If I told one of my kids, "Micah, I need you to take the garbage out." There would be an expectation on my part, that it would happen. How funny would it be though if Micah came to me an hour later and told me,
"Dad, I memorized what you said. I can say it perfectly. Aren't you proud of me?"
I mean, as pleased as I would be that he HEARD my words and even took them to heart, I would feel as though he missed the POINT. Though the thoughts that I gave him were important, the TASK intended for those words was MOST important.
"But dad, I can tell you how to say that in the Greek AND in Hebrew, I can tell you the cultural implications of not taking out the garbage and my friends and I met and we looked at why it is important for THEM to take out the garbage too. We can tell you what would happen in an area if no one took out the garbage."
This would be great, but at what point DOES HE, decide that the taking out of the garbage is the most important part of those words, of that imperative (this word imperative, means absolutely necessary or required) that I gave him.
Jesus, gave US an imperative, two of them in fact:
GO and make disciples
Baptize them.
When we do an event like Dare to Share, it's to help YOU and ME with just HOW, we go about sharing our faith and making disciples. Prayerfully consider your involvement in what Jesus has given us a command to do.
The bad news, our obedience to His word defines our relationship with Christ, the good news, He loves us enough to allow US to make that choice. I love you guys. I am so blessed to be here. -Mark
*Matthew 28:16-20
*other thoughts taken from excerpts of Francis Chan "Don't Focus on the Family"
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