Many people have heard a person give their testimony about how he or she became a Christian - you may have already done this yourself. Perhaps you've only watched others as they have gotten up in front of a large group at church, or at youth group, or during a summer camp and talk about the problems in their lives, how they came to Christ, and how God has changed them since that time. Maybe you thought "That was great, but I could never do that," or perhaps you've wished that you had a "cool testimony" like them. Whether you are scared to tell your story, wish you had a better story to tell, or just can't wait for the next opportunity to share your story with other people, it is important to remember:
Your testimony is about God, not you.
As humans, one of our biggest obstacles is pride. We think too much of ourselves and our own situations while failing to recognize God's greatness. God is so vast, so holy, and so preeminent that it is more important for Him to receive praise and glory than it is for us to remain alive. In Luke 19:40, Jesus tells the Pharisees that if His people remain silent, then the rocks will cry out. His statement is consistent with the Psalms, especially Psalm 148, which paint a picture of all of creation praising God, not just humanity. When we start to realize just how BIG God is, we find that we are not as important as we thought we are. We are, in fact, very replaceable.
Yet, the very reason for our existence is to bring glory to God (Psalm 86:9; Isaiah 60:21; Romans 11:36; I Corinthians 6:20; 10:31; Revelation 4:11). We must not forget that we are created in God's image (Genesis 1:26-27)! This does not mean that God looks like a human, but it means that everything about our lives is supposed to say something about who God is. We do things like get married and care for each other because God is love. We have babies because God is the author of life. We build things and produce art because God is creative. We use concepts of organization and logic because God is a God of order. We laugh and celebrate because God does these things, too. The variety of human relationships all speak to God’s relational nature. We were all designed to be walking, breathing testimonies – declaring the greatness of God and giving Him glory through every aspect of our lives.
However, when we refuse to glorify God with our lives, we sin against the One who made us and violate the created order. In the end, EVERYONE testifies about God. We can't help it. We're doing it constantly and are unable to stop. That's how we were made. The problem is that we usually testify about God poorly. Even those who are too afraid to tell others what God is doing in their life are testifying. They are saying that it is better for them to remain comfortable than for God to be praised through what He has done in their life. The people who are jealous of the "cool testimonies" are saying that God is not at work in their lives or, at least, God is not doing anything important or noteworthy in their lives. And many people are too eager to give their testimonies because they simply crave the attention. Their testimonies become a story about how wonderful their lives are and not how amazing God is.
Everyone testifies about God everyday with their life. Are you lying or telling the truth about God by the way you live?
Giving your testimony is more than simply telling your life story to a group of people. It involves the decisions you make every day, the words you use, your attitude, and especially the way you behave (even when you think you're by yourself). But when we do have the opportunity to tell someone the story about how God saved us we need to be ready to do it the right way. The story isn't about how great your life is now that you've made God a part of it. The story isn't about how you tried Christianity and it’s working for you. The story is about God. It’s about His grace and His power to save, power so great that it saved even you. The story is about how God cleaned up a mess. Christians, we were the mess and what a horrific mess we were. We can’t tell the truth about what God has done in our lives without talking about our sin. And if we’re going to be honest about our sin, we can’t describe it in weak terms that protect our self-image. When we use vague phrases like “I made some mistakes,” “I was mixed up with the wrong people,” “I was doing things I shouldn't be doing,” or “I was looking for love in the wrong places,” we hide the truth. Testimonies like that, basically say all God did was straighten us out a bit. The truth is that we were rebellious God-haters. We knew God, but we ran from Him because we wanted to live for ourselves rather than Him. We knew His law, but we broke it because we loved sin and we were addicted to it. But because God’s love is so vast and so beyond understanding, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die for our sin. He took the punishment we deserved, the wrath of God, upon Himself so that wretches like us could be declared righteous and blameless. But that's not all. Jesus also rose again from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power and victory over the grave. So we do not have to fear death. Because of His resurrection we now live in the hope of having eternal life with God. The Holy Spirit has revealed the truth of this Gospel to us and has led us to believe in it with our whole hearts and He has produced the fruit of repentance in us so that we can now turn from the sin we once loved and cling to the finished work of Jesus Christ. So whatever spiritual maturity we may see in one another now, whatever shred of humility, anything that looks like Christ, we give all glory to God and recognize it’s only possible because Jesus died for us, He rose again, ascended to the right hand of God the Father, and sent His Spirit to dwell within us. That is the story that we need to tell and that is the story we need to be faithfully living as we seek to be salt and light in a dark world (Matthew 5:13-16).
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Inner Persecution
During the month of March we have been talking about persecution. We've talked about how we, as Christians, should expect to be mistreated by the world because it hates Christ (John 15:18). During the past couple weeks at Campus Life, we have discussed external (or "earthly") persecution: what other people may do to you. This type includes the physical struggle of facing beatings, imprisonment, death, etc. (2 Corinthians 11:24-27), as well as the emotional difficulties of name-calling, gossip/lies, and otherwise having our reputations attacked (Matthew 5:11). On Monday, we addressed a different kind of persecution that is more spiritual in nature and almost seems to come from inside ourselves.
Even though there are people in the world who will want to harm us if they know that we're Christians, they are not our enemies (Ephesians 6:12, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Our enemy is Satan (1 Peter 5:8). He is a liar and a murderer (John 8:44) and is seeking to destroy us. Since the time of Adam and Eve, Satan has brought havoc and devastation on humanity. How does he do it? He tells lies . . . and we believe them. While you may never be put in prison for being a Christian, you will certainly have to deal with the constant barrage of deception that Satan will throw at you day in and day out until God finally calls you home.
