WE HAVE BEEN SEEN, CHOSEN, AND SENT. LET'S GO!

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. -Mark 16:15 CSB

Growing up the daughter of first-generation Greek immigrants meant growing up in a very Greek bubble. Because my parents—and all their friends—came to Australia with no one to rely on but one another, they huddled together, firmly entrenched in the idea that there was safety in numbers. So, all my childhood, my parents and aunts and uncles and cousins and friends and neighbors stayed to themselves as much as possible in a tight-knit community, as though they were afraid of what might happen if they ventured out. And it wasn’t because they didn’t speak English. My parents actually spoke five languages: Arabic, Greek, French, Italian and English. They were brilliant people! They knew how to navigate modern society, but they chose to live in a small world of their own making.

Sometimes, I think we as Christians behave similarly. We live in Christian bubbles, inside our Christian communities, inside our collective of Christian friends, and we stay there. Perhaps, we even hide out there, in this Christian subculture of our own making. We design what we think is heaven on earth, and we hunker down in hopes all will go well until we get to leave this planet. When all the while, Jesus has seen us, chosen us and SENT US OUT INTO THE WORLD to make disciples. We can’t make his greatest commandment our first priority if we won’t break out of our bubble. 

Jesus didn’t save us to build a Christian subculture. To avoid meeting people who do not look like us, act like us, think like us, or believe like us. He didn’t save us to hide from the world, avoid the world, ignore the world, fear the world, hate the world, condemn the world or judge the world. He literally sent us into the world…to make disciples…for us to love the world that he created and loves so tenderly and so fiercely.

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

The most important word in this verse? GO.

Go into all the world.

Go and love the lost.

Go and understand the lost.

Go and have compassion on the lost.

Go and tell the lost about Jesus.

Go and make disciples.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, thank you that you have seen me, chosen me and sent me. Help me have the strength and courage to go where you tell me to go and do what you’ve called me to do. Amen.

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Adapted from 20/20: Seen.Chosen.Sent by Christine Caine. Copyright © 2019 by Christine Caine. Reprinted with permission of Lifeway Women. All rights reserved.