Paul was motivated to share the glorious Gospel by His devotion to Christ and desire to see the lost saved. He expressed it in Romans 1:15 this way, “So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the Gospel to you who are in Rome also.” It wasn’t a hasty impulse, but a thoughtful decision. He knew what was involved—the price he might have to pay.
He was ready. Like the old hymn says, “Ready to go, ready to stay, ready my place to fill; Ready for service, lowly or great, ready to do His will.”
Are you ready to serve? Jesus set the standard for us. He said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” For Paul service didn’t fluctuate. His devotion didn’t vacillate. It was whole-hearted, “As much as is in me!”
Are you ready to suffer? Jesus still bears in His body the marks of His mission. Then Paul, in a lesser, but still real way, said, “I bear in my body, the marks of the Lord Jesus.”
Are you ready to sacrifice? Ultimately it cost Jesus His life. Paul would lay down His life for the mission. Would you? Consider this: why do you think you’d die for Him, if you won’t live for Him?
Are you ready—or are too many other things occupying you? I heard Adrian Rogers share this story:
There’s a man on death row. The Governor decides to pardon him. He hands you the pardon to take to the warden. About the time you are going to leave with the pardon placed in the pocket of your coat, the phone rings. It’s your wife and she wants you to stop by the store and get some milk. It’s on the way. It won’t take long—so why not? While in the store you run into an old buddy you haven’t seen in a long time. You know you have something to do, but the conversation goes on. Now, what was it? Oh yes, to take the pardon. You will, but first you’ve got to take the milk home so it doesn’t spoil. Your wife meets you at the door and says, “Honey, I’m sorry to tell you this, but the furnace has quit working. It’s getting awfully cold—could you take a look.” So, you do. You can’t figure out what’s wrong. So, there’s nothing to do but to find a repairman. That takes awhile. In this cold snap, every furnace repairman is covered up. Finally you get hold of one. No sooner have you hung up when the buddy you’ve just reconnected with at the store calls you. He is so glad to have run into you. He has just been given an all-expense paid weekend at a golf resort for a foursome and wants you to go! It won’t cost a thing. He says, “It must have been fate that we ran into each other.” In the excitement, you forget all about the piece of paper in your coat pocket and you wind up out of town on a golf trip. You get back, and are reading the paper when you see a name in headlines that sends a chill down your spine and tears down your face—the man has been executed! He was pardoned and you didn’t tell him. How would you feel? How will you feel when the clods fall on the coffin of someone you've not told? It might be a family member, a friend, a fellow worker or fellow student.
Ask God to help you be ready to share the Gospel—to be motivated by your great love for God and concern for the lost. It is a matter of life and death—eternal life and the second death—and your witness may make the difference concerning their final destination!
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