In the previous post we thought about the “unsearchable riches of Christ.” This reality not only encourages us in our Christian life and sanctification, it also encourages us in our evangelism. Let me explain.
Several years back I was traveling out-of-state with my dad. On our return home, we had stopped for gas and I believe milkshakes if I’m recalling correctly. While I was pumping gas, a man approached me and told me his car had stranded his family and he asked for money to assist them in getting home. I wanted to help him, but I did not have any cash on me. I looked at my dad in the car and asked him if he had any cash. He’s over 65, so I knew he did. He said, “yeah, what do you need.” I requested that Dad give the gentleman a certain amount of money. The man thanked us and we parted ways.
As we continued down the road I told my dad I would repay him the money I had requested. Of course, he said not to worry about it. I told him it wasn’t very fair for me to be generous with his money! He insisted I not repay him. Since then I have joked with him several times about giving his money away. Yet the more I think about it, isn’t that exactly what God has called His children to do? Aren’t we to offer our Father’s riches to others?
God has saved us and adopted us in Christ Jesus at great expense to Himself:
In him (Christ) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us… -Ephesians 1:7-8a
The Lord has also commissioned those He has saved (His children) to proclaim (offer) the Gospel to all the world (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). The Apostle Paul spoke of his commission to preach the gospel using the language of riches. He said; “To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph. 3:8).
This is wonderful to think about; the Lord has called us to offer His inexhaustible riches to others so that any who would repent and believe upon Christ could receive the free gift of salvation (Rom. 6:23). Christian, everyone we encounter is in desperate need of help (salvation), but like me at the gas station that night, we don’t have what they need in and of ourselves. We don’t, but our Father does and we get to be generous with our Father’s riches! Don’t miss it, His riches are infinite. Therefore, there is no one who is too needy, we can liberally offer to any and all because our Father is mighty to save.
Written by Matt Baker