“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1st Cor. 1:18)
Most of the people on this planet are not homeless and destitute, most are not drunks and junkies, or billionaires, not leaders with power over the masses of humanity. Many if not most are the simple folk just trying to get through the day accomplishing the tasks that they have set before themselves.
For the most part they keep their appetites and impulses under control, they go about their business without attempting to infringe their ideologies upon others and they expect the same from those they meet.
We are not like any of those at our core, truth has been revealed to us, and there are only two ways that we can reveal those truths to them, both are to be done in love. The knowledge of the truth of the cross we offer to those we meet will either be accepted by them or rejected, they will either spend eternity in heaven or hell according to their decision. To most my friends that preaching is foolishness, but it does not modify it in any way, it remains truth.
“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)
We are the sent ones, and it matters little to whom you have been sent, whether it be to the streets where they live in tents or the mansion where the so-called elites congregate, the message does not change, and the messenger does not alter that message. The ground at the foot of the cross is level, only One has been raised up there and you are to point to Him.
We are sent to them that are perishing, to those who may or may not be called, that is not our concern, the message is. Love wants them to be with the Savior, with us in eternity where there are pleasures forevermore throughout the ages. Love tells them that if they do not heed the call, eternal pain, suffering and separation from His love is what they can expect.
Most will hear foolishness coming from your lips, the rich have all they could want, and the poor want what they cannot have. Their station in this life is not the topic of our conversation, Christ is, not only in what awaits them in eternity no matter their decision, not what He offers them in this life, but Him and Him alone. What He did on that cross and the reason why is the message.
Love went to the cross of His own free will.
Have you ever contemplated this, that, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:3) Have you ever envisioned the Lord Jesus Christ after the Lake of Fire was created, standing on the edge of it and thinking, “I cannot let them enter here,” but knowing that most will? The cross was the only way, and that is the message we are to offer to all that will listen.
“For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matt. 22:14)
You are the vessel that He has chosen to reach out to mankind with, you are one of the ambassadors of the Kingdom of the Most High sent with the message of the cross, and if you do not stop occasionally beside the gates of hell and listen to the screams, that message will come from you with no sense of urgency, with no real love or concern for their eternal soul.
The Lord uses those that are willing to be used for His glory, those that understand the truth of the cross. “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” (1st Cor. 1:21)
This isn’t your pastor’s responsibility, it is yours, you have been sent. The message is to be given by you.
