What should be our motivation in evangelism? What motivated Jesus? Certainly He was very successful in reaching His goals. Since He is to be our example (1 Pet. 2:21), whatever motivated Him should be the driving force to motivate us.
Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw the mass of lost souls (Matt. 9:35-36; 14:14; 15:32). Such compassion motivated Him to ask His disciples to pray that God might “send out laborers into His harvest” (Matt. 9:37-38). Then, he did something about it Himself (that is, to select and send out His apostles (Matt. 10:1, 5-7). Do we ever find ourselves filled with compassion for the lost and then doing something about it? If we can only have this same compassion for lost souls, we will not rest until we are doing something to save their souls!
How can we develop or strengthen this compassion for lost souls? The best way is LET GOD TEACH US TO LOVE, as He did with the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 4:9). This He does through the example of Christ (1 John 3:16- 17). I am suggesting, therefore, that the more we meditate upon God’s love for us as manifested in His Son’s sacrifice, the more we will come to love others!
It also helps to BE AROUND PEOPLE. To love people, you have to get to know them. So beware of becoming “wrapped up in your own little world.” Remember that Jesus was one to become involved with “the multitudes.”
As expressed by the writer of Hebrews (Heb. 12:2), Jesus was motivated by the joyful prospect of being with His Father, at His Right Hand. Notice that this enabled Him to “endure the cross” and “despise the shame.” Surely the prospect of spending eternity with God will move us to do what we can to save souls? It must, if we also are willing to “endure the cross” or “despise the shame” that might be involved in evangelism!
Have we allowed the love of God to fill our hearts with compassion for the multitude of lost and dying souls? Are we making an effort to be around people and getting to know them?
Since Jesus is the “AUTHOR” and “FINISHER” of our faith (Heb. 12:2), we should be “looking unto Jesus” for the motivation we need to do His will. We should “consider Him” (Heb. 12:3), lest we become weary and discouraged in doing God’s will. I am convinced that the early church looked to Jesus, and found the motivation necessary to grow as they did. I believe that we can do the same today!
The key to developing and strengthening the proper motivation is to let the Word of God have its intended effect upon us. If we as Christians would be diligent in our daily reading, studying, and meditating upon the Word of God, then we too will become motivated like Jesus, Paul and the early church was.
May we all seek to allow God’s Word and the example of Jesus to motivate us in evangelizing the lost!
For the elders, Gregg Woodall