Made for a Mission, Part 2

Chuckle: A wife invited some people to dinner. At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?" "I wouldn't know what to say," the girl replied. "Just say what you hear Mommy say," the wife answered. The daughter bowed her head and said, "Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?"

Good Quote: “Evangelism is not an activity at all. It is rather an attitude of mind behind all Christian activity. --Bryan S. W. Green

TELLING THE GOOD NEWS

"Through Christ, all the kindness of God has been poured out upon us . . . and now he is sending us out around the world to tell all people everywhere the great things God has done . . . .so they, too, will believe and obey him" (Romans 1:5 TLB). "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9 NIV).

As we saw last time, there is no doubt God wants each of us, as Christians, to be his ambassadors/witnesses to those around us. But many of us find it difficult, scary, and unnerving to share our faith with others. We conjure up all sorts of excuses to justify our shortcomings in this area. Here are some common expressions:

"I'm afraid -- I won't know what to say." We make it much more difficult than Jesus intended it to be. As you know, a witness is someone who has seen or heard something and tells it to another -- gives testimony. "We saw it, we heard it, and now we're telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son" (I John 1:3 MSG).

The most powerful message you can relate is your own personal experience with our Lord. If you know Jesus, you know enough to tell others about it. You don't need to have memorized a lot of Scriptures. Just tell what Christ has done and continues to do in your life. As time goes on, you can learn to augment your testimony with specific Scriptures you have learned. We are called to be faithful witnesses.

"I'm afraid -- I just don't have the courage." Jesus said in Acts 1:8, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you." You see, our lack of courage comes from our dependence upon our own strength. God has promised us His power will give us strength. The same power that created you; the same power that performs miracles; the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us through the Holy Spirit. His power is more than adequate for our fears. Just trust His power to give you courage. Even when they were commanded to stop speaking and teaching about Jesus (with threats of prison and beatings), Peter and John said to the Jewish Sanhedrin (religious rulers): "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard (experienced)" (Acts 4:19-20 NIV).

"I don't really know any unsaved people." As we attend church and associate with other Christians socially, we become further and further removed from people who need to hear about Jesus. Jesus set the example for us when he purposely made his way into the company of "sinners." Remember, there are lost people everywhere, beginning in your own family and community. We must get to know them, make friends with them, and reveal Jesus to them by the way we live and with our own testimony/words. May I suggest you make a list of people that you're not sure know Jesus. Then begin to pray for them. Ask God for opportunities to share Jesus with them. God will answer your prayers and give you those opportunities. Then trust him to give you strength and courage to share your faith with them. There is no greater joy than to have someone come to Christ in response to your witness!

Love, Jerry & Dotse