Please pray with me – Almighty God, Heavenly Father in the Most High, I humble myself before you O’ Lord and ask for the forgiveness of the sins I’ve committed against you Father; Lord I ask that you subject my heart to the Holy Spirit and allow me to hear your message clearly. I submit to your word and ask that you speak to me through this letter in a way only the Holy Spirit can and give me the wisdom to know and accept your message, in Christ Jesus’ name, Amen.
A quick fact – The actual date of Jesus’ birth is most likely not on the 25th of Dec. Scholars and theologians have a strong estimate of the actual date. Since Elizabeth (John the Baptist’ mother) was in her sixth month of pregnancy when Jesus was conceived (Luke 1:24-36), they have determine the approximate time of the year Jesus was born if they know when John was born. Assuming John’s conception took place near the end of June, adding nine months brings us to the end of March as the most likely time for John’s birth. Adding another six months (the difference in ages between John and Jesus) brings us to the end of September as the likely time of Jesus’ birth. We can certainly ask when we see Him.
2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you.
We have established the church is the body of Christ – a group of people unified under Christ, who represent and share Him to the world.
Eph. 4:1-3 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Internally, the purpose of the church is to be where we can find the believer’s spiritual family. It is through the church that God takes people with different personalities and gifts, unifies them as a single body, and then equips them to care for each other and to reach as many of the lost as possible. We were not meant to live the Christian life alone instead, we are surrounded by biblical teachings and a loving community of believers. In this atmosphere, together, we find our commitment and our own purpose in life. Therefore, based on the previous letters, those who claim to be Christians, those who have trusted in Christ by faith alone, are members of the true church. Those who have daily conversations with Jesus, attend a church, who fellowship and receive confidence and courage to stay on the path and are active participants in its main purpose understand the commission Jesus has commanded believers to fulfill.
Matt. 28:19 – 20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Simply put, witnessing. There is no greater purpose for the body of Christ and His church than to introduce others to Christ. We do this in part by making sure we faithfully represent Him and become who He has called us to be. Encouraging us to be, “blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation.” Phill. 2:15. This doesn’t mean we are perfect but we are “encouraged” to be the best testimony of Christ we can be according to God’s word and to reflect this standard to others. Let me make it a little clearer, our actions and our speech reveal who dwells within us. Whether we witness to people in our neighborhoods, our workplace or wherever an opportunity presents itself, we are called as the body of Christ to reveal the Holy Spirit in us by representing Jesus’ character and telling others about Him. We are to set out within our communities and reach those who do not know Him ; those who are waiting for someone, anyone to reach out and show them the way to accepting Jesus as their Savior.
1 Timothy 2:3–5 3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 for there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
Now stay with me on this…John Chapman an American pioneer born in 1774, was a nurseryman who introduced apple trees to northern countries as well as a large part of the northwestern states. He was also known as Johnny Appleseed, the folk hero. What most people don’t know about him is he was a devout Christian and called an evangelist. He not only planted apple seeds but it’s been said he was responsible for leading more Native Americans to Jesus than anyone in history. Planting a seed is what we are commissioned to do and the effects of that one seed we plant can have such a significant impact on countless souls that can change the lives of so many that are still lost and in the dark.
A Sunday school teacher named Edward Kimball helped lead Dwight L. Moody to Christ one afternoon. D. L. Moody became an American evangelist and publisher connected to the Holiness Movement and founded the Moody Church. This church, incidentally is a phenomenal structure. He is also the creator of the Moody Bible Institute that is still producing some esteemed men of God. At a Moody meeting a young man by the name of John Wilbur Chapman, (no relation to the previous named), received personal counseling from Moody after a meeting that helped him confirm his salvation. J. Wilbur Chapman went on to becoming a very well-known, sought after evangelist. After retiring, he became an overseer of 51 evangelists in 470 cities.
Chapman re-entered the evangelistic field with a popular gospel singer and assembled an impressive team they took to the streets preaching and singing the gospel. During one of the street corner meetings Chapman’s assistant, a young man named Billy Sunday converted at one of the corner services. William Ashley “Billy” Sunday was a popular outfielder in baseball’s National League during the 1880’s. He went on to becoming the most celebrated and influential American evangelist for the first two decades of the 20th century. He left baseball to fulfill his calling. He attracted the largest crowds recorded before the use of electronic sound systems. Billy then created a fellowship group that later was renamed as Charlotte Businessmen’s Club. This group was instrumental in inviting Mordecai (More-da-Ki) Ham. Ham went on to becoming a Baptist evangelist and temperance movement leader, (social movement against alcoholic consumption). He began a radio ministry that reached into seven states and his ministry became racially controversial. At one of his revivals the attendance was very low and only a few people attended, as his popularity dwindled. However, one little boy did attend, his name is Billy Graham. That’s right, it started with a Sunday school teacher in 1774, planting one seed in the receiving heart of a little boy and made its way to one of the most respected men of God known today. He is responsible for leading more people to Christ than anyone in history.
The seed you plant today may not show “you” what fruit it may bear, but God will take that seed and make it produce plentiful. Our mission, our objective as the body of Christ, as faithful believers of everlasting life is to lead those out of the darkness and into the light. We all know someone like this, you may even be thinking of them now. A friend, a family member or a co-worker; share Jesus with them and plant that one seed and let God do what God does.
Please pray…Father, thank you for allowing me the time to hear you as I read this message. Place a burden in my heart for those who are looking for you Father, let me reach those Lord; grant me wisdom to lead them back to you; Allow every seed I plant Father to produce multitudes of fruit for your Kingdom; in Jesus Holy Name, Amen.
