Reaching the Unreached

Your gifts are designed to reach the world for Jesus. So what’s holding you back?   You will be my witnesses. ~ Jesus  (Acts 1:8) Yes, you’re a man of many talents. When I was converted to Christianity, I waited as the phone rang. My best friend picked up on the other end. “What’s up, man?” “Nothing. Just playing a video game.” “Cool. I gotta tell you about something cool, but don’t laugh.” “I can’t promise.” “Well, you’re not going to expect this, and you’re probably going to think I’m joking, but I’m being dead serious.” “Shoot.” “I’m a Christian.” (silence) “You want to hear about it?” “Um... yeah.” “Okay, check it out. Jesus loves us, man. He died for us. He wants to forgive us for all the crap we’ve done. Man, He watches us while we sleep, He’s got the hairs on our heads numbered. He loves us so much that He’d do anything to have us get to know Him. If we don’t accept His friendship, we stay His enemies, and when He comes back to judge the earth, we’re screwed, man. I became a Christian the other day and there’s nothing like it, man. You need to let me come over right now, and I’ll tell you more.” “Okay.” “Well, what do you think? Think you wanna become a Christian too?” “Okay.” “Cool, man, I’ll be right over to show you how to pray it right.” My first and easiest convert ever! Over the phone even! I can remember thinking, Man, this Christianity stuff is going to be easy. Little did I know. In fact, I pretty much knew nothing about anything. But there was one thing I did know. God used me. And that was all I needed. I was hooked. Looking back now, I realize the Holy Spirit used me when I knew next to nada, had zero skill in sharing the Gospel, and didn’t even know the definition of the word “ministry.” God was real to me, and because the Holy Spirit was real in me, He was busting loose through my fumbling attempts to do the simplest of things for Him. Without knowing I had “gifts,” I was using them. I’d subconsciously become His witness despite myself. When people are released in their gifts, Jesus becomes unleashed on the world. As the Spirit channeled through the disciples, He expressed Himself through spiritual gifts. Ephesians chapter four says that when Jesus left the world, there was a Jesus-shaped-hole in it. That might seem like Jesus took a few steps backward in Kingdom expansion, but His plan to “fill all things” was by distributing spiritual gifts to mankind (Ephesians 4:7-13). As the body grows and matures, it expands, in turn filling that Jesus-shaped hole. The Body grows as “each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:16). Jesus replaces his life on earth through our lives, as the gifts flourish. Jesus’s work on the cross may be finished, but His ministry in the world is not. He continues His ministry through the powerful outworking of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, in a way that’s unique to you. Peter preached, but you may never speak a sermon. And that’s okay if that’s not your calling. Nobody can crack that whip like Indiana Jones, and nobody can use your gifts just like you. Indy’s fedora was shaped to his head, and nobody will be the Indiana Jones that Harrison Ford is. Your gifts are as uniquely tailored to you as that fedora. Indy was kitted out with a leather jacket, revolver, map, and a bag of sand, but you’ve got your own necessary tools to accomplish your mission. Excerpted from Reaching the Unreached: Becoming Raiders of the Lost Art by Peyton Jones.