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Every Time is the Right Time to Share the Gospel

I have an especially low sense of urgency with a couple odd things in my life. For example, I love the TV shows Chicago PD and Chicago Fire, but their new episodes air on Wednesday nights when I’m at church choir practice. So of course I set them to record! But then, I do the worst job of watching them. This year especially, I was so excited for the new episodes to release since there were no new episodes last fall due to the writer’s strike in Hollywood. But the shows have been airing new episodes for a couple months now, and I have them all recorded, but I’ve only watched one. Why?! Who knows. It might be that I’m subconsciously saving them for some Saturday afternoon when I have nothing to do and can just watch them all back-to-back. Or maybe I’m so happy to have new material to watch that I just want to savor and extend that joy as long as possible? What if there’s another strike looming? At least I’d have some brand new episodes saved up and ready to watch.

For whatever reason, I do the same thing with my People magazines when they arrive weekly. (Yes, I subscribe to People magazine. Don’t judge me. Ha!) With these magazines, it’s pretty routine for me to wait until I have two unread issues sitting on my coffee table before reading and disposing of one of them. That way, I always have one unread magazine waiting for me—with the promise of fun and sometimes frivolous news ready to be enjoyed. Again, no sense of urgency, and perhaps a purposeful lack of urgency. It’s almost like I don’t want to NOT have a brand new issue of the magazine ready just in case I get the urge to read it.

Sometimes we can stockpile things that bring us happiness! We might go into preservation mode, planning ahead and carefully rationing so we don’t run out of the good stuff. When it comes to Chicago PD, Chicago Fire and People magazine, there is no sense of urgency for me. I know I love these things, and if I so desire, I can save them up so they’ll be ready to break out just when I need them most. If I’ve had a rough day and need something that offers me guaranteed relaxation and joy, I know I have it ready and waiting. Is there anything you stockpile? Something you love so much that you exercise extreme caution and care when deciding how best to indulge in it? 

There are some fun (and some more important) luxuries in life that we can keep carefully in check. But I’m here to remind you today that with other things, a sense of urgency is needed. More specifically, the gospel message is not one to be stockpiled and shared with extreme caution. There is no reason to keep it under wraps until the right time. Sharing the gospel doesn’t need to be planned out so carefully that I only do it under certain conditions when it might be most beneficial to me. It’s an urgent message that should be spread with fervor and earnestness, at any and every time of the day. No “saving up” required.

Here’s the message to share: We are sinners in need of a Savior. Jesus came to earth, died for our sins, and rose from the dead in victory over sin and death. If you believe in Jesus and ask Him to be your Lord and Savior, you can experience abundant, restored and eternal life with Him! Jesus is patiently and mercifully waiting for as many people as possible to turn from their sin and surrender to Him. But He will not wait forever. He is coming back to earth to claim His own! And whenever that unknown day arrives, it will be too late for those who have not made the choice to believe in Him. God is loving and merciful, but He is also just. In His perfect love and justice, He will set all things right, and those who are not “right” with Him will be separated from Him forever.

Who do you need to share this message with today? Have you been saving up and waiting for juuuust the right time to do that? Stop waiting. Pray for a heightened sense of urgency, and make sure your loved ones who are far from God know this truth. If you need any further little push in that direction, here are a couple Scripture passages that tell the difficult but unavoidable truth about Jesus’ return.

  • But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. -2 Peter 3:10
  • So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. -Matthew 24:44
  • And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. -1 John 2:28
  • If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels. -Mark 8:38

Which one of these verses shifts your sense of urgency into a higher gear? There are so many more passages throughout the Bible about the day of the Lord’s return. Take a closer look at them sometime. And remember, Scripture promises that Jesus is coming back. This is incredible and exciting news for those who believe in Him. But as we think about our loved ones who do not have that saving belief, it can be sad and scary to think about. I challenge you to turn that sadness into action. Who cares what other people might think of you. Share the life-giving message with your family and friends so they, too, can be found ready and waiting on that glorious day!