Treasuring Christ=Treasuring Missions

Do you treasure Christ? 

In his classic work The Godly Man’s Picture, Thomas Watson gives 8 evidences of prizing Christ.  Here is #7:

If we are prizers of Christ, we will be willing to help others to get a part in him.  That which we esteem excellent, we are desirous our friend should have a share in it.  If a man has found a spring of water, he will call others that they may drink and satisfy their thirst.  Do we commend Christ to others?  Do we take them by the hand and lead them to Christ?  This shows how few prize Christ, because they do not make more effort that their relations should have a part in him.  They get land and riches for their posterity, but have no care to leave them the Pearl of Price as their portion.

A few things to consider:

I cannot say that I really prize Christ if I am unwilling to sacrifice comfort so that others may see Jesus.  That communicates that I prize comfort more than I prize Jesus. 

I truly believe that as my little boy grows up you will see what Nikki and I prize by what Isaiah prizes.  Will he set a great price on “objects” or will he make much of Jesus?

This explains why sharing Jesus with people is not “unloving and prideful”, though it can sometimes be.  We share Jesus with unbelievers because we have found a spring of water and we want them to drink.  It is not arrogant of us to give water to thirsty.  It is arrogant for the thirsty to refuse the spring and even worse to deny their thirst.

If I prize Christ then I will not be satisfied with millions of Muslims bowing a knee to Allah and honoring Mohammed above Christ.  Jesus deserves their worship.  I will not be satisfied with the millions that bow a knee to Buddha, Krishna, or any other god.  Jesus deserves their worship.  I cannot be satisfied until Christ is the prize of the nations.  And Christ is not the prize of the nations when 40% of them have never heard his name.  Christ is not the prize of the nations when a larger portion deny Him and instead worship gods of their own making.  Therefore, if I prize Christ I will prize missions.

You can buy Watson’s entire book for only $5.60.