empowered so that when you trample on serpents and scorpions, you will not be hurt. To do this, you must empower your feet as God’s messenger with evangelism. Every soul you win for God’s Kingdom turns your feet to be as strong as the Lord’s so that you can easily have victory over your enemies. How many souls have you won to the Lord since the year began?
Prayer Point: Father, please make me an effective soul winner in Jesus’ name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.