One of the reasons so many people (even Christians) are depressed and have a negative outlook on life is because they believe what Satan says rather than what God says. Satan says things like, "You'll never get anything right. Your life is pointless." But God has told us that we are His handiwork, specially created by Him (Psalm 139:13-14) for His glory (Isaiah 43:7) and pleasure (Colossians 1:16) and destined to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). Now let's stop and consider what we know: God always tells us the truth and Satan always twists the truth and turns it into a lie. But who do we believe? Often, it's the liar. One of the reasons why Satan is so effective is that he disguises himself as "an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:4). He is a master of taking something evil, wicked, and vile and making it look good, right and pure. So what are we supposed to do against such a powerful enemy?
We must do what 2 Corinthians 10: 5 says and take every thought captive. The phrase, "take every thought captive" means submitting everything we hear or think by the authority of God's Word. Whether another person is talking to us, or Satan is whispering lies in our ear, or we're thinking thoughts inside our own minds, we need to start by asking this question:
"Does this line up with what God has said or not?"
God's Word is 100% true and right (Psalm 33:4); it has no flaws in it (Proverbs 30:5). It is our light by which we can see and make sense of the world (Psalm 119:105). If God had not spoken, we would have no way to discern between right and wrong, true and false. Therefore, His Word is the only defense we have against Satan's lies. As Jesus prayed before He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, we must be sanctified (or purified) by truth and God's Word is truth (John 17:17). So let your mind be changed to fit what Scripture says rather than trying to bend Scripture to fit your current way of thinking.
It's one thing to use the Bible to show that someone else is wrong. It's much more difficult to let God's Word correct our own thoughts and beliefs. Because of our pride, we are prone to elevate our positions above all others, even God's. But the Bible tells us that our hearts are deceitfully wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). The world says, "Follow your heart," but God tells us that our hearts lie to us and lead us in the wrong direction. This brings us to the next question we need to wrestle with:
Am I willing to admit that God is always right and I am always wrong?
The only time that I am ever "right" is when I agree with God. Proverbs 14:12 tells us clearly that there is a way that seems right to us, but in the end it leads to death. I cannot even trust my own thoughts and feelings when it comes to deciding what is true and what is not. If I am going to be serious about understanding God's truth then I need to be humble and admit that God is true and everyone else is a liar (Romans 3:4), even me.
So if we are willing to filter every voice (including our own) through the lens of Scripture, then the question that remains for us is this:
"Do you know what God has said?"
When Satan comes along and says, "You're all alone. God doesn't care about you. You are worthless." do you know how to refute those lies with the Word of God? Jesus told His disciples that if they held to His teaching they would know the truth and the truth would set them free (John 8:31-36). If we are going to be free from Satan's lies then we need to be familiar with Jesus' teaching and cling to it as our only lifeline to truth. When we neglect the regular reading and study of God's Word, we are saying that we can figure things out on our own and we are leaving ourselves exposed to Satan's lies. Without a firm understanding of truth (remember, God's Word is truth), we will swallow those lies every time - hook, line and sinker.
Even Jesus did not rely on His own strength to oppose the devil's lies. All He did was repeat what was already written by God. And that is how we are told to resist our enemy. Whenever people quote James 4:7 they say, "resist the devil and he will flee from you," but they often forget the first part of the verse which says, "Submit yourselves, therefore, to God." Unless we submit ourselves to the power and authority of God's Word, we will not be able to resist the devil's lies because we will not be adequately equipped with truth.
So the next time you feel depressed, or even in despair, take your thoughts captive and test them with Scripture. Stop and think, "What am I believing right now? What am I telling myself? Do these thoughts line up with God's truth? Do my own words line up with His Word?" If you're not sure, then QUICKLY get out your Bible, your sword, and use it to put down Satan’s voice and/or your voice. Remember, if you’re a Christian and you have rejected the life of sin to put your faith and trust in Jesus, then you have no reason to be depressed. He’s given you too many wonderful promises (2 Peter 1:3-4). It does not make sense for any of us to sulk in God’s presence when He has given us such vast riches through Christ (Ephesians 1:18-19), given us such amazing promises, and called us His children (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1).
Even though there are people in the world who will want to harm us if they know that we're Christians, they are not our enemies (Ephesians 6:12, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Our enemy is Satan (1 Peter 5:8). He is a liar and a murderer (John 8:44) and is seeking to destroy us. Since the time of Adam and Eve, Satan has brought havoc and devastation on humanity. How does he do it? He tells lies . . . and we believe them. While you may never be put in prison for being a Christian, you will certainly have to deal with the constant barrage of deception that Satan will throw at you day in and day out until God finally calls you home.
One of the reasons so many people (even Christians) are depressed and have a negative outlook on life is because they believe what Satan says rather than what God says. Satan says things like, "You'll never get anything right. Your life is pointless." But God has told us that we are His handiwork, specially created by Him (Psalm 139:13-14) for His glory (Isaiah 43:7) and pleasure (Colossians 1:16) and destined to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). Now let's stop and consider what we know: God always tells us the truth and Satan always twists the truth and turns it into a lie. But who do we believe? Often, it's the liar. One of the reasons why Satan is so effective is that he disguises himself as "an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:4). He is a master of taking something evil, wicked, and vile and making it look good, right and pure. So what are we supposed to do against such a powerful enemy?
We must do what 2 Corinthians 10: 5 says and take every thought captive. The phrase, "take every thought captive" means submitting everything we hear or think by the authority of God's Word. Whether another person is talking to us, or Satan is whispering lies in our ear, or we're thinking thoughts inside our own minds, we need to start by asking this question:
"Does this line up with what God has said or not?"
