Tag Archives: the Gospel

November 22

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Acts 17:1-18:17; I Thessalonians 1-2

Witnessing, sharing our faith, giving our testimony, talking about the Lord is hard for most of us. Most of us did not go to a Bible College or go through a “how to” course on sharing the Gospel. We fumble over our words and forget the chapter and verse of the Scripture we want to use. We are so afraid we’re going to sound like fools we convince ourselves to say nothing.

Yet we are commanded by Jesus to go into all the world and preach the Gospel!

Paul was a master soul-winner and we can learn so much by studying him. Look at how he talked to the Greeks in Athens. He started the conversation with what they already knew. They worshiped lots of gods and in fact, just to cover their bases, worshiped “an unknown god”. Paul acknowledged that, then said – let me tell you about that unknown God because I just happen to know him!

Sometimes I think we believe sharing Jesus has to be a three point sermon. I know there are some who are saved in evangelistic services or at the kitchen tables when a stranger knocks on their door and comes to tell them about salvation. But I believe most people accept Christ as a result of someone who is invested in them. Who gets to know them, spends time with them and talks to them on their level of understanding. 

What is it your friend already knows about Christ? Start there. If God has nudged you toward speaking to your friend, he is already working in this dear one’s heart. Let God give you the words and trust him to use those words to draw this friend to himself.

Father, I pray that you would nudge each of us toward a loved one, neighbor, co-worker, or friend who’s heart you are readying to hear the Gospel. May each of us be faithful to reach out to this person, to listen to them and encourage them. Then when you open the door for us to put our faith into words, I pray that we will allow you to give us the words! Help us to see the people in our world like you do. And give us a loving boldness to tell them about your Son, our Savior… and theirs’.

November 18

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Acts 13:1-14:28

I grew up in a church of a denomination that was formed with a wonderful emphasis on missions. We often had missionaries in our pulpit and the Missions Conference was something I looked forward to every year. A week of evening services, colorful flags from countries around the world decorating the sanctuary, slide shows from the mission fields, singing those great hymns about missions, and international dinners! I loved it all.

I know mission work has drawn criticism of late. How dare we impose our western religion on these innocent people? And if you tell them Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and no one goes to the Father except through him, well – that can really get the critics going!

When Paul talked to the people in Lystra who mistook him for one of their gods, he told them that in the past God let all nations go their own way. “Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” (Acts 14:16-17) He told them they needed to turn from their worthless gods and put their faith in the living God.

When the people heard this they stoned Paul and left him for dead. Paul pulled himself up and you know what he did? He went back into the city. Why? Because he knew those people were lost without Jesus.

That’s the bottom line. People need the Lord. They are going to hell without him. Is God calling you to serve him in a foreign land? Go! Is he asking you to take the Gospel to the homeless people in your city? Do it! What about the inmates at your local prison? They need Jesus, too. Has God laid on your heart their eternal souls? Be obedient to the call.

If you really believe that Jesus is the answer, then you need to ask yourself what you are willing to do about it, where are you willing to go to share the Truth of the Savior. Paul was faithful to his calling. I pray the same can be said for each of us.

Heavenly Father, what would you say to each of us today? Is there somewhere you want us to go to share the good news of Jesus Christ? Are there remote villages full of people who have never heard? Are there large cities full of busy people who don’t give Jesus a second thought? Would you want us to go into the prisons or into the streets of our own towns to introduce lost souls to the Savior? Forgive our excuses, Lord. May we set aside our hesitations and trust you. If you call, you will also lead. May you find us faithful.

October 14

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Mark 6:45-56; Matthew 14:22-36; John 6:16-24, 25-59

Do you remember the crazy man we read about a few days ago? He had been living for years in a cave, out of his mind. But when Jesus healed him the neighbors found him clothed and sane. If you remember, the man begged Jesus to take him with him. Jesus asked the man to stay and tell everyone what Jesus had done for him.

If I am right, I believe we are reading the rest of the story today.

