ARE ALL EVANGELISTS?

Today, many Bible teachers paint a strange picture of the body of Christ.  It has a big mouth but the rest of the parts can hardly be seen.

These teachers say that everyone is called to be an evangelist but that is not true.  God gave evangelists to the church, but not all are evangelists.  If your job is to “lodge strangers and wash the feet of the saints” you had better do it.  To over emphasize any of the gifts and ministries to the extent that the others seem unneeded or unimportant is to neglect the true purpose of God.  In the gospel of John, Jesus clearly tells us what the true ministry of each believer is:

“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”  John 15:12-14

Here, Jesus shows us that we are to lay down our lives for those who obey Him.  Our command is to comfort and strengthen God’s own people; yet repeatedly, the resources of the church are siphoned off to strengthen the hands of the wicked.  All too often, “the children’s bread is given to the dogs.” and used to comfort the disobedient.  What a terrible thing it would be to help those whom God is trying to punish.

In 2 Chronicles 19:2, we are given an example of God’s displeasure towards those who help the wicked …

2 Chronicles 19:2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.

The answer of course is “NO!”

It is true that we are to “do good to all men” but we are commanded to lay down our lives for our brethren.  Our first obligation is to fill the needs of Christ’s brethren and this is a lifetime commitment.  There are no options; it is compulsory.  If we fail in that duty, we will be rejected on judgment day.

Friends, If you think that is not true, then listen to these words of Jesus to those believers who called Him “Lord”, but did not serve His brethren … Matthew 25:40-46

Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of THE LEAST OF THESE MY BRETHREN, ye have done it unto me.

Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Matthew 25:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

Matthew 25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Matthew 25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Matthew 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these*, ye did it not to me.

* “these” refers to: “the least of these my brethren.”  (See verse 40 above.)

Matthew 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

WHO IS MY BROTHER?

It is imperative that we have a clear Biblical definition of who Christ’s brethren really are because they are the ones whom we are commanded to serve.  It is a serious error to call the whole world our brother when Jesus makes such a plain distinction between his brethren and the world.  In Luke 8:21, Jesus said:

“My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.”

Only those who hear the word of God and DO IT are the true brethren of Christ.  It is they whom we are to serve, not those who refuse to do the word of God.

Each of us has been given a measure of faith and at least one talent to serve Christ’s brethren.  Whether we have one talent or ten, on judgment day, we will have to give an account for what we have been given.  Jesus is looking for those who are trustworthy.  Only those who are obedient to the Ten Commandments of God and have devoted their lives to the service of the brethren will receive his approval.

To those faithful sheep at His right hand, Jesus will say:

Matthew 25:21 “ …Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

But the goats at His left hand (the unfaithful servants) will be sent to everlasting punishment.  The question we must all ask ourselves is:  “Will Jesus send me to the left or to the right?”

Harold and Donna Kupp