It’s Time To Stand Up (Part 3)
“His Lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’” Matthew 25:23
God wants to use every Christian in these last days to bring revival and healing to the world. When Peter stood before a nation of sinners, 11 men were standing with him. Which one of these men do you see yourself in? John’s passionate love for Jesus was evident to all, and Matthew used his wealth to further God’s kingdom. Then there was Philip. Philip had a heart for evangelism. Philip was the first disciple that Jesus invited to follow Him. As soon as he made the decision to follow Jesus, he ran to Nathaniel and said, “You have to come with me to meet this man.” He was constantly bringing men and women to Jesus. He had a fire in his bones to share what he had with everyone he knew. Philip had a burden to reach the lost.
In a recent survey that was taken, 2% of the people who visit a church come because of an advertisement. Six percent come because of large events like Easter and Christmas productions, and another 6% come due to pastoral invites. However, 86% of people who come to church come because a friend or relative invited them. We cannot lose our burden for souls. The statistics show that most people who are unchurched come when an ordinary friend says, “Come with me.”
Maybe you can see yourself in Matthias? Matthias took the place of Judas after Judas betrayed Jesus and then killed himself. The church needs people who will say, “You can backslide if you want to, but I’m staying. If you don’t fast, pray, worship, give, serve, or seek God, I will.” For every Judas, there’s a Matthias. If you decide to leave the path of God, someone else will rise up. The greatest testimony is not “I strayed and came back”; the greatest is “I never left.”
Lastly, maybe you can relate to James. There were two disciples with the name James. One was known as “James the Less.” He was one of the 12 who followed Jesus everywhere and witnessed everything, but nothing he did was mentioned in the Bible. He wasn’t a “superstar” disciple, but he was there for it all. He was faithful. He was there serving when all the miracles happened. He traveled with Jesus and stayed with Him until the end. Then, he stood by Peter when he preached to the thousands.
Not everyone is called to be a preacher, singer, or a wealthy contributor. You may feel insignificant and think you don’t matter, but your loyalty matters. Your commitment and consistency matters. The church is built on saints of God who have stood the trials of life and have not wavered in their faith. Thank God for the pillars of our churches who have served God faithfully for years and years. They have stood for God without any accolades or rewards in this life, but in the next life, they will wear a crown. Keep standing strong, men and women of God. Your faithfulness matters.
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