God's Word is 100% true and right (Psalm 33:4); it has no flaws in it (Proverbs 30:5). It is our light by which we can see and make sense of the world (Psalm 119:105). If God had not spoken, we would have no way to discern between right and wrong, true and false. Therefore, His Word is the only defense we have against Satan's lies. As Jesus prayed before He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, we must be sanctified (or purified) by truth and God's Word is truth (John 17:17). So let your mind be changed to fit what Scripture says rather than trying to bend Scripture to fit your current way of thinking.
It's one thing to use the Bible to show that someone else is wrong. It's much more difficult to let God's Word correct our own thoughts and beliefs. Because of our pride, we are prone to elevate our positions above all others, even God's. But the Bible tells us that our hearts are deceitfully wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). The world says, "Follow your heart," but God tells us that our hearts lie to us and lead us in the wrong direction. This brings us to the next question we need to wrestle with:
Am I willing to admit that God is always right and I am always wrong?
The only time that I am ever "right" is when I agree with God. Proverbs 14:12 tells us clearly that there is a way that seems right to us, but in the end it leads to death. I cannot even trust my own thoughts and feelings when it comes to deciding what is true and what is not. If I am going to be serious about understanding God's truth then I need to be humble and admit that God is true and everyone else is a liar (Romans 3:4), even me.
So if we are willing to filter every voice (including our own) through the lens of Scripture, then the question that remains for us is this:
"Do you know what God has said?"
When Satan comes along and says, "You're all alone. God doesn't care about you. You are worthless." do you know how to refute those lies with the Word of God? Jesus told His disciples that if they held to His teaching they would know the truth and the truth would set them free (John 8:31-36). If we are going to be free from Satan's lies then we need to be familiar with Jesus' teaching and cling to it as our only lifeline to truth. When we neglect the regular reading and study of God's Word, we are saying that we can figure things out on our own and we are leaving ourselves exposed to Satan's lies. Without a firm understanding of truth (remember, God's Word is truth), we will swallow those lies every time - hook, line and sinker.
Even Jesus did not rely on His own strength to oppose the devil's lies. All He did was repeat what was already written by God. And that is how we are told to resist our enemy. Whenever people quote James 4:7 they say, "resist the devil and he will flee from you," but they often forget the first part of the verse which says, "Submit yourselves, therefore, to God." Unless we submit ourselves to the power and authority of God's Word, we will not be able to resist the devil's lies because we will not be adequately equipped with truth.
So the next time you feel depressed, or even in despair, take your thoughts captive and test them with Scripture. Stop and think, "What am I believing right now? What am I telling myself? Do these thoughts line up with God's truth? Do my own words line up with His Word?" If you're not sure, then QUICKLY get out your Bible, your sword, and use it to put down Satan’s voice and/or your voice. Remember, if you’re a Christian and you have rejected the life of sin to put your faith and trust in Jesus, then you have no reason to be depressed. He’s given you too many wonderful promises (2 Peter 1:3-4). It does not make sense for any of us to sulk in God’s presence when He has given us such vast riches through Christ (Ephesians 1:18-19), given us such amazing promises, and called us His children (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1).
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Expect Persecution
We have been talking a lot about the Gospel message, what it is, how people are saved through it, and how to share it with others. We have stressed that conversion is one of God's miracles, an act of the Holy Spirit that produces new life in a soul that was dead in sin. It is NOT the result of our clever or persuasive arguments, though we still honor God by using every tool He has given us to present truth and give a "reasoned defense for our faith" (1 Peter 3:15-16). So whenever we preach the Gospel to another person we give our best effort to be clear and we even try to be persuasive, but we are hoping, praying, and trusting that God will show up and do something amazing in his or her life. We also hold on to God's promise to bless the word He has given us, that it will not be powerless (Romans 1:16), but it will accomplish everything He has intended (Isaiah 55:10-11). However, this does not mean that everyone who hears the Gospel will respond the way we hope they will.
Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 2:15-17 that Christians are to God "the pleasing aroma of Christ." For some people, that is "an aroma that brings life," but to others it is "the aroma that brings death." Jesus told His disciples plainly that the world would hate them because it first hated Him (John 15:18-25). Jesus explained that the world hated Him because He spoke to them about their sin (v. 22) and testified that their deeds were wicked (John 7:7). If we want to be like Jesus, then we need to lovingly address sin in the world and call people to repent and believe the good news just like He did (Mark 1:15). The world hated Jesus because He told people they were wrong. If we're following in His footsteps, we should expect to be treated the same way.
No one wants to be hated, but experiencing persecution can be a sign that we are on the right track. Paul said that "everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12). If we are NOT being persecuted, it may be that we are either preaching the wrong Gospel or we simply are not engaged in the world around us. The Bible describes the Christian life as a spiritual battle. If we are not experiencing any conflict, it may be because we are avoiding the fight. There is a reason why we are supposed to "put on the full armor of God" (Ephesians 6:10-20). We also know that the Gospel is offensive. If we are regularly preaching God's Word to unbelievers and no one is upset by it, we may need to check and see if what we're preaching is biblical. However, we want to be very careful and wise to make sure that if someone is offended by us, it is because we have accurately communicated the Gospel, not because we have twisted Scripture or behaved sinfully in the process.
When (not "if") we are persecuted, we should find hope and comfort in the blessings that will come after our struggle. While Jesus was very clear in telling His followers that they would be persecuted, He also told them that they would be blessed because of it (Matthew 5:10-12). The Bible tells us that those who suffer for Jesus' sake will be rewarded. Paul writes that "our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). This statement is coming from a man who was no stranger to suffering (2 Corinthians 11:24-28). It does not matter how terrible our earthly experiences may seem at times; they are nothing compared to the greatness of knowing and being with God for eternity. In fact, Paul recognized that part of knowing Jesus more fully involved "sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death" (Philippians 3:10). When we endure pain and insults from the very people we are trying to love, we gain an even deeper appreciation of Christ's love for His Church. And let us not forget that the Apostles considered suffering for Christ an honor even while they were in the midst of it (Acts 5:40-42). They were excited to be identified with Him even at the cost of being publicly beaten and disgraced.