I don’t know how long it was between visits, but when the people of Gennesaret saw Jesus get out of the boat, they recognized him. And they welcomed him. The last time Jesus was in the area they had asked him to leave.

What changed?

I believe it was the crazy man, living among them, talking to them about Jesus. Had Jesus allowed the man to leave with him instead of staying home to face the neighbors, I imagine we would be reading a different account here. 

Jesus asks us to be that kind of witness in the place he has brought us. He wants us to tell everyone what he has done for us. He wants us to be the vessel through which people can come to him.

May he find us as faithful as the man in this story.

Heavenly Father, I thank you for the privilege we have of sharing you with our neighbors and friends. I pray that our lives, our testimonies, our demonstration of your love, will draw many to you. Thank you for the example of obedience we read today. May your children, may I, make the same kind of impact on our communities as we tell people what Jesus has done for each of us.

 

October 10

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Mark 4:30-34, 35-41, 5:1-20; Matthew 13:31-35, 24-30, 36-52, 8:23-27, 28-34; Luke 13:18-21, 8:22-25, 26-39

The man had lived for years in a cave like a rabid dog. He was out of his mind, wild and violent. No one could get near him. But when he met Jesus all that changed. Jesus healed the man and restored his sanity.

The townspeople saw the man clothed, sitting with Jesus and in his right mind. And they were afraid. This miracle was beyond anything they had ever seen. Their reaction? They asked Jesus to leave.

So Jesus left the area and the man begged to go with him. I certainly can understand that. He wanted to stay near to Jesus where he was safe and accepted. But Jesus told the man he wanted him to go back into his hometown and tell the people there how much God had done for him. The man obeyed.

I think the hardest people to witness to may be the people who know you the best. They know your secrets. They’ve seen you lose your temper. If you were saved as an adult, they know the lifestyle you led before Christ. This man knew the townspeople had seen him naked and violent and crazy. He was probably the butt of a lot of jokes and the stories about his antics were probably exaggerated. 

But Jesus told the man to go home, look those scoffers in the eye, and tell them how God changed his life. He wanted the man to live with those people and demonstrate the difference Jesus had made. 

He wants us to do that, too. A mission field isn’t always across the ocean. It’s in our living rooms, our neighborhoods, our work places. Every day there is someone we meet who needs to know how God has changed us. They need to see in us something better than what they have without Christ. Yes, we might have to accept the fact that they look at us with suspicion because they know we aren’t perfect. But that doesn’t release us from the responsibility, and the privilege we have to share the Savior with them.

I pray God will give you the opportunity to tell someone today how much he has done for you. Like the man we read about today, let’s be obedient. Is that too much to ask of us who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb? I don’t think so.

August 19

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Jeremiah 34:1-22, 39:1-18; 2 Kings 25:1-21; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21

We in America talk a lot about freedom. The United States of America was founded on freedom. Thousands of men and women have fought and died to protect our freedom.

But did you know everyone who has ever lived is given freedom no matter where they are born? Jeremiah 34 tells us about a God-given freedom. It’s the freedom to “fall by the sword, plague and famine.”

Gee, thanks God. Who would choose that?

God has granted all people everywhere the freedom to choose him or reject him. We can acknowledge the God of Creation, accept his Word to be true, or we can deny him and live by our own rules. God is plain to say there are blessings for those who follow him and consequences for those who don’t.

But there is something about freedom that we sometimes overlook. With freedom comes responsibility. We’ve seen freedoms erode here in the US because too many of us have not taken on the responsibility of making sure legislators aren’t chipping away at them. We’ve allowed our freedoms to disappear and have no one to blame but ourselves.

As Christians, we have the responsibility to obey God, to be holy as he is holy, and to share the gospel with everyone. Our freedom to choose God comes with the responsibility to live according to his Word.

Yes, we are free to choose. I pray that no one reading this blog will choose to fall by the sword, plague and famine by choosing to ignore God’s Truth. And I pray that all of us will take responsibility for the freedom we enjoy in Christ by reaching out to others in Jesus’ name so they can enjoy that freedom, too.

