Greetings in the name of the Lord.
Sharing our Faith at Easter
The recent death of Billy Graham has left me contemplating a few things this week. I have never been to a Billy Graham crusade, but whatever one thinks of Billy Graham, his name is practically synonymous with a verbal presentation of the gospel message.
Most of us have likely heard the saying, “preach the gospel at all times; if necessary, use words.” While it is a seemingly well-intentioned phrase, it is a bit misleading. We have not preached the gospel if all we have done is show kindness to others. Certainly, kindness attends the gospel of Christ and shows that the One whom we serve is conforming us to His image and likeness. This is witnessing. But evangelism happens only when we proclaim the message of Jesus and call people to put their faith in Him. And this requires words.
The Great Commission is a general charge to the church at large. But it is also a particular charge to every individual believer. It is a call on each member of the body of Christ to take the good news of the gospel message into a fallen world and declare that the consequences of sin, which is spiritual death, has been paid for in full by Christ through His death on the cross and resurrection to new life. This is the Easter message that we are marching toward. Presenting the gospel verbally can prove to be both a privilege and hardship. It is a privilege to minister to the lost; the brokenhearted, the downtrodden, and the discouraged. But it is a hardship to share the gospel with the arrogant, proud and boastful. But Scripture makes it clear that ‘we all used to walk in these ways, in the life we once lived. But the good news is that true believer know both sides of that coin because the Holy Spirit provides us with true understanding.
As ambassadors of Christ in the present age, we are duty bound to give to others that which God Himself stooped to freely give us. And what Has He given us? HIMSELF! In the person of Jesus Christ. We should give no less to others. We give Him to others through ourselves by sharing the gospel message with a lost world. How is this accomplished? Paul does not shrink from giving us the answer in straight terms. It requires opening our mouths. “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard of him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” Romans 10:14
It has perhaps become more challenging in the west than ever before to reach people right where they are, but this is the charge from our Lord to His Church. The apostle Paul also understood our cultural hardship some twenty centuries ago. “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” 1Corinthians 9:22b-23 Nothing has changed but the date.
For those of us that find it difficult to share the gospel, there is good news. God is not only able to save us from eternal death; He is even able and willing to redeem our fears of sharing the gospel. It’s always a good time to share the hope of Jesus with a lost and hurting world, but the Easter season can present some especially good opportunities.
Here are just a few things to think about when sharing our faith.
1. “Have an answer ready.” Most of us are more than ready to discuss the Steelers’ game on Monday morning. Why? Because we love the Steelers. They are meaningful to many of us. We don’t hide our affections for our team. We wear them on our sleeve and on our bumper. As a believer, you love Jesus and He loves you. Have confidence in this.
2. He loves you. Have confidence in this. There’s no need to deny or hide anything. If you’re asked about confidence in this. There’s no need to deny or hide anything. If you’re asked about church, or your beliefs, or how you feel about something happening in the news, be straight with people…where the conversation goes from there is unknown, and that’s OK. Maybe even Good. You may learn something about yourself in the conversation—perhaps where you are strong in the faith or perhaps areas where you may be lacking theological or biblical literacy. And you may learn that others share some of the same fears and misunderstandings about the gospel that you once held. And YOU are the perfect one to share with them precisely because you understand where they are. It may also become a great opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of what you believe and why you believe it.
3. “Be discerning of timing and atmosphere.” A casual chat in the kitchenette at work while grabbing a coffee is a great time to bring up that you went to church over the weekend, or that you’re heading to Bible study in the evening. Even during a casual night out, you might ask the Holy Spirit to give you a sensitivity of someone’s needing to hear about the Christian faith, for you to offer advice or when to simply speak the truth. Awareness is key here– you don’t want to start a conversation like this off on the wrong foot, so be conscious of how things are going and let the Holy Spirit direct you with sensitivity and discernment.
4. “Living in love. Working in excellence.” We’ve often heard it said that our actions speak louder than our words, and it’s true that the way we live is a testimony to what we believe and who we follow. One of our best testimonies at work or out with friends is easy and effective: Love others, love God, work hard, and people tend to take note. There won’t always be times to share your faith in direct conversation, which is exactly why our actions DO matter. This is especially true in challenging or competitive circumstances– are we showing respect for others, integrity in our work, care for our neighbors, compassion for our coworkers, and love and grace through our behavior? That will speak volumes about our identity and will reflect Christ to those around us, whether we are sharing your faith vocally or not.
Sharing our faith doesn’t need to be a daunting endeavor– it really can be as simple as acting thoughtfully and intentionally, and being open and available to when the Holy Spirit prompts you to speak. As 1Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that lies within you with gentleness and respect”
May this be your mission, and may the Lord richly bless you as you step out in faith.
With much love,
Pastor George