The goal of the Christian should not be to avoid persecution. The Bible makes it clear that it WILL be a reality for those who follow Christ. Our task is to hold on to what is true as our faith and perseverance are tested through trials and suffering (James 1:2-4). We must cling to the hope of what Jesus has secured for us, both in this life and the next. We must remember that God will sustain us, help us, and lead us through any difficulties we may face in life (2 Peter 1:3-4, Matthew 10:19-20, 2 Corinthians 12:9). And we must recognize the honor of serving and even suffering for our Lord, our King, Jesus Christ.
Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 2:15-17 that Christians are to God "the pleasing aroma of Christ." For some people, that is "an aroma that brings life," but to others it is "the aroma that brings death." Jesus told His disciples plainly that the world would hate them because it first hated Him (John 15:18-25). Jesus explained that the world hated Him because He spoke to them about their sin (v. 22) and testified that their deeds were wicked (John 7:7). If we want to be like Jesus, then we need to lovingly address sin in the world and call people to repent and believe the good news just like He did (Mark 1:15). The world hated Jesus because He told people they were wrong. If we're following in His footsteps, we should expect to be treated the same way.
No one wants to be hated, but experiencing persecution can be a sign that we are on the right track. Paul said that "everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12). If we are NOT being persecuted, it may be that we are either preaching the wrong Gospel or we simply are not engaged in the world around us. The Bible describes the Christian life as a spiritual battle. If we are not experiencing any conflict, it may be because we are avoiding the fight. There is a reason why we are supposed to "put on the full armor of God" (Ephesians 6:10-20). We also know that the Gospel is offensive. If we are regularly preaching God's Word to unbelievers and no one is upset by it, we may need to check and see if what we're preaching is biblical. However, we want to be very careful and wise to make sure that if someone is offended by us, it is because we have accurately communicated the Gospel, not because we have twisted Scripture or behaved sinfully in the process.
When (not "if") we are persecuted, we should find hope and comfort in the blessings that will come after our struggle. While Jesus was very clear in telling His followers that they would be persecuted, He also told them that they would be blessed because of it (Matthew 5:10-12). The Bible tells us that those who suffer for Jesus' sake will be rewarded. Paul writes that "our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18). This statement is coming from a man who was no stranger to suffering (2 Corinthians 11:24-28). It does not matter how terrible our earthly experiences may seem at times; they are nothing compared to the greatness of knowing and being with God for eternity. In fact, Paul recognized that part of knowing Jesus more fully involved "sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death" (Philippians 3:10). When we endure pain and insults from the very people we are trying to love, we gain an even deeper appreciation of Christ's love for His Church. And let us not forget that the Apostles considered suffering for Christ an honor even while they were in the midst of it (Acts 5:40-42). They were excited to be identified with Him even at the cost of being publicly beaten and disgraced.
The goal of the Christian should not be to avoid persecution. The Bible makes it clear that it WILL be a reality for those who follow Christ. Our task is to hold on to what is true as our faith and perseverance are tested through trials and suffering (James 1:2-4). We must cling to the hope of what Jesus has secured for us, both in this life and the next. We must remember that God will sustain us, help us, and lead us through any difficulties we may face in life (2 Peter 1:3-4, Matthew 10:19-20, 2 Corinthians 12:9). And we must recognize the honor of serving and even suffering for our Lord, our King, Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Understanding Your Audience
As we talk about gaining an understanding of our audience when we share the Gospel, let us be clear that we NEVER change, alter, or edit the message that God has given us. Although we want to appreciate and be sensitive to the various backgrounds of the people we encounter, we should never try to make the Gospel easier to swallow. The Apostle Paul knew it doesn't matter what type of people hear the Gospel (i.e. Jew or Gentile), there will be people in any group who will reject the Gospel, be offended by the Gospel, and see it as foolish (1 Corinthians 1:22-25). Many people rightly describe the Gospel as "scandalous." When you break it down and think about the different points, the Gospel really is an outrageous story! Even though it's a true story, we should expect people to mock us and ridicule us unless the Holy Spirit works in their hearts. If we try to remove the "scandal" from our message, we will no longer be preaching the Gospel.
Therefore, our goal is ALWAYS to declare the truth of the Gospel with clarity, but as soon as we try to adapt the message and make it more "acceptable" to people, we have compromised it. Remember, the power of salvation is in God's message (Romans 1:16-17), not in any method we use to share it. As we take this message of universal, exclusive truth to a variety of people groups, our question should be: "How can I communicate the Gospel clearly to this specific person in a way that they can understand what God has said?"
The main factor to consider in any form of communication is language. Whether we're using words (spoken or written), signs, symbols, gestures, body posture, facial expressions, etc. everything comes back to language. Thus, we understand why missionaries learn the language of the people in their mission field. It makes sense why Bible translators work hard to provide Scripture for people who don't have it in their own language yet. In the same way, we need to make sure that we are using words that convey the proper meaning even with people who technically speak the same language as us. Many of us are guilty of speaking "Christianese" to people who don't understand what we're talking about. If you grew up in the Church, you may be accustomed to having conversations with people who have a Biblical understanding of who "Jesus" is, what "sin" means, what real "salvation" is all about, etc. But we need to be aware that most people do not understand these terms the same way we do (or the same way the Bible defines them). We must learn how to speak plainly about the truth found in Scripture and define our terms when necessary. You may need to continually ask someone if they are understanding what you're saying. You may need to go back and rephrase what you've just said. Be patient, kind, and loving with your audience as you strive to present the Gospel to them in a clear and understandable way.
