“…Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well” – 1st Thessalonians 2 v 8 (NIV).
According to the book of Mark, the final instructions Jesus Christ gave to his disciples (and by extension, to us his followers today) before he was taken up into the heavens to be seated at the right hand of the Father, was this; Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16 v 15).
This instruction has been referred to as the Great Commission, and the core messages of the gospel to be preached are the repentance of sin, the redemption by believing in the death and resurrection of the Son of God and the acceptance of the free gift of salvation through Christ the Saviour.
Carrying the gospel to every creature is not only done by preaching the Word to others. We can also fulfil this mandate of Christ simply by how we live our lives. This is essentially the gospel of our life. And this was what Paul also wanted to share with the believers in Thessalonica, when he wrote his letter to them. He wanted to show Christ to them not only in words but also by his very own life.
The way we live our lives speaks volumes and as they often say, action speaks louder than words. As true disciples and believers of Jesus Christ, it is our utmost responsibility to ensure that everything about our lives convey our Lord Jesus Christ and his message. Our lives should reflect the fruits of the Holy Spirit, which are made up of the following qualities: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5 v 22-23). These qualities should not be seen occasionally in our lives, rather, they ought to be a constant mark that others see and can testify to.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, when with the help of the Holy Spirit, we display these qualities in our everyday lives, we are essentially preaching the gospel of Christ to others through our lives. I urge you today to reflect upon your life to see if you are indeed carrying out the mandate of Christ with your life. I pray that the Spirit will daily renew and transform our lives more in the image of Christ, so that our words, actions and deeds may be in conformity with the gospel of Christ and be pleasing to the Father. May our lives be worthy of the gospel we have been called to preach to the world.
God Bless You,
Pastor Tolu Ojo.
