There’s been so much going through my mind lately, but I think one of the most significant moments occurred at a funeral two weeks ago. A dear family friend and former mentor of mine passed away suddenly from a stroke at the age of 59.
This man didn’t waste a moment of his life. He was one of the closest examples I’ve known of Christ to the world. He saw every person and moment as an opportunity to show God’s love and share His truth. He understood our call by Jesus to “go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19-20). Though there is much I could say about his life, I want to encourage you with a couple lessons he taught that helped shape the person I am today.
1 – Get Curious
With every lesson he taught, Jeff would always say, “Don’t take my word or anyone else’s as ‘Gospel’. Make sure that everything you hear is measured by God’s Biblical truth. By this principle, when he would read the Bible to us in class, he would have us ask questions about the text. This became the basis of how I approach the Bible in my times with the Lord each morning. I’ll read a portion of Scripture and then ask questions about it. This way of learning has helped me to retain the concepts and stories, and has begun connecting the Old Testament and New Testament verses together. For example, I read Deuteronomy 4:1-2 this morning which says, “Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live, enter, and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. You must not add anything to what I command you or take anything away from it, so that you may keep the commands of the Lord your God I am giving you.”
The question I thought of after reading this was, “Isn’t there somewhere else in the Bible that gives this same command?” Then Holy Spirit reminded me of Revelation 22:18-19 which says, “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city, which are written about in this book.
The two connected together. In my curiosity of wanting to learn from the Lord, He helped connect these two even further. He said, “Go back to verse 1 in Deuteronomy 4. What did it say?” It said, “Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to follow, so that you may live, enter, and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you.” It was a command that Moses gave to the Israelites soon before entering their promised land. In Revelation 22, it is an invitation for us to place our faith in Jesus and prepare for our entrance into God’s promised land for us.
Getting curious with God, asking questions, and seeking Holy Spirit’s counsel is the way I learn most from the Bible, and how I write my materials and speaking engagements. When we’re in God’s word daily, and actively seeking to engage with Him in it; He has a fascinating way of recalling relevant Bible passages to mind when needed. It’s like a joyful treasure hunt takes place.
2 – A Passion for Global Missions
The Gospel is/should be everything to Christians. It holds God’s love, grace, and His gift of salvation to the world. It’s the Good News of Jesus Christ! “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17). He is fully God and became fully man to save us from sin and death. In His life, He showed us that He gets what we’re going through, and yet, lived without sin. The whole purpose of His earthly life was to die on the cross for us. He bore our grief and carried our sorrows, and was stricken for us (Isaiah 53). By His death, He set us free! “And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.” (Colossians 2:13-15). When He rose Himself back to life, the authority over heaven and earth was His and He commissioned His followers to share the good news of the gift of eternal life He now offered because of it – “Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.
Because Jeff modelled true discipleship to us youth, we were able to understand the important call to share the Gospel with all we came in contact. We knew the urgency of sharing Christ’s good news because we know not the day or the hour in which God would call us all home. This commissioning wasn’t just for our family, friends, neighbours, and enemies. It was for the world. And so, whether in our home country or abroad, the same mission stands true. Live life, be authentic, model Christ’s love and share His truth.
When we do this earnestly, it helps others to feel Jesus’ love and gives them a safe space to share what’s on their hearts, ask tough questions, and learn from His truth. As followers of Jesus, we are all working together on this same mission. The question is, are we doing it well, or have we allowed ourselves to be distracted by the temporary things of this world? Attending the funeral brought love, conviction, and a refreshment of the lessons Jeff left us all with. May his legacy continue to spur us all on in our race of faith.
Who left that legacy for you to follow? Who modeled Christ and helped bring you into deeper intimacy with Jesus? Take time to thank them, and then ask the Lord who He desires you to be His disciple to in this season?
