Recently in our church's library, I noticed a book I read in college called "Lifestyle Evangelism". The book is long, and I don't truly remember all the details of it, but the concept was simple enough. Love God and, in the way you live your life, show who God is and how He's changed you.
Galatians 5:22 is well known to me. It lists the attributes that will punctuate my life, assuming I dedicate myself to Christ and try hard to follow after Him. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control. (Wow, as I read the list, I can only pray - Holy Spirit, give me strength to be more like you and show these attributes)
I don't think anything coule be more basic. I need to show these things far more readily, specifically Peace, Patience and Self-Control. I'm sure you have your own list. It's a tough thing to do, but it's exactly the kind of thing we need to ask the Lord to help us with, in order to display these characteristics more readily. We need them to show who God is to us and how He's made our lives better.
Let's talk about the Day of Pentecost. The Disciples finally receive the Holy Spirit and explode. Acts 2 tells the story. In it, Peter delivers a clear testimony on the identity of Christ using the words of David from Psalms (16 & 68) to clearly identify the one who rose from the grave as the Christ (the long awaited Messiah).
The message was NOT new. The words were not what made his preaching so effective that day. The POWER of the Holy Spirit speaking through him resulted in 3000 new believers on that historic day. It is the same thing as what happened with Jonah. The power which infuses the message is so much greater than the message itself. Our small words fail to encompass the grandeur of Jesus' sacrifice and the miracle of His resurrection.
How can a mind understand the forgiveness of sins without the Holy Spirit to first demonstrate the need for it. He must first convict the sinner before they can repent. (Acts2:37)
It's time for us to begin seeking that kind of power. Second best is no longer good enough. Only the POWER of God can fulfill the needs of this battered and broken nation. With one, altogether we need to cry out with a loud voice "Holy Spirit come!" This is something we cannot do alone and all our efforts, while well intended are going to fall short if we call upon God to do what He does best...the miraculous.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Love is our Purpose
Ok, so my message is univerasally well known. Jesus' sacrifice is actually a simple thing to convey, if infinitely complicated to understand. The question becomes can I convey that message in a way people can understand? I think so. I'm familiar enough with the material and possess an intimate knowledge of both the language and details of the details of of how salvation works.
Discussions of sin become essential. How do you discuss such a thing without sounding condemning and arrogant? I believe the answer lies in passion and enthusiasm for the answer. Why would I bother sharing Jesus with someone unless I
1)beilieve they are going to Hell without Him
2)I care whether they go to Hell or not and
3)I KNOW there is no other path for them to be saved
Matthew 6:13 & 14 tells us that finding our way to Hell is easy, while few can find the way to the gate that leads to Heaven. Do I care? Do I care enough to do anything about it? Could I walk away from a drowning man? I don't think so. Why then am I not constantly preaching the message of salvation to be found in Jesus?
If I want to truly serve Jesus and obey Him, giving myself in love for others is absolutely essential. If only a few are able find the small gate that leads to Heaven, how can I deny my responsibility to show them the way? I simply cannot and continue to call myself a Christian. Sharing my faith is not an option. I believe sharing the truth of Jesus is a symptom of true faith.
If I love Jesus, and serve the Lord My God (the greatest commandment) and, as a result, love my neighbor as called to in Matthew 22:37-40, how can I not truly desire for them to know Jesus?
John 14:6 "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
Anyone who has not embraced Him has NO hope of avoiding Hell. The only possible passage to God is through Jesus. My love, as obedience to Jesus requires me to share with ANYONE who is doomed without Him.
Very often I find myself frustrated by those around me. I find it's not easy for me to like other people. They are so unlike me. I value my God and try to live my life by His values. There is little of that in the people around me. Yet, the greatest value my God has is love. He loves these people. I love Him, and as a result am called upon to love them. It is my greatest challenge at times, yet I feel deep within me the burning need to save them from an eternity without my God. An eternity of pain and death. I pray I find the way.
