Empowered for Service

One day, someone from our church named Steve was leading a Bible study in an assisted living community. As he taught from the book of Acts and explained how the early church had made an impact on their world, he told the residents how God wanted to use them.

An 82-year-old woman present in the Bible study had been praying every day for God to fill her with the Holy Spirit and give her the boldness to share the gospel. As Steve was talking, she raised her hand. “I have a praise report,” she said. “I’ve been praying for God’s power in my life, and I was able to lead an 85-year-old gentleman to Christ the other day.”

The woman’s example serves as a reminder to us that the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19–20 isn’t only for 18-year-olds. It’s for 82-year-olds as well. The Great Commission is for everyone to go out into his or her world and preach the gospel.

What is the gospel? Simply translated, the word “gospel” means good news. The good news is that God loves us. But the bad news is that we’re separated from our loving God by our sins. The Bible says, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NLT).

We cannot reach God through good works, moral living, or religious rituals. But God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins. Jesus summed up God’s plan when He said, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NLT).

The Father sent His Son Jesus, who willingly went and died on the cross for our sins. If we turn from our sins and believe in Jesus, He will forgive us.