There are many other aspects of language we could talk about (like which illustrations are more helpful than others when speaking to a particular people group), but we will finish today's discussion by talking about finding an appropriate starting point with your audience. In the book of Acts, we first see the Apostles preaching the Gospel in Jerusalem, which is clearly a Jewish context. Here, the majority of the audience has a thorough knowledge of the Law and the Prophets (the Old Testament). So it makes sense that in Acts 2, 3, 4, & 7 Peter and Stephen quote heavily from the Old Testament to demonstrate that Jesus is the Messiah (or "Christ" in Greek) and He is the fulfillment of all their people's history, law, and prophecy. Likewise, Paul and Apollos went to Jewish synagogues around the known world and they "reasoned from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ" (Acts 18:5, 28).
But what about the Gentiles ("non-Jews") who did not grow up learning about the one, true God from the Law and the Prophets? In Acts 17:16-34, Paul demonstrates how we can begin to communicate the Gospel to people who do not share the same background as us. He is in the city of Athens and observes the people worshiping many idols. So he spends some time talking with the people of the city in the marketplace to gain an understanding of their perspective as well as share his point of view. When he gets the opportunity to speak before a large audience of Greek philosophers, he does not begin by diving into Jewish history, nor does he bother trying to prove that his God is true and all of their gods are false. Instead, he starts with what he knows about this people group: 1.) they are "very religious" (v.22) and 2.) even though they worship idols, deep down they ALREADY know the true God (Romans 1:18-32). So Paul starts by talking about the nature of God. He is the Creator (v. 24), the Giver of life (v. 25), the Sustainer of life (v. 28). He is sovereign over all humanity (v. 26), yet not distant from the people He has created (v. 27). He concludes by calling the people to repent from worshipping idols made by human hands and turn to God who created THEM. Once Paul begins talking about the resurrection of Jesus, some people mock him (v. 32), but some want to hear more and a few actually believe (v. 34)!
Hopefully it is clear that we must always be faithful to the Gospel message and faithful to call people to repent from their sins and believe the good news. We understand that without God's intervention, it is impossible for anyone to repent from the sin that they love and put their faith in a message that seems so far-fetched. While we trust God rather than any method in evangelism, we must still preach with love, empathy, and consideration for our audience. God is certainly able to save people if all we give them is a few quick bullet points about sin and Jesus followed by a simple command to "Repent and believe!" But that's not the way He's shown us to do it. We need to speak gently to people and show respect for them by finding the appropriate starting point for each individual. The truth of our message doesn't change, but where we begin our discussions will often vary. If the Gospel message offends someone, I can't help that. But if I offend someone with my own arrogance, callous attitude, or disinterested demeanor, then I have wronged them and sinned against God by misrepresenting Christ. As you preach the Gospel to different kinds of people, strive to be Christ's ambassador to best of the ability God has given you (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Therefore, our goal is ALWAYS to declare the truth of the Gospel with clarity, but as soon as we try to adapt the message and make it more "acceptable" to people, we have compromised it. Remember, the power of salvation is in God's message (Romans 1:16-17), not in any method we use to share it. As we take this message of universal, exclusive truth to a variety of people groups, our question should be: "How can I communicate the Gospel clearly to this specific person in a way that they can understand what God has said?"
The main factor to consider in any form of communication is language. Whether we're using words (spoken or written), signs, symbols, gestures, body posture, facial expressions, etc. everything comes back to language. Thus, we understand why missionaries learn the language of the people in their mission field. It makes sense why Bible translators work hard to provide Scripture for people who don't have it in their own language yet. In the same way, we need to make sure that we are using words that convey the proper meaning even with people who technically speak the same language as us. Many of us are guilty of speaking "Christianese" to people who don't understand what we're talking about. If you grew up in the Church, you may be accustomed to having conversations with people who have a Biblical understanding of who "Jesus" is, what "sin" means, what real "salvation" is all about, etc. But we need to be aware that most people do not understand these terms the same way we do (or the same way the Bible defines them). We must learn how to speak plainly about the truth found in Scripture and define our terms when necessary. You may need to continually ask someone if they are understanding what you're saying. You may need to go back and rephrase what you've just said. Be patient, kind, and loving with your audience as you strive to present the Gospel to them in a clear and understandable way.
There are many other aspects of language we could talk about (like which illustrations are more helpful than others when speaking to a particular people group), but we will finish today's discussion by talking about finding an appropriate starting point with your audience. In the book of Acts, we first see the Apostles preaching the Gospel in Jerusalem, which is clearly a Jewish context. Here, the majority of the audience has a thorough knowledge of the Law and the Prophets (the Old Testament). So it makes sense that in Acts 2, 3, 4, & 7 Peter and Stephen quote heavily from the Old Testament to demonstrate that Jesus is the Messiah (or "Christ" in Greek) and He is the fulfillment of all their people's history, law, and prophecy. Likewise, Paul and Apollos went to Jewish synagogues around the known world and they "reasoned from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ" (Acts 18:5, 28).
But what about the Gentiles ("non-Jews") who did not grow up learning about the one, true God from the Law and the Prophets? In Acts 17:16-34, Paul demonstrates how we can begin to communicate the Gospel to people who do not share the same background as us. He is in the city of Athens and observes the people worshiping many idols. So he spends some time talking with the people of the city in the marketplace to gain an understanding of their perspective as well as share his point of view. When he gets the opportunity to speak before a large audience of Greek philosophers, he does not begin by diving into Jewish history, nor does he bother trying to prove that his God is true and all of their gods are false. Instead, he starts with what he knows about this people group: 1.) they are "very religious" (v.22) and 2.) even though they worship idols, deep down they ALREADY know the true God (Romans 1:18-32). So Paul starts by talking about the nature of God. He is the Creator (v. 24), the Giver of life (v. 25), the Sustainer of life (v. 28). He is sovereign over all humanity (v. 26), yet not distant from the people He has created (v. 27). He concludes by calling the people to repent from worshipping idols made by human hands and turn to God who created THEM. Once Paul begins talking about the resurrection of Jesus, some people mock him (v. 32), but some want to hear more and a few actually believe (v. 34)!
