Opportunities to Share

By: Jenifer Metzger

Then He added, “Nation will go to war against
nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will
be great earthquakes, and there will be famines
and plagues in many lands, and there will be
terrifying things and great miraculous signs from
heaven. But before all this occurs, there will be a
time of great persecution. You will be dragged into
synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial
before kings and governors because you are My followers.
But this will be your opportunity to tell them about Me."
Luke 21:10-13 NLT

In Luke 21, Jesus is telling about the future. He tells His disciples what will one day happen; He is telling us what will one day happen.

We see wars, earthquakes, famines, plagues, terrifying things, and miracles. Jesus also tells us that there will be great persecution. We can see these things already. But what I want to focus on today is verse thirteen.

But this will be your opportunity to tell them about Me.

Luke 21:10-13 NLT

Jesus makes it clear that we don't need to worry about these things. Instead, He tells us that it will be our opportunity to tell about Him.

We are faced constantly with opportunities to tell of Jesus. Opportunities to tell others about who He is, what He has done, and what He will do. Opportunities to grow the Kingdom of Heaven.

How do we recognize opportunities God gives us?

An opportunity is any time you get the chance to share about Jesus. It could be that a neighbor is battling a health crisis and you can offer to pray for them. Maybe a coworker asks what your weekend plans are and you tell them you're going to church on Sunday and extend an invitation. Perhaps a friend friend asks about your life and you share where God brought you from. Or maybe someone asks you to participate in an activity or watch a movie you know you shouldn't and you tell of your convictions and why it is important to you. These are just a few examples of opportunities that come our way on a regular basis.

We must be prepared for the opportunities that come our way. There are two ways to prepare. First, we need to know why we believe in and serve Jesus. Be ready to answer when someone asks why you go to church or why you don't watch those kinds of movies or why you are so happy even in hard times. Be ready to answer. And second, be continually in the Word and prayed up. When we read the Bible and pray, we grow in our relationship with God. If someone were to ask me about a family who lives two streets over from me, I wouldn't know what to say. I haven't met them and don't know anything about them. But if someone were to ask me about my husband, I could tell them a great deal because I have a close relationship with him. When we have a close relationship with God -by praying and reading the Bible- we are better equipped to share about Him.

Don't let opportunities pass you by or catch you off guard. Be prepared and keep your eyes open.

Father, thank You for the opportunities You place before me. Help me to keep my heart, mind, and eyes open. Help me to boldly share You with those around me without fear. And help my life to reflect You so others see You through me. Amen.

Discussion:
1. When was the last time you shared about Jesus?
2. Do you struggle to share or recognize the opportunities?