Evangelism

Scary word, isn’t it?

Evangelism is the telling people the Good News. You got that Holy Spirit? Great, you have good news. Someone needs to know about how Jesus came and saved you, what He saved you from, and what it means to you. Peter tells us to “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”  This means being able to “articulate one’s beliefs humbly, thoughtfully, reasonably, and biblically” (yes, I just quoted my MacArthur Bible Commentary…just overlook that). Be able to defend your faith – humbly (don’t be self-righteous/self-important; all glory to God), thoughtfully (who are you talking to? don’t just give Sunday School answers), reasonably (be smart about it; be open to anything the other person says to you), and biblically (defend and use the Bible correctly).

Why does it matter? Obviously, the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20), but everyone knows that – it’s a Sunday School answer. Matthew 12:30 says, ““Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” If we aren’t telling people about the Gospel, all we’re doing is scattering! It’s a sin of omission. You aren’t intentionally not doing it, but that’s just it – you aren’t doing anything! Sorry to sound harsh, but sometimes the Gospel is offensive, which brings me to my next point.

Jesus says in John 15,

“If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.”

Will you get rejected? Yes. But when people reject you, don’t be offended – they are rejecting Jesus Himself. Don’t be discouraged by it, because once they know, you’ve done your part. Once you tell someone the Good News, it’s the job of that person and the Holy Spirit to work things out. Pray for whoever you tell, yes, but they may reject you because they don’t know how good our Father is. Jesus was hated without reason; as a disciple, so will we also be hated. But Jesus did exactly what the Father told Him to (John 14:31), so let’s do what Jesus did.

Do I always tell people the Gospel? No. I’m human, sinful by nature, and don’t always do what I should. Thank Jesus for His overwhelming grace. Do I always live out the Gospel? No. But Jesus transforms my heart; He makes me new every day. I am covered by His blood, washed white as snow by it. Just ask Him for the boldness to preach. It is literally the most important thing you as a Christian can do – otherwise you scatter people, and Jesus is all about community (the opposite of scattering by the way).

Jesus, thank you for this simple, but convicting revelation. Give us courage to live like what You say is Truth. Give us grace when we fail. Show us opportunities to tell people about what a good friend you are. We want to know You more, and we want other people to also. Lord, I repent for not doing my part. I turn toward you now; would you grant me a willing spirit to do Your work?