Hopefully it is clear that we must always be faithful to the Gospel message and faithful to call people to repent from their sins and believe the good news. We understand that without God's intervention, it is impossible for anyone to repent from the sin that they love and put their faith in a message that seems so far-fetched. While we trust God rather than any method in evangelism, we must still preach with love, empathy, and consideration for our audience. God is certainly able to save people if all we give them is a few quick bullet points about sin and Jesus followed by a simple command to "Repent and believe!" But that's not the way He's shown us to do it. We need to speak gently to people and show respect for them by finding the appropriate starting point for each individual. The truth of our message doesn't change, but where we begin our discussions will often vary. If the Gospel message offends someone, I can't help that. But if I offend someone with my own arrogance, callous attitude, or disinterested demeanor, then I have wronged them and sinned against God by misrepresenting Christ. As you preach the Gospel to different kinds of people, strive to be Christ's ambassador to best of the ability God has given you (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Thursday, February 20, 2014
"No Pressure" Evangelism
Over the last two weeks, we have talked about the Gospel and WHAT the message of salvation looks like. This week we will talk about evangelism (telling other people about the Gospel) and HOW a person is saved. Many Christians are uncomfortable with the idea sharing their faith with others. Some are afraid they won't be liked if they start talking about Jesus. Others worry they won't know what to say. And many are afraid of messing up. When we realize how high the stakes really are, it's easy to start putting a lot of extra pressure on ourselves:
"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3:36)
"He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of [his] torment rises forever and ever." (Revelation 14:10-11)
It's no longer popular or politically correct to preach "fire and brimstone," but if you believe the Bible really is the inspired Word of God then we need to take the reality of God's wrath seriously. Obviously, we don't want anyone to go to hell, but we are mistaken if we think that WE can keep people from going there. Many Christians wrongly assume that it's up to THEM to change the hearts and minds of their friends and family members so they will believe in Jesus and go to heaven and avoid going to hell. This is NOT what Jesus had in mind when He told His followers to "go make disciples of all nations." (Matthew 28:19) We must also remember Jesus' words in the verses before and after Matthew 28:19:
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." (v. 18)
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (v. 20)
Although Jesus chooses to work through people in the "disciple-making" process, He still has all authority and control in the matter. Also, Jesus tells us in verse 20 that He is always with us. Even when we are sharing the Gospel with others, He is there and He will make sure everything goes according to HIS plan, not ours.
The Old Testament makes it clear that salvation belongs to God (Psalms 37:39; Isaiah 43:11; Jonah 2:9). Jesus continues that same theme in the Gospels, particularly in the book of John. In chapter 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that a person must be "born again" (or "born of the Spirit") to enter the Kingdom of God. Remember, the first thing the Spirit does in a person is convict them of sin (John 16:8). Without the Spirit producing this new birth, none of us would never even seek God (Romans 3:10-12) because we would still be dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1-3). Therefore, if someone repents from their sin, it is because God has granted them repentance (2 Timothy 2:25). If someone believes in Jesus, it is because God has given them the faith to do so (Romans 12:3; Philippians 1:29).
We must not think that our own powers of persuasion will convince anyone to believe the Gospel. Jesus tells us very clearly in John 6:44, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day." He also declares that He will not lose one person the Father gives to Him (John 6:39). Jesus is letting us know that everyone who is supposed to be saved will be saved one way or another and HE is the one who will make sure He doesn't lose a single one of His sheep.
Therefore, we can breathe a sigh of relief! When we go out and share the Gospel with people, we can have absolute confidence that everyone who is supposed to repent from their sin and turn to Jesus will do just that. We have Jesus' guarantee that He won't lose one. All we have to do is preach the message that God has given us (see "The Apostle's Gospel" parts 1 and 2 below) and trust that He will save those whom He has appointed for eternal life (Acts 13:48). The power to save is not in the clever or creative methods we use to present the Gospel. The power to save is in the message God has given us concerning His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16), and in His Spirit who grants repentance and belief in response to hearing the Gospel.
Evangelism is an act of faith. We must take Jesus at His word that 1.) He is with us when we share our faith, 2.) He is in complete control of the situation, and 3.) He will not lose even one person the Father has given Him to save, even if we make mistakes. Sometimes it will seem like you're not doing it right. Sometimes will respond to the Gospel by laughing at you or even hating you instead of repenting and believing. However, Jesus told us ahead of time that these things would happen (Matthew 10:22) and that we would be blessed as a result (Matthew 5:10-11). If we truly believe Jesus' words, then we know that He will help us overcome all of these trials and He will reward us for our obedience and perseverance (Matthew 5:12).
So let us not preach the Gospel out of pride, thinking that we have the power to save. And may we not preach out of guilt, as if our failures could ever disrupt God's plan. Instead, let us proclaim the Gospel with the confidence that God has given us everything we need (2 Peter 1:3-4) and that Jesus will keep His promise to save all those the Father has given Him. May God receive all glory, honor, and praise for the grace and power He has shown in saving His people!
