ILLUSTRATION: “Getting the word Out” from a book entitled Prayer Changes Things by Dr. S.D. Gordon. In it he imagines a conversation that took place between Jesus and the angel Gabriel in Heaven sometime after Jesus’ ascension.
The Angel Gabriel ask Jesus, “What plan do you have now for getting the word out? While you were on earth you preached the Gospel, performed miracles then died and rose again for the forgiveness of men’s sins. Now that you have returned to Heaven, what plan do you have for getting the word out so the whole world will know?”
Then Jesus responds by saying, “Well, when I was there on earth, I chose some men and I trained them to do what I have done. For three years I was with them and taught them. Before I left them I gave them all the challenge to get the word out about me. They’ll get the word out.”
Then He continued, “For example, there was a man named Peter, bumbling, fumbling, impetuous, impulsive Simon Peter. He’ll get the word out.”
“And there was Matthew, a former tax collector, whom I called to come and follow me. He’ll tell a friend, who will tell a friend and so on and so forth.”
Jesus proceeded to tell the Angel Gabriel about each of His disciples and then said confidently, “They will get the word out.”
But the Angel seemed to find a flaw in the Master’s plan. “But suppose,” he said, “Suppose Peter gets tired of telling? Matthew doesn’t really care and the Christians of the 21st Century become indifferent, apathetic and unmoved by the lostness of men and women? What then? What other plan do you have?
And Jesus simply said, “I have no other plan. I am counting of them.”
