Good evening church family. It’s an honor to come to your homes and private places of study. I do realize this is an unconventional way of meeting together, but God will still be in this tonight. This is out of the norm for all of us. Not just in our church, but others as well. This won’t be perfect, I am not good with typing or computers in general. Do not pay attention to my poor grammar or anything else but God’s word. I would like to personally thank our church leaders here at Eddy for making such a safe decision that was necessary. We ask God’s Blessings to be upon this study tonight.

Please start tonight in your home with prayer with your family. Pray for our country, President, military. Pray for our church and its leaders as well as other churches…as we are all in this together. Pray for this world as a whole that God would see fit to make this terrible sickness cease and die. Remember those specifically who have been affected by COVID-19.

*Disclaimer: please open your bibles and use them to properly do this study. Please turn to each biblical scripture reference listed*

Tonight let turn in our bibles to Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus addressed to His disciples what we refer to as The Great Commission, after he was resurrected from the dead and just before He ascended into Heaven. By doing this He gave swift instruction of what they were to do that is to share the Gospel. Matthew’s account Jesus told them to “teach” and Mark’s account told them to “preach” (Mark 16:15). We do understand that that a man must be called and sent in order to truly preach, the same takes a calling and appointing in order to teach the good word. However, let me make this very clear, this was not just commissioned to the disciples, preachers, and not just to teachers but to ALL Christians. We must share the Gospel, without it all hope is gone as we know it. After all, how a person comes to Christ is by the drawing power of God (John 6:44), by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8) and by the gospel being shared (Romans 10: 6-17) (Romans 1:16).

Sharing the gospel would fall under the category of “missions” missions is the work of a missionary. If this is then the case shouldn’t we all be a form of a missionary? May I remind you this is also in the name of a Missionary Baptist. Missionary’s are all throughout the bible. Historically Missionary Baptist were formed out of the Primitive Baptist movement in the early 19^th Century. This was done over the issue of missions. Missionary Baptist were in support of mission work, believing that it was the responsibility of the church to do their own mission work. Not paying an association or convention to do this for them, yet adhering to the command given to us by our Lord and Savior in our text tonight. Although Missionary Baptist have not a problem in financially supporting missionaries or mission work (and most do), just opposing the responsibility to be taken off of the church.

We do not find “missions” in the Bible, however the word itself has been affiliated to sharing the gospel. Remember, a missionary is someone who does mission work or missions. The definition of a missionary: One who has a specific task or responsibility that they are assigned to do or fulfill; generally the task and responsibility of spreading and sharing the gospel. So thus, stating the information above being a part of a denomination that is founded over this issue, there should be even more emphasis put on sharing the gospel. Amen. God has given us all different roles or callings to glorify Himself. We all have a place in the church, I cannot do your job and you can’t do your job. On the moreover, you must know what your calling is from God, I cannot make that for you. Paul said the body must have all parts in order to function properly (1 Corinthians 12:12-27), think about a church without parishioners, elders, deacons, a pastor, singers, musicians and so forth…it’s hard to function without them all. We are all called after conversion to share THE True and living Word of God! Shame on us when we do not do it!

The bible tells us in 1 Peter 3:15 that we should always be ready and prepared to share the gospel, anywhere, at anytime, to anyone. You never know what seed you may be planting in someone that you share the gospel with (Luke 8:11) Or you never know who you may help in the time of need by sharing the gospel (Romans 1:12). I encourage you to continue to share the good news, we should be just always itching to share the gospel with someone. The gospel has powers untold behind it (Hebrews 4:12)! Whether, in song, preaching, teaching, conversation may we always continue to share the good news of God’s Words to the sinner and the saint!

Additional Scriptures to study: 2 Timothy 1:6-14, 1 Corinthians 15:1-19, Galatians 1:3-12, 2 Timothy 2:15

In closing tonight may we all sing together “I love to tell the story” 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xgbsC_zL50

and “We’ll Work Till Jesus Comes” 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuCQh3Wv2GI

I hope and pray that this devotional was a help to you. Feel free to share it with someone in need. As we close this service tonight, please know that God does not want us to fear but he does expect us to use the knowledge and wisdom that He has given us. I like to call it good old fashioned common sense! I do realize this is not what any of us want, but for now, it is the best and safest option that we have. We are told in the Bible to also obey our rulers and the laws of the land. How long will this pandemic last? Only God knows…until we meet again good night and may God Bless you and yours!

“The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:  Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace”. -Numbers 6:24-20 KJV