"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3:36)
"He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of [his] torment rises forever and ever." (Revelation 14:10-11)
It's no longer popular or politically correct to preach "fire and brimstone," but if you believe the Bible really is the inspired Word of God then we need to take the reality of God's wrath seriously. Obviously, we don't want anyone to go to hell, but we are mistaken if we think that WE can keep people from going there. Many Christians wrongly assume that it's up to THEM to change the hearts and minds of their friends and family members so they will believe in Jesus and go to heaven and avoid going to hell. This is NOT what Jesus had in mind when He told His followers to "go make disciples of all nations." (Matthew 28:19) We must also remember Jesus' words in the verses before and after Matthew 28:19:
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." (v. 18)
"And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (v. 20)
Although Jesus chooses to work through people in the "disciple-making" process, He still has all authority and control in the matter. Also, Jesus tells us in verse 20 that He is always with us. Even when we are sharing the Gospel with others, He is there and He will make sure everything goes according to HIS plan, not ours.
The Old Testament makes it clear that salvation belongs to God (Psalms 37:39; Isaiah 43:11; Jonah 2:9). Jesus continues that same theme in the Gospels, particularly in the book of John. In chapter 3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that a person must be "born again" (or "born of the Spirit") to enter the Kingdom of God. Remember, the first thing the Spirit does in a person is convict them of sin (John 16:8). Without the Spirit producing this new birth, none of us would never even seek God (Romans 3:10-12) because we would still be dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1-3). Therefore, if someone repents from their sin, it is because God has granted them repentance (2 Timothy 2:25). If someone believes in Jesus, it is because God has given them the faith to do so (Romans 12:3; Philippians 1:29).
We must not think that our own powers of persuasion will convince anyone to believe the Gospel. Jesus tells us very clearly in John 6:44, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day." He also declares that He will not lose one person the Father gives to Him (John 6:39). Jesus is letting us know that everyone who is supposed to be saved will be saved one way or another and HE is the one who will make sure He doesn't lose a single one of His sheep.
Therefore, we can breathe a sigh of relief! When we go out and share the Gospel with people, we can have absolute confidence that everyone who is supposed to repent from their sin and turn to Jesus will do just that. We have Jesus' guarantee that He won't lose one. All we have to do is preach the message that God has given us (see "The Apostle's Gospel" parts 1 and 2 below) and trust that He will save those whom He has appointed for eternal life (Acts 13:48). The power to save is not in the clever or creative methods we use to present the Gospel. The power to save is in the message God has given us concerning His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16), and in His Spirit who grants repentance and belief in response to hearing the Gospel.
Evangelism is an act of faith. We must take Jesus at His word that 1.) He is with us when we share our faith, 2.) He is in complete control of the situation, and 3.) He will not lose even one person the Father has given Him to save, even if we make mistakes. Sometimes it will seem like you're not doing it right. Sometimes will respond to the Gospel by laughing at you or even hating you instead of repenting and believing. However, Jesus told us ahead of time that these things would happen (Matthew 10:22) and that we would be blessed as a result (Matthew 5:10-11). If we truly believe Jesus' words, then we know that He will help us overcome all of these trials and He will reward us for our obedience and perseverance (Matthew 5:12).
So let us not preach the Gospel out of pride, thinking that we have the power to save. And may we not preach out of guilt, as if our failures could ever disrupt God's plan. Instead, let us proclaim the Gospel with the confidence that God has given us everything we need (2 Peter 1:3-4) and that Jesus will keep His promise to save all those the Father has given Him. May God receive all glory, honor, and praise for the grace and power He has shown in saving His people!
Thursday, February 13, 2014
The Apostles' Gospel Part 2
Last week we talked about our sinful condition before a holy God. It's not a pleasant discussion. No one wants to be told they've done wrong. No one wants to be told they deserve death. No one wants to be told that there's nothing they can do to fix their own problem. Unfortunately for us, all of these things are true. We HAVE done wrong (Romans 3:23). We DO deserve to suffer God's wrath for what we've done (Romans 6:23). And there's NOTHING we can do about it (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:20). That's the "bad news."
But here's the good news (the Gospel). God made a way for us to be forgiven so that we could live with Him forever. God became a man (John 1:14) and lived among us. He was given the name "Jesus" because He would save His people from their sin (Matthew 1:21). Unlike every other human being in history, He never sinned (Isaiah 53:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5). He was the only man who DID NOT deserve to die. Yet He gave His life willingly (John 10:17-18). Even though we were still sinners, even though we made no effort to seek God or ask for His help (Romans 3:10-12), He died for us in the midst of our rebellion against Him (Romans 5:6-8). Through His death on the cross, Jesus took the penalty for sin, God's wrath, upon Himself (Isaiah 53:4-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21). But Jesus did not remain dead. He rose again on the third day to prove that He was God and not just a mere man who was a good teacher (Acts 17:31).
Now that the saving work of Jesus is complete (John 19:30), He calls people to repent from their sinful ways that lead to death and turn to Him to receive life and forgiveness (Acts 17:30-31; Matthew 11:28; John 10:10). He has promised that whoever believes this Gospel and puts their trust in Him will be saved (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10) and all of their sin and condemnation will be gone forever (Psalm 103:12; Romans 8:1-2). Not only did Jesus take the blame and punishment for ALL of the believers' sins in the past, present, and future, but He also GIVES the believers credit for His righteousness (Philippians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21)! As a result, they receive a glorious inheritance (Ephesians 1:17-21) because they become heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). And, of course, those who believe in Christ receive the Holy Spirit who lives in them (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), gives them peace (Romans 8:6), moves them to obey God's commands (Ezekiel 36:27), and guarantees their eternal life with God in heaven (Ephesians 1:13-14).
The question that you need to ask yourself is: Will you repent from your sin and believe in Jesus? If you already believe, read through 1 John for a better understanding of what a Christian's life should look like.