Discussions of sin become essential. How do you discuss such a thing without sounding condemning and arrogant? I believe the answer lies in passion and enthusiasm for the answer. Why would I bother sharing Jesus with someone unless I
1)beilieve they are going to Hell without Him
2)I care whether they go to Hell or not and
3)I KNOW there is no other path for them to be saved
Matthew 6:13 & 14 tells us that finding our way to Hell is easy, while few can find the way to the gate that leads to Heaven. Do I care? Do I care enough to do anything about it? Could I walk away from a drowning man? I don't think so. Why then am I not constantly preaching the message of salvation to be found in Jesus?
If I want to truly serve Jesus and obey Him, giving myself in love for others is absolutely essential. If only a few are able find the small gate that leads to Heaven, how can I deny my responsibility to show them the way? I simply cannot and continue to call myself a Christian. Sharing my faith is not an option. I believe sharing the truth of Jesus is a symptom of true faith.
If I love Jesus, and serve the Lord My God (the greatest commandment) and, as a result, love my neighbor as called to in Matthew 22:37-40, how can I not truly desire for them to know Jesus?
John 14:6 "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
Anyone who has not embraced Him has NO hope of avoiding Hell. The only possible passage to God is through Jesus. My love, as obedience to Jesus requires me to share with ANYONE who is doomed without Him.
Very often I find myself frustrated by those around me. I find it's not easy for me to like other people. They are so unlike me. I value my God and try to live my life by His values. There is little of that in the people around me. Yet, the greatest value my God has is love. He loves these people. I love Him, and as a result am called upon to love them. It is my greatest challenge at times, yet I feel deep within me the burning need to save them from an eternity without my God. An eternity of pain and death. I pray I find the way.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
What is my Message?
So, here it is. My first post. I really have no idea what I'm hoping to accomplish here, but I do know I want to do something that it's possible someone might read and could in some way mean something to them.
The first, and most important thing is for me to state exactly who I am. I am a Christian. Everything else is irrelevant. I am here to try to figure out the best way for me to share that faith with other people in a meaningful way. I know we've all heard these kind of things before, and I don't propose I'm breaking any new ground here. What I am trying to figure out is how to do what God wants me to be doing. As we proceed, it will become quite clear I feel a heavy burden about that.
So, the first question is what is my message? I know I need to be talking about Jesus...but what about Him? He died for our sins, came back from the dead. Is that all there is to say? Why would He do that? I know all about His love. I've felt it, but how can I possibly relate that?
In Jonah, God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh...for their "wickedness has come up before me." (Jonah 1:2) Jonah's message was one of judgment. Nineveh was to be destroyed. They were spared, however, when they believed Jonah's message and turned from their wicked ways. (Jonah 3:10) Clearly, God's mercy was in place long before Jesus was even born.
So then do I bring a message of condemnation? Is judgment the message I bear? Perhaps in part. I cannot afford to shy away from the truth of the eternal fate that awaits anyone who is not willing to accept the grace of Jesus Christ. I bear ill will for none, and even further wish with all my heart to prevent anyone from suffering a judgment that is so easily forestalled.
Upon reading Jonah again, (something you should do right now, it's interesting, and short at only 4 chapters with a total of 48 verses) I'm left with a single burning question. Why did the Ninevites so quickly believe Jonah? What about his message was so compelling that it could NOT be ignored? Crazy people roam the city streets declaring the end all the time, but no one listens. What makes Jonah so different? What in his ONE LINE MESSAGE ("Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown") makes everyone from the King down repent for their sins and seek forgiveness?
Why do they believe him?
The only answer I can possibly come to is that he was specifically sent by God. that was something of a rarity at a time when the true message of God was being carried by the priests of Israel for Israelites. Jonah's foray into the Gentile world, while not completely unique, was uncommon.
The question then, is am I sent by God?
