Scriptural Reference:

Proclamation of the Gospel

Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

2 Timothy 2:15
5 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 4:1-2
1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching.

Preservation of the Gospel

1 Timothy 3:15
15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

1 Timothy 1:3-4
3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia --- remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.

2 Timothy 1:13
13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

Living Display of the Gospel

Ephesians 3:10
10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

1 Corinthians 12:12-26
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptised into one body --- whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free --- and have all been made to drink into one Spirit/ 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honourable, on these we bestow greater honour; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honour to that part which lacks it,25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

Reflection:
What is the Mission of the Church? Who is called to fulfil this Mission? Is this Mission still relevant even today?

Proclamation of the Gospel
These simple enough questions are actually rather divisive. When asked of those who either lead the Church or attend the services, you will get a wide range of answers. Some will tell you that it is the Calling and responsibility of the Minister or pastor to evangelise. While some may say that it is only s select group within the Church that is called to this Ministry. Yet again, there will be those who will say that in the end it is everyone's calling and responsibility. I will personally side with this last group.

The Great Commission as told to us by Matthew tells everyone who was there to go and make Disciples. Baptising in the authority and in the names of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. It does not specifically say only you Priests do this. Nor does it say, now get organised and start making sure only a select group of you does this. So for me it would seem that the believers in Christ are to do the work of the Lord.

Further to this, we read in Timothy that we are meant to be active and working. Diligently following through with the spreading of the Gospel of Grace to all the corners of the Earth. Rightly dividing, or spreading the Word. So that everywhere we go we are encouraged to speak openly and loudly about this Gospel of Grace. Not standing back waiting for someone else to do the work. Nor sitting in the pews every Sunday. Listening to the Gospel, then forgetting it by the following Friday.

Preach the Word. Be ready at all times to answer those who are ready to deride your faith. This calling in the Second book of Timothy can only become real when strengthened by our study of the Bible. Where many Christians can come undone is when they have a shallow understanding of the Bible. They have heard what they feel they need. But have not gone deeper. So when Satan makes his attacks, they will falter and waver. And in some case can be lead astray from the truth. Into Heresy and Theological Schisms.

Preservation of the Gospel
The Bible has endured and survived over many generations and ages. It has done this for two main reasons. The first is that it is the true Word of God. The second is because the faithful have worked hard to preserve it. Keeping it safe and close to their hearts.

Now that we have such a beautiful gem and valuable key to Salvation, what do we do with it as a Church? Or as Followers of the Way? We are charged to share this with the Community we live. With the Country we reside in. And to all aspects where possible, to the World. Preaching it among the Gentiles. But as we have also seen it is also preached to the Jews as well. In fact, when it comes down to who we should be ready to share the Gospel with, there should be nobody who should not hear our voice and our Faith in action.

In doing this, preaching at all times we are in fact working to preserve the Gospel message. Yet as 1 Timothy tells us, we are also to make sure that no false Worldly doctrine is allowed to slip in. Sadly there are many Churches today that have allowed such heresy to taint their services. Places where the Minister will openly deny the physical resurrection of Jesus. Where the same Ministers will open support ungodly behaviour as Homosexuality and Lesbianism. All in the name of the Post Modern Church. We are called to safeguard the Gospel and to preserve it.

So hold onto the sound doctrine that is founded in the Bible. Any other persuasions that open the door for false religions and humanistic indulgences should be turned from.

Living Display of the Gospel
If we say we believe, do we show this in our lives? Can someone see Christ in our attitudes and our actions. As I had asked in a recent Benediction article, would there be enough evidence to find us guilty of being a Christian? Or would we be seen as just a strange but harmless fool?

We are given a certain Boldness that should never be mistaken for arrogance. The word here implies that we can trust in the certainty of or Salvation. That we can rest in the Grace that we were given at the Cross of Calvary. But it does not imply that we can become rude to the point that we insult God and deter others from hearing and embracing the Gospel.

Okay, so 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 in a nutshell? There seems to be a lot rolled up into this scripture. But if we think on it, we find that it works on a level of Rhetoric. It talks of the Body of the Church being made up of many parts. Each having it's own unique function. It then follows through to explain that each part is relatively equal in the greater scheme of the whole. That they all work towards the goal of the Gospel.

So we as many parts need to learn to work together. Not just so that we can seemingly get along. But more so that the World is constantly watching. The love and fellowship that we share with each other and with the World is the message that lost souls will hear. Those in most need of the Gospel. Remember how in the very early days of the Church, believers met at different houses. And in many ways shared the needs and burdens of each other. The community saw this and recognised in it a new sense of belonging. They felt the living presence of the Gospel at work. Can the same be said about our Churches today? Or is there more a feeling of getting Bums in Seats and Money in the Plate?

You are a Light onto the World. Don't try and hide this. Don't ignore it and let it go out. Don't think that it's someone else's job to hold it high for others to see. This Great Commission is a Calling to each and everyone of us. And that means to you and me equally.

Prayer:
Lord, I am not strong,
My words are simple,
With knowledge that is shallow,
Yet I seek to share the Gospel.

I pray, Lord,
Give me the Holy Spirit,
Within my heart each day,
So that I may share the Gospel.

Where there is fear,
Let me sow seeds of Hope.
Where there is uncertainty,
Let me build Bridges of Faith.
Where there is Hatred,
Let me shine a light of love.

In all things, Lord,
Let me be an instrument,
Of your Gospel message of Grace.

Amen