April 29, 2024
There was an affliction in our world that affected many school-age children while I was growing up. This epidemic had no known origin, and the long-term repercussions were never documented. This dreaded disease was only transferred among members of the opposite sex, and the only hope for a cure was to give the disease away to someone else.
This horrible sickness was known as the cooties. I cannot remember if I still have them or if I gave them away. In the years since initially being exposed, I have had my blood tested on many occasions for different reasons, and the doctor has never mentioned it, so I am assuming I am in the clear.
Of course, cooties were never a real thing nor a life-threatening problem in our society. However, the idea that something could be shared so easily is not a bad way to approach how we should practice our faith. Our faith in Christ should be both visible and active. The salvation Christ has given us is most enjoyed when it is shared. Are you a contagious Christian?
We often make the “go” the thrust of this passage, but teaching and making disciples is the priority. “Going” is assumed and implied. How can we fulfill the words of Christ if we do not first go? Each day most people leave their residences.
They may go to work, to school or even on a quick trip to the grocery store or to pay a bill. In these times of going and doing, you will undoubtedly encounter other people along the way. Jesus, of course, knew this and instructed us to make discipleship and relationships intentional, not an afterthought. We should not treat others like a missions project, but we should be genuinely concerned about their souls.
The abbreviation “B.C.” is commonly referred to as “before Christ.” We should familiarize ourselves with the abbreviation “B.O.C.,” meaning “because of Christ.” So many of our minor disagreements in the local church could be remedied if we remembered the great power of reconciliation that is available to us because of what Jesus has done for us.
If our church’s foundation is Christ, it is secure. If it is anything else, it is faulty. Ponder the great forgiveness and mercy Christ has given you. With the power and help of the Holy Spirit, you have within you the capacity to love others and forgive those who have hurt you.
Our responsibility as Christ’s representatives includes calling others to repentance and faith in Christ. (20–21)
If you have been granted genuine, transformative forgiveness, then you know the joy it brings. Why would we not want others to have the same experience?
The forgiveness and grace of God is too good to keep to ourselves. God tells us to share it with others so they may know and come to faith. After all these years, I assume the only way to get rid of cooties is to give them away.
I am also convinced the greatest way to show my love for Jesus is to share Him with others. Be a contagious Christian!
___
This lesson was written by Bobby McKay, pastor of New Liberty Baptist Church in Morton, Mississippi, and originally published by The Baptist Paper. This study is based on the Bible Studies for Life curriculum from Lifeway Christian Resources.