In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus, as He has the authority to do, sends His follower out, commanding them to make disciples of all nations. Sounds like, if I am going to call myself a follower of Jesus, I am sent. This is a mandate. Essentially this the task to which I, or any Christian, am truly called to dedicate myself.
Ok, so I have the calling. I was specifically sent. Wonderful, what does that do for me? I guess I now need the Holy Spirit to do for me what I cannot do for myself. I am not charismatic enough to make people believe what I tell them.
Acts 11:20 & 21 has the answer for me. My responsibility is to preach the good news of Jesus Christ and to be in prayer. Verse 21 should follow. "And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord."
This is why Jonah succeeded, even though he didn't want to. Jonah was not speaking out of compassion, but because he was more afraid of God than he was willing to disobey God. Yet God was with him and his message had weight. His words could not be ignored because he was, in those moments, speaking God's words. So how do I get God to make my message heard?
I need to be called by Him, which according to Matthew, I am. Though I must confess, I would like a little more specific leading in this area of my life. (Who to speak to and when for greatest effect)
My message, also from Matthew, is actually a mission to make all people disciples of Jesus Christ. Salvation is just the beginning. The new Christians will need ongoing, growing relationship with Him.
While judgment is a potential element of my message, the mercy of Christ so far supercedes it as to make it relatively unimportant in light of the hope for a future with Him.
So, what do I need?
1) A message (covered already - and easily handled)
2) A calling (covered already - and already handled)
3) The boldness to speak (we'll talk about this one next)
4) Power from the Holy Spirit (we'll get back to this)
5) An audience to listen (we'll get back to this too)
The message and calling are already handled. Boldness. Now there's a tough one, but manageable. I've gotten to the point in my life where it is becoming more difficult not to speak that to speak. I am often prodded to speak up, and care little for the inevitible mockery or whatever may come. I just don't care anymore. Or perhaps to put it better, I care to much about what will happen to people after this life is through to just sit quietly and let them march unaware into oblivion. Boldnes - handled.
Now POWER. That's a different matter. If the success or failure of any endeavor of evangelism (sharing my faith) is built upon the power of God and His making my words to be believed, then I must ALWAYS be in communion with Him so I can be ready at a moment's notice. This brings up the question of miracles. I say I believe in them, but where are they? Thoughout scripture, the messages of God are punctuated with God showing up and authenticating his messages with His prescence and His power.
Am I truly to believe that any form of evangelism will be truly fruitful if we cannot share the power of God with those we are trying to reach? How much more effective will we be when we heal the sick and restore sight to the blind? God is unchanging (Hebrews 13:8) Jesus still offers all forms of deliverance, does He not? I cannot be so arrogant as to assume I'm smart enough to figure out a new way to spread His message without calling on His power.
I'll end my first rant here. I am really kind of rambling right now, but I am definitely going somewhere with this. If you read this and it says anything at all to you, I hope you will continue to join me as I forge onward in this journey. I hope to hear from you. Feel free to chime in.
The first, and most important thing is for me to state exactly who I am. I am a Christian. Everything else is irrelevant. I am here to try to figure out the best way for me to share that faith with other people in a meaningful way. I know we've all heard these kind of things before, and I don't propose I'm breaking any new ground here. What I am trying to figure out is how to do what God wants me to be doing. As we proceed, it will become quite clear I feel a heavy burden about that.
So, the first question is what is my message? I know I need to be talking about Jesus...but what about Him? He died for our sins, came back from the dead. Is that all there is to say? Why would He do that? I know all about His love. I've felt it, but how can I possibly relate that?
In Jonah, God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh...for their "wickedness has come up before me." (Jonah 1:2) Jonah's message was one of judgment. Nineveh was to be destroyed. They were spared, however, when they believed Jonah's message and turned from their wicked ways. (Jonah 3:10) Clearly, God's mercy was in place long before Jesus was even born.