Holy God, I thank you for giving the human race the freedom to choose. I thank you that I am not a robot with no ability to choose for myself. Father, I choose you today. Help me to obey you. Give me the ability to share your Truth with someone today. I pray that my loved ones will choose that Truth. May my life stand apart as one who loves and obeys the One True God. And may I recognize that, as wonderful as the freedom I enjoy in Jesus, I have a responsibility to obey you. May you find me faithful.

July 26

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Jeremiah 5, 6, 13

When I worked with middle school kids it was a challenge to keep belts on the boys. Do you know the song, “Pants on the Ground”? I can’t think that wearing your jeans so low you have to hold on to them with one hand is comfortable. Kids!

After reading Jeremiah 13 today I got to thinking about belts. There is security in that strip of leather as it’s wrapped around a person. But a belt in belt loops, tightly fastened can’t hold up a pair of pants unless it is resting against the body of a person.

God compared his people to a belt. There is nothing special about that belt in and of itself but God wrapped it around himself to bring himself “renown and praise and honor”. And if his people – if that belt- can’t do that it is ruined, completely useless.

What do you do with a useless belt? Most of us probably throw it out. Some might repurpose or recycle it. But if it’s not doing what it was intended to do you find another that will.

I want to be God’s belt. I want to be wrapped tightly around him. I want to fulfill the purpose I was created to do… to bring him renown and praise and honor. I want to hold up that which he’s entrusted to me, the salvation bought by his dear Son.

Lord, I want to be as close to you today as a belt. I want to rest on you, be fastened to you so that I can do what you have for me to do. Let me bring you renown, praise, and honor as others observe my life. I want to be used by you today.

June 28

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Hosea 4:1-5:7; Jonah 1:1-4:11; 2 Kings 14:24-28, 15:8-16

Long story short: God told Jonah to go to Nineveh. Jonah thought he had a better idea and headed for Tarshish. God sent a storm so the sailors threw Jonah overboard. God provided a fish. After three days in the fish God caused the fish to vomit Jonah up. Where? Nineveh. Jonah preached. 120,000 people were saved. Jonah pouted. See, I told you that would happen, Lord. God provided shade for Jonah while he stubbornly waited for God to destroy Nineveh. Jonah liked the shade. God killed the vine that provided the shade. Jonah pouted. God tells Jonah to get over himself.

Many lessons can be gleaned from Jonah’s story. But I think God’s asking us today if we are guilty of picking and choosing with whom we share Jesus. 

Go into prisons? Seriously, God, there are criminals there.

Preach in the inner city? Not me! There are druggies and prostitutes and gang members there.

Befriend a homeless person for Jesus’ sake? He’s just a dead-beat, God.

What about sharing Christ with that person at work who has said some awful things about you or that neighbor who is too lazy to mow his lawn? What about homosexuals, unwed moms, alcoholics, child abusers? What about Muslims, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Satanists?

And how about that person who comes to your church with dirty hair and body odor? What about the one who comes with tattoos and rings in her eyebrows? 

Are we going to be like Jonah and say this person deserves God’s forgiveness but this one doesn’t? I doubt God is going to physically pick any of us up and drop us in the middle of downtown or on the streets of Iran. But we have to know he is serious about not wanting ANY to perish but for everyone to receive him. And he is calling us to share his Gospel with others regardless of our personal opinion of them.

If God is nudging you toward sharing him with someone you don’t like or to go somewhere you don’t want to go, I think he just might be telling you today to get over yourself.

Heavenly Father, help us to view mankind like you do. Help us to see all people as ones for whom Christ died. May we be willing to go where you want us to go, share you with others in spite of personal prejudices because you are preparing hearts to receive you. May we not be guilty of the sin of Jonah and try to withhold your grace from someone we decide doesn’t deserve you because in reality, we don’t deserve you, either. May you find us obedient today.