Missional - Acts 26:28,29

Acts 26:28,29:

        “Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘Do you thing that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?’
        Paul replied, ‘short time or long – I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.’”


        Paul had just laid out his defense to King Agrippa. He told of his reputation and the persecution that he perpetuated against the Christians. And then he went into his conversion experience and explained that the prophets had prophesied that the Christ would come and suffer rather than be this victorious militant king.
        Paul did not go about his defense by trying to defend and justify his actions. He did not take a defensive position and try to weasel his way out of punishment. Instead he simply told the truth and stood his ground. And even in this oppressive setting when he was in chains and people were all around him ready to kill or imprison him he still went on with his mission to lead the lost to Christ. His entire purpose had never been to defend himself but to reach those that were listening to him. He was proclaiming the Gospel.


        How many opportunities do we have to share our faith? It seems that even us in ministry have a tendency to turn our faith off and on. I’m not saying that we don’t try our best to live consistent and balanced lives. But we often have chances to share our faith with people that we just let pass by.
        
        Yesterday I went to get a haircut. I had a prolonged time with my barber whom I have built a relationship with. This was far from the hostile environment of King Agrippa’s court. But still it had not crossed my mind to share with her.
        
        Last week I was on a plane twice sitting next to two people for 5 hours. And again I did nothing to share with them.
        
        We should be living missional lives meaning that we have been sent out as missionaries for Christ. As a youth pastor I have been called to minister to youth but I have an overall, prevailing calling on my life to witness to all. To have my radar turned on all the time to people that need Christ. I think we all need to live our lives with a sense of urgency.
        Working at a restaurant we always heard that term “sense of urgency” People would be standing around doing nothing when there was much to do. And then a manager would come by and just say “sense of urgency” and then we would all scramble and start getting to work.
        Well the Bible also tells us to have a sense of urgency; a sense of readiness for the Lord could come at any moment.