So then do I bring a message of condemnation? Is judgment the message I bear? Perhaps in part. I cannot afford to shy away from the truth of the eternal fate that awaits anyone who is not willing to accept the grace of Jesus Christ. I bear ill will for none, and even further wish with all my heart to prevent anyone from suffering a judgment that is so easily forestalled.
Upon reading Jonah again, (something you should do right now, it's interesting, and short at only 4 chapters with a total of 48 verses) I'm left with a single burning question. Why did the Ninevites so quickly believe Jonah? What about his message was so compelling that it could NOT be ignored? Crazy people roam the city streets declaring the end all the time, but no one listens. What makes Jonah so different? What in his ONE LINE MESSAGE ("Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown") makes everyone from the King down repent for their sins and seek forgiveness?
Why do they believe him?
The only answer I can possibly come to is that he was specifically sent by God. that was something of a rarity at a time when the true message of God was being carried by the priests of Israel for Israelites. Jonah's foray into the Gentile world, while not completely unique, was uncommon.
The question then, is am I sent by God?
In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus, as He has the authority to do, sends His follower out, commanding them to make disciples of all nations. Sounds like, if I am going to call myself a follower of Jesus, I am sent. This is a mandate. Essentially this the task to which I, or any Christian, am truly called to dedicate myself.
Ok, so I have the calling. I was specifically sent. Wonderful, what does that do for me? I guess I now need the Holy Spirit to do for me what I cannot do for myself. I am not charismatic enough to make people believe what I tell them.
Acts 11:20 & 21 has the answer for me. My responsibility is to preach the good news of Jesus Christ and to be in prayer. Verse 21 should follow. "And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord."
This is why Jonah succeeded, even though he didn't want to. Jonah was not speaking out of compassion, but because he was more afraid of God than he was willing to disobey God. Yet God was with him and his message had weight. His words could not be ignored because he was, in those moments, speaking God's words. So how do I get God to make my message heard?
I need to be called by Him, which according to Matthew, I am. Though I must confess, I would like a little more specific leading in this area of my life. (Who to speak to and when for greatest effect)
My message, also from Matthew, is actually a mission to make all people disciples of Jesus Christ. Salvation is just the beginning. The new Christians will need ongoing, growing relationship with Him.
While judgment is a potential element of my message, the mercy of Christ so far supercedes it as to make it relatively unimportant in light of the hope for a future with Him.
So, what do I need?
1) A message (covered already - and easily handled)
2) A calling (covered already - and already handled)
3) The boldness to speak (we'll talk about this one next)
4) Power from the Holy Spirit (we'll get back to this)
5) An audience to listen (we'll get back to this too)
The message and calling are already handled. Boldness. Now there's a tough one, but manageable. I've gotten to the point in my life where it is becoming more difficult not to speak that to speak. I am often prodded to speak up, and care little for the inevitible mockery or whatever may come. I just don't care anymore. Or perhaps to put it better, I care to much about what will happen to people after this life is through to just sit quietly and let them march unaware into oblivion. Boldnes - handled.
Now POWER. That's a different matter. If the success or failure of any endeavor of evangelism (sharing my faith) is built upon the power of God and His making my words to be believed, then I must ALWAYS be in communion with Him so I can be ready at a moment's notice. This brings up the question of miracles. I say I believe in them, but where are they? Thoughout scripture, the messages of God are punctuated with God showing up and authenticating his messages with His prescence and His power.
Am I truly to believe that any form of evangelism will be truly fruitful if we cannot share the power of God with those we are trying to reach? How much more effective will we be when we heal the sick and restore sight to the blind? God is unchanging (Hebrews 13:8) Jesus still offers all forms of deliverance, does He not? I cannot be so arrogant as to assume I'm smart enough to figure out a new way to spread His message without calling on His power.
I'll end my first rant here. I am really kind of rambling right now, but I am definitely going somewhere with this. If you read this and it says anything at all to you, I hope you will continue to join me as I forge onward in this journey. I hope to hear from you. Feel free to chime in.
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