02/25/2025 – “End Time Love” / Mark 16:15 (All the world includes your next door neighbor)/ See verse commentary at the end.
The Bystander Effect
Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Back when many of us were growing up, we knew our next door neighbors and the people who lived in your community. Today, if we know just the people next door, it’s impressive. In 1964, Kitty Genovese was raped and murdered. It was reported that many people heard or witnessed the attack and did nothing. Psychologists call this ‘the bystander effect.’ They used this case as proof to claim that we are becoming a culture of strangers. Even as believers, we’re often cold and uninvolved with those around us. The Gospel calls us to get involved with the world, to share the good news to those who are perishing. Would you let someone be murdered right in front of your eyes if you were able to stop it? No, of course not. Yet, when we don’t share the good news of salvation with our neighbors when we’re able, we’re doing the same thing. Yes, you are your neighbor’s keeper. Thus, open your mouth, share, and bless them with the Gospel. Don’t let them perish, because you are your neighbor’s keeper.
From Message #486 – End Time Love
Scripture: Mark 16:15
TODAY’S MISSION – Today, take up the mission of being your brother’s keeper. Look for opportunities to share the Gospel, help the needy, and reach out to those around you.
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Soli Deo Gloria!
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Comment insert:
“And He said to them, ‘Go unto all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)
The commentary below is from “The Evidence Bible – NKJV”:
“16:15 Here is some fascinating information. The original Greek meaning of “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creaturre’ opens up some interesting thoughts. The word for “go” is very captivating. It is poreuomai, meaning “go.” The word “all” also carries with it gripping connotations. It is hapas, and actually means ‘all’. And if that doesn’t diet you, look closely at the word ‘every.’ It is pas, and literally means “every.” So when Jesus commanded us, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,” to be true and faithful to the original text, what He was actually saying was, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” We are so fortunate to have access to knowledge like this.’
If the command to “preach he gospel to every creature” were given only to the eleven disciples, preaching of the gospel would have stopped when they died. Every Christian is a “disciple.” The word in Greek is mathetes and simply means “a learner.” It is used in reference to the eleven, as well as to believers such as Joseph of Arimathea (Matt 27:57), Ananias (Acts 9:10), and others (Acts 9:36; 16:1; 21:16). In Luke 14: 26,27 Jesus used the term in reference to any who would believe in Him.”
“Here is our commissioning and sending. There are no exceptions — every Christian is commanded to go!” Trevor Yaxley