To Know, Love, and Speak
In John 6, we are told that many turn away from Jesus because what He says is hard to understand. When Jesus asks His closest friends if they, too, want to turn away, Peter responds with a resounding “no” and explains why. Jesus has the words of eternal life (John 6:68).
I love this passage because it reminds me of the life-giving power of God’s Words. Because God has given us His Word as a gift, we have the power to contribute life wherever we go. But, in order to share God’s Word, we must open our mouths. Here’s a challenging and motivating thought. God has given us His Word not only to know and love but also to speak.
The Call of Christ for Believers
A familiar passage to many of us is Jesus’ Great Commission to His disciples. When His time on earth was almost complete, He gave them the charge to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in His name and teaching them His way (Matthew 28:19-20).
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). This means He is calling us to this beautiful purpose, too. Jesus has equipped us to communicate His loving truth to the world by giving us His own presence, the Holy Spirit, and the very words of life to speak. Jesus tells us that we have received power from the Holy Spirit, and He will be with us always (Acts 1:8; Matthew 28:20).
Paul Emphasizing Christ’s Call
In Ephesians 6, Paul is asking the church to pray for him as he seeks to communicate the truth of the gospel, which is God’s grace manifested in Christ. Here are some truths I have gleaned from this passage.
The Holy Spirit does the work.
Paul acknowledges that it is the Holy Spirit who gives him the words to speak. In Luke 12:12, Jesus tells us that His Spirit will teach us what to say in our hour of need. When we obey, the Lord provides. We must depend on and trust in Him.
The gospel is not communicated by actions alone.
Paul recognizes that he needs to speak to proclaim the gospel. Paul’s words in Romans 10:14-15 help us understand why. First, someone must be sent by God to share truth. The sent person must then speak the truth. Then, the listener can hear the words and make a choice to believe.
While actions communicate a lot, words are necessary to let people know who God is and how much He loves them. This is what Jesus did. He told the world who He was, and He preached the Good News of God’s grace wherever He went. He set an example for us.
The mystery has been revealed, and we have been chosen to communicate it.
Paul has knowledge of something significant and life-changing. As a believer, so do you! The Lord has revealed Himself to us in Christ. Let’s unpack this further.
God promised in Genesis 3:15 to send a Rescuer, One who would redeem all people from the curse of sin. All of scripture points to this Rescuer. When Jesus entered the world, He revealed the beautiful, eternal plan of God for redemption. Jesus, God in the flesh, came to be with us and become a sacrifice for us (John 1:14; Galatians 4:4-5). He reconciled us to God through His body (Colossians 1:22). He fulfilled the promises of God. God can now dwell with us by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 3:23-29).
God has named you His ambassador of this gospel message, giving you the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). You get to encourage others to turn back to God, the One who created them and loves them with His life.
We ought to speak, and we ought to speak without fear.
Paul uses this word “ought,” which implies a sense of stewardship. As recipients of God’s grace, we have the truth the world needs and the love the world is searching for. God wants us to join Him in the salvation work He is doing, for He desires none to perish but all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).
Further, if God is for us, none can be against us (Romans 8:31). As believers, we are covered in God’s victory and favor; we do not need to fear. Jesus lives in us as our peace, wisdom, and joy. We can rest in the truth that we are loved and accepted by God, already approved of and declared righteous through faith in Jesus (1 John 4:8-10; Romans 3:22).
Embracing the Call + Obeying Jesus
Practically, you can begin speaking the life-giving words God has given you by acknowledging others with kindness. When you find yourself in a conversation with someone, encourage them with God’s Word and pray for them. Ask them if they know how much God loves them. Share the beauty of the gospel with them when the Spirit presents an opportunity.
The truth is, you will never regret sharing God’s truth with others. Regardless of how they respond in the moment, every seed sown is valuable and important. Without any seeds, fruit can not be grown. With one seed, fruit has the potential to grow.
Friend, let’s obey the call of Christ and choose to walk with Him today. Let’s go where He leads and speak when He prompts us to speak. He has given us the words of life. May we not only know them and love them but also speak them over those in our path.
