THAT THEY MAY HEAR

By D a v i d   M c Q u e l

The first big step towards getting some saved is getting them to listen to the gospel. That is why Jesus said in Matthew 28 and Mark 16, “Go…” And Paul emphasized this in Romans 10: 13 and 14, “For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (NKJV) Receiving the free gift of Salvation largely depends on the world hearing about his love.

It is like a medical breakthrough for a devastating illness that is not made public. What’s the good of it? Finding the solution is half the job. That is why in every hospital and clinic, there are always posters of new medications, either just invented or improved. Even though it is in the hospital, the drug makers make a lot of investments in public education.

Likewise, for the message of salvation, there has to be an investment of time and resources to educate those who need it. It amazes me whenever I go out on evangelism; I often meet people who claim to be believers but are opposed to public witness of the gospel. On my mission work in foreign lands, I meet so-called Christians who, rather than rejoice that I made the sacrifice to leave my home country, get upset, questioning if there are no sinners in my own country of origin.

Jesus never said to the disciples that after everyone in Jerusalem is saved, they can go to other countries. God sends those He calls wherever He pleases. The whole world belongs to him, and every nation is His mission field. Nothing should be more urgent to Christians than enabling those who have not heard the gospel explained to them to hear it.  It was the last instruction Jesus left for us. From where I grew up, there are many muslims who came to the faith in the Lord Jesus by hearing the gospel on the radio or on Christian Television.

 

The goal is to bring the message to those who need it.

For the church, the goal of our effort in every aspect is to get the message to those who need it. It is great to have a clean, presentable place of worship. It is great to grow disciples. It is great to develop an organized, orderly worship service. And it is good to spend money on getting better equipment for

sound and worship. It is also important to go on the radio and all forms of media. However, our goal should be to enable the lost to hear the gospel of salvation. It is noteworthy that Jesus did not say we should wait for the world to come to us. Understood, that sometimes when people are desperate and helpless, they run to those who appear to know God, and that allows us to help them hear the gospel. But Jesus told us to “GO….” We have got to go to them with the good news of the free gift of salvation.

 

The key is to get them to hear the message

We must present the gospel clearly, simply, and unhindered. Sometimes the lenses through which we present the gospel can hinder rather than enable. In 1Corinthians 2:1-5, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (NKJV)

Paul made every effort to avoid placing hindrances before the seekers. He avoided the haughtiness of human intelligence, the flamboyance of grammar, stories, debates on current affairs, and folk tales; he avoided cultural biases. He was rather broken in humility, conscious of his human inabilities and total reliance on God’s ability through the Holy Spirit. The opportunity is to make the message simple and clear.

 

The final push is to invite them to respond

When the gospel is clearly explained, the task is not complete until the listener is allowed to respond. The word of God calls for action, not passive agreement. As Scripture declares, “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). Earlier in verse 9, Paul reminds us, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (NKJV). This response must be genuine, arising from conviction rather than pressure. It cannot be forced, manipulated, or achieved through persuasion that undermines freedom. True faith is born when the heart is touched by the Spirit and the individual chooses to confess Christ openly.
The preacher’s role is to present the message faithfully, but the listener must be invited to act, to step into salvation by calling on the Lord. Without this opportunity, the proclamation remains incomplete, for the gospel is both heard and lived.

 

The joy is when they receive the message.

The harvest is the sacred work of bringing souls into reconciliation with God. Witnessing is not complete until the listener willingly accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, for true conversion is a matter of the heart. Jesus Himself emphasized this in Luke 15:7: “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety‑nine just persons who need no repentance” (NKJV). This verse reminds us that heaven rejoices whenever reconciliation occurs, because it fulfills the eternal purpose of God’s love. We have been called to this ministry of reconciliation with our Father, and each time a sinner repents, the joy is immeasurable. The act of witnessing is therefore not simply about explaining the gospel but about inviting a response that leads to transformation. When reconciliation happens, it is a victory of grace, a testimony of God’s mercy, and a celebration that echoes in heaven.

 May we bear fruit for the Kingdom daily.