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Start at Home
Matthew 11:1
"And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities."
In the verse above, Jesus had just started the church. The first thing that He did after starting the church was He sent His disciples to go soul winning. However, you will notice that the first place that Jesus went was to the home cities of the disciples. Jesus took care of their home cities before He went to any other part of Israel. The reason Jesus did this is because He was teaching us the importance of the Gospel starts at home.
When you study the Great Commission, you will always find that the Great Commission starts at home. Far too many churches and Christians feel that because they support missionaries they are absolved from the responsibility of being a soul winner at home. This is not true! Though I am 100% for supporting missionaries, if you are giving to faith promise missions and are not soul winning at home, then you are not right with God. The Gospel starts at home, and the responsibility of the church is to take care of its home city before it begins to reach abroad. Yes, we are to do all at the same time, but don't forsake your home before you start going abroad.
Let me make this more personal for you to use. The first place you should start trying to witness is to your family. Be sure that the family members who live in your home are saved. Don't win the world and let your own family go to Hell. Be sure your spouse and children are saved. If there is one in your home who is not saved, pray for them to get saved, and show them how to get saved.
The next group of people you should witness to is your relatives. Do you have a family member who is not saved? Then you should do everything in your power to win them to Christ. What a shame that you would win others to Christ and let your own relatives go to Hell. Yes, it is not easy witnessing to grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins, but if you love them you will do your best to be sure they are saved.
The next place you should try to be a witness is in your neighborhood. Do everything in your power to be sure that your neighbors are saved. Of course, that would mean that you would need to live your life in such a manner that you don't ruin your Christian testimony. Your neighbors know more about you than you realize. Therefore, live right so that when you witness to them they are not shocked that you are a Christian.
Your city is another place where you should try to win others to Christ. Sure, we are to reach the world, but start with your city. Make it a weekly routine to spend time soul winning in your city. You may not be able to reach the world, but try to reach your world by winning your city to Christ.
Let me apply this truth to one other area of our lives. Don't be guilty of teaching everyone else how to live for God and not take the time to teach those nearest you. If you are not careful, you will spend your time trying to reach the world and miss the greatest opportunity of teaching those who live under your own roof.
Do your best to try to reach the world, but don't forget those nearest you. Everyone is commanded to obey the Great Commission, but remember that the Great Commission starts at home.