…"Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him. [Mark 2:14]
That's all Jesus had to say. Two simple words. He gave no explanation of future plans or what sacrifices would be sure to follow. He simply said, "Follow Me" and that was all they needed.
I envision Jesus in confidence of love speaking to the spirits of His soon-to-be disciples. A slight smile crosses His plain face as he boldly speaks, "Follow Me." No arrogance of knowing He was right. No over-zealous phony excitement.
This led me to the question: Have we over-complicated evangelism? What if all people need is to see a loving spirit and their spirit will cry out for the same? What if all people need is to hear with such love and grace, "follow Jesus"?
The disciples knew as soon as they saw Jesus that He was the real deal. All they needed was the real deal.
We can be the real deal.
I am the real deal. I love Jesus and I know His power is coursing through me to call out to people's spirits.
No explanation of sacrifice or theology will ever change someone's heart for Jesus. Only God aligns the heart to receive Him.
What if I have no pressure to "bring someone to Christ"? What if I never actually "bring someone to Christ"?
What if the only way someone knows their Savior is by their Savior saying to them, "follow Me”?
No one convinced me to follow Jesus. People helped me along the way, but no one explained Christianity to a point where everything just "clicked". I started following Jesus when I felt Him break my heart… When I felt Him bring me to my knees as the sinner I was.
No one but Jesus called me to surrender.
So what's my role then. Where's my place in "evangelism"?
This is what Jesus has said to His disciples…
"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." [John 15:12]
"A new commandment I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so that you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." [John 13:34-35]
Could it really be that simple? Could my role in "bringing people to Jesus" simply be to prepare hearts to see a tangible love? To lead people to a place where Jesus brings people to Jesus?
What if approaching people and caring about what they believe and what leads them to brokenness is what evangelism is? What if reaching out and just loving to a point where complete strangers are drawn to ask what you believe is?
I'm an advocate for evangelism. Don't miss interpret this post. But what if our approach could be changed? What if we can take the pressure off ourselves? What if…
