Sharing Jesus with Jesus

By Pastor Reagan Wagnoner

I have been on alot of mission trips now,  but standing outside the Chosen Children Ministries van on the side of a two-lane road in what would be our first hour out of 6 that day to be stuck in a Nicaraguan traffic protest, I was asked by Roger if I wanted to take this opportunity to share the Gospel. It would be easy for me to say "My Spirit jumped inside of me at the opportunity" or something like that, but the truth is I went reluctantly. As I began to share, I quickly discovered that the man I was sharing with was indeed named... you guessed it... Jesus. I also quickly began to ralize how hard it is for someone to really understand who Jesus is in this country (and basically every other Central American country around).

These people knew who Jesus was, even "Amen'ing" as I shared in various communities throughout the week. Yet, many of them also believe they were born Christian, regularly worship idols of a "Jesus replica with an angry face" and Mary, and still think they have to confess their sins to a priest to be forgiven. As I talked with our CCM leader, Guillermo, about this confusion, he shared correctly, "Brother, isn't that always what the Devil does? He takes something good and twists it into something evil, deceiving the hearts of many."

It would be a tragedy to leave the story there, letting the Devil get the victory, which is why Scripture, though filled with stories just like this of Satan's deception, also states in Phil. 2 that it will be "at the name of Jesus that every knee will bow in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!" This is also why we must go into all the world again and again, being a part of of a huge redemption process that spans all of time and playing our small part in letting Christ's love redeem in ways only He can plan.

It was my joy this week to watch teenagers share the Gospel with communities through drama and music... and other creative ways which is where most teens stop... but also then through the proclamation of the Gospel, boldly proclaiming in the towns of Cristo Rey, Marvin Salazar, Juigalpa

I watched another woman on our team translate and share with many women in her own native tongue... and it's only been in the last year or so that she herself had accepted Christ into her life. In the 6th hour of protest traffic, I watched two woman on our team share with a man in the truck next to us, unafraid to attract attention or share with him in the darkness of night.

We also helped build a baptistery in a town where 8 people were waiting to be baptized, gave away shirts off our back and out of our suitcases, healed the wounded, and fed the hungry. We ministered to the orphan, and brought a smile to many faces. We got to share Jesus with around 300 people overall throughout the week... yet really we shared Jesus with only one... I believe Jesus said Himself, "Whatever you have done for the least of these, you are actually doing to me."

May TSC continue to go into the darkness of other countries and in homes next door and share Jesus with Jesus for Jesus, that those who walk in darkness will see a great light. Please continue to pray for the people of Nicaragua.