The characteristic of the mission of Christians is urgency. The church is pressed by an urgent mission. This is because it must lead sinners to quickly repent so that they will not perish. Jesus was pressed by this urgent ministry and the disciples worked in this urgency. In the same way, we should also move urgently to fulfill this mission. We should save many people’s spirits as speedily as possible, and have the sure attitude of repentance ourselves.
Jesus did not yield an inch concerning the urgency of His work. This is because it was that important. It is the same for us today. If we become too distracted by the countless issues before us and miss out on the important things the Lord is doing, He will be unable to use us.
The Lord uses the church for the sake of His work, but He established the overseer to lead it. The overseer is entrusted with giving warnings. Depending on how they respond to these warnings, people are quickly divided into those worthy of being blessed and those who are not. The Lord prepares these devices so that the already burdened church will not be tied by exhaustion, but will run with haste.
Jesus sent the disciples in pairs to proclaim repentance. The Lord said to His disciples at the time, “In whatever place you enter a house, whoever will not hear you, warn them of curses by shaking off the dust under your feet.” All of us are ‘houses’ where people who are sent by the Lord should stay in. What shall we do if we do not acknowledge the overseer - whom the Lord established - and ignore his warnings?
If the overseer becomes accustomed to being afraid of what people think and cannot carry out the work entrusted by God, it is no different from the spiritual life of the church coming to an end. Therefore, all believers in the church must endeavour not to make the overseer despair in regards to being pressured by God. We must decide whether we will see the overseer’s opinion as one among many people or as one which God uses.
Our spiritual situation is not easygoing, like it is fine to be neither this nor the other. No one should hold stubbornly to the thoughts they had when they lived as sinners. Everyone should destroy their fears and greed, and in this time known as ‘today’, they should run quickly in the path that the Lord guides by the overseer. Let’s acknowledge the fact that the Lord is working urgently, and seize the opportunity He gives to repent.
“And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” This is true. A preacher preaches the way to live. Let’s now adjust our focus closely to God. Let’s not dismiss the urgent warnings God gives through the overseer, but respond quickly to God’s voice.
(Lord’s Day Service on July 11, 2021)
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