And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. Timothy 2:2
Illustration
John Currier was found guilty of murder in 1949 and sentenced to life in prison. Later he was paroled to work on a farm near Nashville, Tennessee. In 1968, Currier’s sentence was terminated, and a letter bearing the good news was sent to him. But John never saw the letter, nor was he told anything about it. Ten years went by. Then a state parole officer learned about Currier’s plight, found him, and told him that his sentence had been terminated. He was a free man. Source: The No-Guilt Guide to Witnessing, George Sweeting
The 21st century is regarded as a time in which information has become a commodity that is quickly and widely disseminated and easily available using computer technology and cellular technology. World events are rapidly disseminated and made available to anyone with a cell phone or a computer. Even people in some of the most remote parts of the world can access relevant information like everyone else.
The information age has made it possible for people across the world to relate to one another in ways the early church could not even fathom. Whereas missionaries like Paul had to travel through rough seas and experienced many hardships to spread the gospel of Jesus, today’s Christians can reach more people in front of their computers while sitting at home than Paul ever did. We just need the desire and the sense of urgency to do so effectively and consistently.
In today’s text, Paul encourages Timothy to identify individuals who are qualified to share the information about the gospel of Jesus Christ. In those days, the Christian faith was relatively new. Christians did not have a Bible perse to read. The main source of their teaching came from the apostle’s instructions and Old Testament scripture. Identifying qualified individuals to teach the gospel was necessary for effective evangelism.
However, our reality is completely different. The Bible has since been translated into every human language. Most Christians have access to information about Christ and can share that information with others. The information we have can set the captives free and save lost souls from eternal damnation.
Many people still do not know Christ paid the price for their salvation. They do not realize they’ve been redeemed and set free. Like John Currier, they have not read the letter (Bible), nor has anyone told them that Christ has set them free. That is why Jesus gave us the great commission in Matthew 28:18-20. Indeed, Christians have been entrusted with the most important message in the world. The information we have about Jesus can change the world. Yet many of us never deliver that message to those who walk in condemnation instead of redemption.
How much are you sharing the information about Christ with others? How are you using this information age to inform the lost they can be found in Christ? Christians can’t just be content to be consumers of the gospel. We must entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others about the Savior who died for their salvation. That’s the information the world needs more than any other.
Questions for Personal Reflection
How can you leverage your knowledge of the gospel to help others know Jesus?
How can you use computer and cellular technology to spread the gospel?
Prayer- Most Holy God, thank you for the soul-saving information provided in scripture. Please help us intentionally share that information so others will come to know you as Lord and Savior.