Read these words slowly… “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed’” (Rom. 10:9-11).
How beautiful is that phrase, “whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”? Do you know any disappointed people? I meet lots of people living in disappointment. They have been disappointed by their parents, by themselves, by friends, by churches, by schools, by mentors, by counselors, by spouses, or by children. The list goes on and on. People and institutions disappoint us.
But we know a person who will never disappoint us. We know a way of life that rises above the disappointments that are so common to our human experience. We know about a way of life that harmonizes with the Apostle Paul in its ability to say, “I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:12-13).
The only means for that level of earthly contentment flows from the One who does not disappoint. Through Christ who strengthens. Paul’s testimony is that it is his relationship with Christ that has given him the secret of being content whether filled or hungry.
Evangelism is sharing that secret with everyone else. Look into the eyes of a world full of disappointment and share the secret. If you had the secret of a new weight loss regimen, you would be happy to share it with someone who was struggling to control their weight. If you had received great advice on how to lower your mortgage rate, you would gladly share it with those who were having a tough time making ends meet.
Why do we struggle to see the danger of eternal disappointment? Those who die without Christ do not go out of existence. They go into an eternal existence separated forever from the only One who could alleviate being disappointed without end. All the longings of the human soul will go without any hope of every being alleviated forever and forever.
The only way a person finds out the dire circumstances they face and that there is a solution that is offered as a free gift is if there is an evangelist for this amazing grace. “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?” (Rom. 10:14).
Being a “preacher” is not a job. A “preacher” is someone who heralds the good news. A “preacher” is a spokesperson for the product they believe in. A “preacher” is an evangelist for the movement, the goods, the philosophy that has changed their lives, and who cannot wait to tell someone else how much they need this also.
Do not keep Jesus to yourself. Do not live an undisappointed life around those who are disappointed in this life and have no idea that the end of this life is not finally being done with disappointment but will be facing eternal disappointment. Be devoted to evangelism!
By His Grace and For His Glory,
Pastor Mark
