Open Hearts, Open Doors

By: Kathie Welch

Saturday, May 10, 2025

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:7

In Luke 15, Jesus used the parable of the lost sheep to illustrate the importance of one lost person. In the verse above, Jesus told the hard-hearted Pharisees there would be more rejoicing in heaven over repentance than righteousness! That message must have resonated among those who the Pharisees looked down on. Those sinners who weren't obeying God were already aware of their lost condition, so they were ready to receive Jesus' offer of salvation (Luke 19:10). In contrast, imagine how Jesus' words must have angered those self-righteous, "religious" leaders!

Jesus gives His followers the authority and the mandate to tell this Good News to others (Matthew 28:19-20). The Bible is full of examples of a person telling someone about Jesus and leading that person to Christ: Andrew was one of the first two who heard what John the baptizer said about Jesus. After he believed, the first thing Andrew did was find his brother Peter and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (John 1:41). Consider the impact that one person had! The Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well went back into town and told everyone that she had just met the Messiah. Because of her testimony, many came to see and hear Jesus and believed (John 4:39-41). Think about the exponential impact that one woman had, a woman the religious leaders wouldn't have interacted with!

There are people around us every day who need to hear about Jesus, the Savior. It's not necessarily a crowd of complete strangers. Many of the unsaved are people we already know —our co-workers, our favorite cashier, the waiter, our hairdresser, etc. Sometimes, God will place a stranger in our path. God just wants us to share our faith and the joy of our salvation with all of them. When we have an open heart, God will open doors. Trust Him, He will arrange divine appointments with the people around us who need Jesus. Each morning, ask God to keep your heart soft and your eyes open. Ask Him to guide you to the hearts He has prepared in advance to hear about His Son. Don't be nervous, trust God! He will empower you and give you the right words to say! Follow God’s

Someone once said: "Found people find people." If you already know Jesus, introduce someone else to Him! Making disciples isn't complicated either, it's just helping a new believer get to know Christ better.

Read: Mark 16:15; 2 Corinthians 2:14