Maybe you've heard the old church saying that goes, EVANGELIZE or FOSSILIZE. Jesus said, You will be my witnesses. God gives for us to be prepared to tell others whenever we have opportunity, Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! And whenever we speak God's good news we do so knowing that, The Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of the world. But be sure to note that when Peter says, be prepared he's not just referring to the disciples back then, but for all believers today as well.

Here's another old saying, EACH ONE -- REACH ONE. In Mark 5 Jesus saves a man from demon possession. The local residents are terrified; they beg Jesus to leave. The man whom Jesus freed from demons begs to go with Jesus. But that's not what our Lord has in mind. He tells the man, Go and tell others what God has done for you. And so the man did as Jesus said. Now . . . Picture in your mind what it would have been like in that community: One day there's a knock at your door. You open it to find the formerly possessed by a demon guy standing at your door. I'm here to tell you all God has done for me he says. I think you'd agree, that man's testimony would have weight; especially with the locals who had urged Jesus to leave.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations our Lord's GREAT COMMISSION. But many today act as if the Great Commission was only for the apostles back then, and that's simply not so! Think about the day Jesus was baptized -- That day Jesus came to John alone . . . but he didn't leave alone. Two of John's disciples, Andrew and John followed him. Andrew went and got his brother, now there were three. Or consider the Samaritan woman in John 4. After Jesus told her, I who speak to you am (Messiah) she went back to town to tell others. Many of the same people then followed her back to Jesus. Thus she became the first missionary to the Samaritan people. I once heard an evangelist say about her: She hooked (evangelized) so many fish (people) it took Jesus two days to clean them (teach them the kingdom of God now come among them).

TELL THE GOOD NEWS – WITNESS FOR CHRIST! More than ever this is needed today. St. Paul wrote in Colossians 4, Devote yourselves to prayer . . . conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders; making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Although outreach (evangelism) will be met with obstacles, we can be sure that it is God's good work. We simply plant the seed . . . God does the rest. Each One Can Reach Someone. Even a formerly demon-possessed cemetery-dwelling man . . . and a five-times divorced woman from Samaria can and did! These and many other unlikely evangelists we meet in the Gospels. He who gives seed to the sower and bread for food, he shall also give and multiply your seed and increase the fruit of your righteousness. 2 Corinthians 9.10 But what will happen to the church that refuses or neglects to reach out with the Gospel? Eventually, that church will fossilize. So . . . Who might you reach? Think about it – Pray about it – And always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

Blessings in Jesus, Pastor Kelly Mitteis