But here's the good news (the Gospel). God made a way for us to be forgiven so that we could live with Him forever. God became a man (John 1:14) and lived among us. He was given the name "Jesus" because He would save His people from their sin (Matthew 1:21). Unlike every other human being in history, He never sinned (Isaiah 53:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5). He was the only man who DID NOT deserve to die. Yet He gave His life willingly (John 10:17-18). Even though we were still sinners, even though we made no effort to seek God or ask for His help (Romans 3:10-12), He died for us in the midst of our rebellion against Him (Romans 5:6-8). Through His death on the cross, Jesus took the penalty for sin, God's wrath, upon Himself (Isaiah 53:4-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21). But Jesus did not remain dead. He rose again on the third day to prove that He was God and not just a mere man who was a good teacher (Acts 17:31).
Now that the saving work of Jesus is complete (John 19:30), He calls people to repent from their sinful ways that lead to death and turn to Him to receive life and forgiveness (Acts 17:30-31; Matthew 11:28; John 10:10). He has promised that whoever believes this Gospel and puts their trust in Him will be saved (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10) and all of their sin and condemnation will be gone forever (Psalm 103:12; Romans 8:1-2). Not only did Jesus take the blame and punishment for ALL of the believers' sins in the past, present, and future, but He also GIVES the believers credit for His righteousness (Philippians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21)! As a result, they receive a glorious inheritance (Ephesians 1:17-21) because they become heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). And, of course, those who believe in Christ receive the Holy Spirit who lives in them (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), gives them peace (Romans 8:6), moves them to obey God's commands (Ezekiel 36:27), and guarantees their eternal life with God in heaven (Ephesians 1:13-14).
The question that you need to ask yourself is: Will you repent from your sin and believe in Jesus? If you already believe, read through 1 John for a better understanding of what a Christian's life should look like.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
The Apostles' Gospel Part 1
The Gospel that Jesus preached from the very beginning of His earthly ministry was profound, yet simple: repent from sin and believe the good news (Mark 1:14-15). After He died on the cross, rose from the dead, and returned to heaven, Jesus passed the torch to His disciples to go and teach people everything that He had taught them (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). And, by the power of the Holy Spirit, that's just what they did. They proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Jewish people (Acts 2), to the Jewish leaders (Acts 4), and to the Gentiles (non-Jews) all over the world:
-Philip shared the Gospel with Samaritans and an Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8).
-Peter shared the Gospel with a Roman centurion and his family (Acts 10).
-Paul shared the Gospel with Greeks (Acts 17).
The first part of the Gospel, "repent from sin," is difficult to swallow. We need to come to grips with the fact that we are sinners. This is no small matter. Just because sin is a common problem (everyone is a sinner) doesn't mean it's not a big deal. The Bible describes us as God's enemies (Colossians 1:21; Romans 5:10) and deserving of His wrath (Ephesians 2:3). Although God's grace is freely given to the objects of His mercy, the hardest part of realizing the truth of the Gospel is coming to grips with the vileness of our sin. Even our supposed "good works" are repulsive to God (Isaiah 64:6). We have rebelled against the Almighty Creator of the universe. We have taken the life that God gave us and used it to violate His perfect law. We have taken the very breath He's given us to curse and blaspheme His Name. We deserve the just penalty for our treason against our Maker: death (Romans 6:23).
The first thing God does when He saves someone is convict them of their sin (John 16:8). Once we realize how sinful we are compared to the righteous and holy God, we are broken and undone (Isaiah 6:1-7) This process is painful, but necessary. We won't repent of our sin until we are truly sorry for what we've done and desire to let God change us. Paul tells us that Godly sorrow produces repentance that leads to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:8-10). Even though God breaks us down, He builds us back up again. The sorrow that He gives us leads to life and peace (Romans 8:6), but worldly sorrow leads to despair and death (2 Corinthians 7:10).
If God is convicting you of your sin against Him, do not despair. Repent! Turn away from the sin you once loved and look upon Christ who is our only hope of salvation. 1 John 1:9 tells us, "If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Next week we will focus more on the "good news" of Gospel: the grace, forgiveness, and hope we find in the work of Jesus Christ.
-Philip shared the Gospel with Samaritans and an Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8).
-Peter shared the Gospel with a Roman centurion and his family (Acts 10).
-Paul shared the Gospel with Greeks (Acts 17).
The first part of the Gospel, "repent from sin," is difficult to swallow. We need to come to grips with the fact that we are sinners. This is no small matter. Just because sin is a common problem (everyone is a sinner) doesn't mean it's not a big deal. The Bible describes us as God's enemies (Colossians 1:21; Romans 5:10) and deserving of His wrath (Ephesians 2:3). Although God's grace is freely given to the objects of His mercy, the hardest part of realizing the truth of the Gospel is coming to grips with the vileness of our sin. Even our supposed "good works" are repulsive to God (Isaiah 64:6). We have rebelled against the Almighty Creator of the universe. We have taken the life that God gave us and used it to violate His perfect law. We have taken the very breath He's given us to curse and blaspheme His Name. We deserve the just penalty for our treason against our Maker: death (Romans 6:23).
The first thing God does when He saves someone is convict them of their sin (John 16:8). Once we realize how sinful we are compared to the righteous and holy God, we are broken and undone (Isaiah 6:1-7) This process is painful, but necessary. We won't repent of our sin until we are truly sorry for what we've done and desire to let God change us. Paul tells us that Godly sorrow produces repentance that leads to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:8-10). Even though God breaks us down, He builds us back up again. The sorrow that He gives us leads to life and peace (Romans 8:6), but worldly sorrow leads to despair and death (2 Corinthians 7:10).
If God is convicting you of your sin against Him, do not despair. Repent! Turn away from the sin you once loved and look upon Christ who is our only hope of salvation. 1 John 1:9 tells us, "If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Next week we will focus more on the "good news" of Gospel: the grace, forgiveness, and hope we find in the work of Jesus Christ.
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