Come Over and Help Us

"Come over to Macedonia and help us" (Acts 16:9).

On Paul's second missionary endeavor, he, Silas and Timothy desired to speak the truth of God's word in Asia. Yet the Holy Spirit did not permit them. When they sought to travel to Bithynia, the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to go.

So traveling to the port city of Troas, one night Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia who appeared to him. Standing up and pleading with Paul, he said, "Come over and help us." From the vision, the mission team, empowered by God's Spirit to be witnesses, concluded desired for them to go and preach the gospel in Macedonia. As a result, the gospel entered Macedonia and then to Europe and finally to the entire Western world.

The call is still going out today. Can we hear them calling? Billions of people live in darkness. Of the 7 billion people on the planet, it is estimated that 1.7 billion have never heard the gospel one time. ONE TIME. Jesus is the light of the world. Because we follow Jesus, He calls us the light of the world. We are called to carry the light of the gospel to the dark places that the Spirit may illuminate their eyes to see the beauty of the gospel.

Like in the vision, the world is standing and begging for help. Perhaps they don't know what help they really need. But the Church is to be the light of the gospel. The Church is the hope of the world. We must speak the gospel and make the gospel visible.

The world is begging us to come and help. Our greatest help resides in the message of the gospel we are called to tell. The Great Commission has always been for Jesus' followers to go. The world is calling us to come. Can we here them? Are we willing to go?

The above is of an elementary age girl in India. Our mission team met her on their recent trip and heard her story. Through the window, the girl sees into a room which is filled with believers who are being taught by our mission team. Because of an infection, this girl is not permitted to come inside. So she patiently stands by the window and listens to what is being taught. Did I mention she stood there for 6 hours? For 6 hours she stood listening, patiently and eagerly, to the teaching of the Scriptures.

This girl puts a face on the need in the world. A need to share the good news. A need to strengthen believers. A need to start new churches. In many ways, I pray the face of this girl serves as a modern-day vision calling us to "Come over and help."