The Standard Bearer

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?  And how shall they believe in Him of  whom they have not heard?  And how they hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach unless they are sent?  As it is written:  "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!"  But they have not all obeyed the gospel.  For Isaiah says, "LORD, who has believed our report?"  So then faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10: 14-17 NKJV

As christians, we all wish for everyone worldwide to hear the call of Christ and come to the Lord.  Sadly, many never will make that decision to follow Jesus.   Whether for ignoring His call on their hearts, of never hearing of Him, these will sadly never share in our Lords eternity with Him.  So, what of those who have never even heard of truth of Christ Jesus within us?  What chance do they even have?  This hits pretty close to home for me, because not so long ago this was me.  For although I marched as a christian soldier carrying the banner of our Lord, I didn't realize the reality of Christ today.  Yes, I had heard of the life and times of Jesus, but I wasn't aware of that free gift with which God provided all who trust in Christ to have life through Him.  In my defense, I had never even heard of this life with Christ until my friends Dennis and kevin began speaking this truth into me.  Although I struggled upon hearing this truth of Christ in me, my friends continued to speak the truth into me.  So, where would I be if not for the words of my friends?  More than likely among that crowd of others who have never heard of the Jesus I know today.  Which brings me to yet another question, who will tell others of the truth of Christ Jesus in us as my friends did for me?  Who will be that standard bearer?  For the message of Jesus is indeed there for those who know Him to shout from the mountain tops!  Who will God place in our lives to teach and tell of the truth of Christ?  For ultimately this is the question those of us who follow Jesus must ask.

So he arose and went.  And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning.  And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.  Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot."  So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said to him, "Do you understand what you are reading?"  And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?"  And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.  The place in the scripture which he read was this:  "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its  shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth.  In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation?  For His life is taken from the earth."  So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?"  Then Philip opened his mouth, and begining at this scripture, preached Jesus to him.  Now as they went down the road, they came to some water.  And the eunuch said, "See, here is water, what hinders me from being baptized?"  Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may."  And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."  So he commanded the chariot to stand still.  And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.  Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 8: 27-39 NKJV


I think of the truth which my friends have spoken into me, and I think of Philip and the words which he spoke into the eunuch in Acts 8.  If not for Philip, who would have been the standard bearer to speak to this Ethiopian?  Granted, Philip was led to speak to the eunuch, but then will we not also be led by the Spirit to speak the truth of Christ into others?  I know that for my friends Dennis and Kevin, God has certainly placed that call upon their hearts.  Fortunately, I have been the recipient of the words our Lord has guided them to speak into those who would listen.  I don't believe that one must be a specialy ordained person in order to speak the truth of Jesus, we simply will follow the calling which our Lord places on our hearts.  For as willing as we were to receive the truth of Christ Jesus within us, how much more will we be to speak that very truth into another?

~Scott~

~With my friend Dennis, not only my companion on many a hiking trail, but my guide to the truth of Jesus.  To speak this truth into others has certainly become his lifes calling.  Thank you my friend~