Christ in you loves sinners as passionately today as on that day when He bled and died for them. Christ in you is just as urgent as He was in His early disciples. Imitate them, fully assured that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:7-8). Reach out “by all possible means.” 38 Keep on “teaching everyone39 … struggling with all His energy” (Colossians 1:28-29).
Such an intense struggle is not easy. It requires loving commitment40 and faith-filled vision. Wicked Corinth wore Paul down, but God reassured him,
And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid,41 but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them (Acts 18:9-11).
God can see what you cannot see – the “many people” waiting to respond to Him. But they cannot respond until they hear the Message.42 What if Paul had quit? He would have missed God’s plan for him to become their “father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel” (1 Corinthians 4:15).43 Paul was God’s link to those precious souls. Now you are a living link in God’s chain of love! You are not the end of the chain, but one link on the way to many others.
Think of the person Jesus used to rescue you. What if that person had not cared about you? What if no one had taken the time and trouble to become your “father” in the faith? As you depended on your spiritual fathers in the faith, so now others depend on you! 44 They need your love, your positive influence and your shining example. They wait to hear you speak on Christ’s behalf. “We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20). “Many people” – literally thousands, as future generations benefit – depend on you becoming a strong link to them. For this reason, you do not stop after initially teaching and baptizing people. Keep on “teaching them to observe all that I [Christ] have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). Join in the labor to “present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28). As Paul told Timothy,
… and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men45 who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 2:2-3).46 M
39. “The whole creation” must hear the Gospel, Mark 16:15. Don’t prejudge whether a person will respond or not, for some who seem least likely to respond become the strongest Christians e.g. Paul, 1 Timothy 1:12-16; 1 Corinthians 15:9-10; Acts 9:26.
40. This is commitment to the Lord’s goals, not necessarily to a place that proves too resistant, Luke 9:5; 10:11; Acts 13:46-51; 18:6; 19:9
41. The sense in Greek is, “Do not fear any longer” or “Stop fearing,” implying that Paul was feeling fear.
43. In this spiritual sense Paul is father also to Timothy and others, 1 Timothy 1:2,18; 2 Timothy 1:2; Philippians 2:22 cf. Galatians 4:19; Titus 1:4; Philemon 1:10
44. Every disciple is involved in making more disciples, as the plan of Matthew 28:19-20 shows. All should become teachers in some way, Colossians 4:5-6; Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 5:12; Acts 8:4; 1 Peter 2:9; 3:15; yet they have different roles and functions to contribute to the overall task, 1 Corinthians 3:6; 12:5; Romans 12:4-8; 1 Peter 4:10-11.
45. In Greek this is the general word for “people” both males and females.
46. Timothy himself benefited from others who passed faith on to him, 2 Timothy 1:2,5; 3:10-14 cf. Psalm 22:30; 45:16-17; 71:18; 78:4-7; 79:13; 102:18; 145:4,13; Deuteronomy 6:2,7.
Picture: Jews charged Paul at this Corinthian court or “bema” (Acts 18:12) near the hill Acrocorinth, one of many trials he suffered in bringing others to Christ.