SPREADING THE WORD – Part 2 of 2

In the days after Christmas, it’s easy to pack away the wonder with the ornaments. But the shepherds remind us that the birth of Christ is not a seasonal story -- it’s a sending story. “They spread the word” (Luke 2:17). The good news they received was too good to keep quiet.

As followers of Jesus, we stand in their lineage. We, too, have encountered the Savior. We, too, have been entrusted with a message that brings amazement, comfort, and hope to weary hearts.

So how do we “spread the word” today? We do it by living with the joy of people who have truly met Jesus.  Joy is contagious, especially when it’s rooted in grace. We do it by telling the biblical story and by speaking naturally about what God has done in our lives.  Not forced. Not scripted. Just honest gratitude. We do it by embodying Christ’s love in small, faithful acts.  Kindness often opens doors… and ears… to the words we share. We do it by remembering that the message itself carries the power.  We don’t have to impress -- just point to Jesus. 

This week, as the world settles back into “normalcy,” let’s resist the temptation to let Christmas fade. The shepherds didn’t return to their flocks unchanged. They carried the wonder with them, and they shared it freely. May we do the same. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™  

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SPREADING THE WORD – Part 1 of 2

"So [the shepherds] hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them."  (Luke 2:16–18 NIV) 

Christmas Day has passed. The wrapping paper is gone, the cookies are thinning out, and the world is slowly returning to its routines. But in Luke’s Gospel, the story doesn’t end at the manger. In fact, something begins there -- something that continues long after the angels’ song fades into the night sky.

The shepherds, ordinary men in an ordinary field, became the first evangelists of the New Testament. They didn’t attend a seminar. They didn’t rehearse a testimony. They simply shared what they had seen and heard. Their encounter with Jesus overflowed into proclamation.

And notice the response: “All who heard it were amazed.”  Not because the shepherds were eloquent, but because the message was astonishing. God had come near. Hope had taken on flesh. Salvation had a name. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™  

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WITNESSING FOR CHRIST

Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

What do we mean by "witnessing"?  Spouting a lot of Bible verses to a non-Christian?  Not quite.  Witnessing involves all that we are and therefore do; it goes far beyond what we say at certain inspired moments.  So the question is not will we witness (speak), but how will we witness (live)?  Often students will ask, “Which is more important in witness -- the life that I live or the words that I say?” That’s like asking which wing of an airplane is more important, the right or the left?

When we're trusting Jesus Christ as Lord as well as Saviour, He enables us to live and speak as faithful witnesses.

-- Adapted from Paul E. Little 

#6205

TELLING YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

“As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with Him. But Jesus said, ‘No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful He has been.’ So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.”  (Mark 5:18-20 NLT)

The healed man was called simply to say what he knew from his own experience. The man immediately did what he was told and influenced ten cities. Now that’s witnessing!

You don’t have to be highly trained to be effective, but you do have to be saved and excited about it. Sadly, the farther people progress from their initial commitment to Christ, the less they communicate the joy of salvation to those who know little about it. As they grow spiritually, they tend to spend more time in a Christian environment and less time among those who do not know the Lord. This isolation may be conducive to their own spiritual “sanctity,” but it does nothing for their calling to be witnesses.

A wise believer learns how to maintain a balance between being “rooted and grounded” in the fellowship of the Lord and His people, and “branching out” to those who need to know. The Lord may send us away from our fellowship experiences, as He did the healed man, in order to send us out to the “towns” within our sphere of influence. Yet, strangely enough, the more matured a believer becomes the more reluctant they may be to do it. That’s why we need to keep learning from those in our midst whose enthusiasm is contagious and whose love for the Lord and people is palpable. 

-- Stuart Briscoe in “Daily Study Bible for Men” 

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EVERY CHRISTIAN A WITNESS

Jesus replied, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  (Acts 1:8 NIV)

Every Christian is a witness for Christ.  We cannot bear the name Christian without indicating by our words and deeds what Christ means to us.  We are empowered by our faith.  We also invest the word Christian with meaning by the way we live our faith.  The only gospel some of our friends will ever know will come from their relationship with us.  We are bearers of the best news in the world.  And we owe it to those we love to cultivate our abilities at sharing this news with them.

-- Harold K. Bates in “Witness for Christ”

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THE GREATEST GIFT

“God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”  (Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT)

As we journey toward Christmas, let us reflect on the profound truth that throughout our lives we will inevitably give ourselves to something. People often devote their lives to things they can boast about -- pleasure, possessions, popularity, or power. However, true followers of Christ understand that the highest and best use of a human life is to give ourselves to others, pointing them toward faith in Christ.

Let us remember that the greatest gift we can offer is an introduction to the God who sent His Son to redeem us. If we truly believe in the redeeming and transforming power of God's presence in a person's life, then sharing the message of how to be rightly connected to Him becomes our most significant mission.

As we light candles and prepare our hearts for Christmas, let us commit to being signposts that guide others toward God. May we boldly share the good news of Christ's love and redemption, offering the gift of grace to those we encounter. Let us embrace our calling to point people to the Savior, knowing that in doing so, we are giving the greatest gift of all. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry, compiled from a variety of sources

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THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”  (Ephesians 2:19-22 NKJV)

Some people feel the church is dying. Throughout the entire world, though, Christ’s church is alive and well, praise God! The church may be trampled, threatened, burned, blown up, misunderstood, mistreated, splintered, and ignored, yet her heartbeat grows stronger. The saints march forward and speak out for Christ more and more every day.

Although they are important, the church is not just things like choirs, organs, praise bands, sermons, and social activities. She is made up of servants of God, with Jesus Christ as her cornerstone. Every believer is part of the Body of Christ.

The church will never die. It is eternal. We, as part of the church, must step forth and share the good news of what God has done for us with everyone and anyone who will listen. There is an urgency in this, for life here on earth is short. This is our commandment: to tell the world about the love of Jesus…

Christ paid our debt of sin and gave all who accept Him the most valuable gift of all: an abundant, joyful life on earth and eternal life with God in heaven… Most incredible is that we can share this wonderful gift with those around us, so they may also receive Him. 

-- Adapted from “When I’m Praising God” by Anita Corrine Donihue

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ALWAYS BE PREPARED – Part 2

The confused look on the man’s face told me I wasn’t [making sense]. Shifting gears, I decided to tell him how I became a Christian. Several minutes into my story, he interrupted me to explain he had to get off the train at the next stop. Not sure what to say in the last minute or so, I stuttered and stammered awkwardly. When the sliding doors opened, he stood and looked at me before politely speaking words I’ll never forget. “Oh well, thanks for trying.” He stepped off the train, and I watched the doors slide shut.

The apostle Peter says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). Maybe you can relate. You’d like to be ready for anything, but you’re afraid you might choke under pressure. Preparation -- studying and thinking about what you’ll say -- will give you confidence.

Not every chance to share will be set up for you as obviously as it was for me on that train. You’ll recognize some opportunities -- clearly presented to you by God -- in which you are called to take the initiative. But no matter who starts the conversation, if you engage enough people, you’re going to be amazed how many of them are genuinely hungry to hear the truth from an honest, caring heart. 

-- Craig Groeschel in “The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living as if He Doesn’t Exist”

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ALWAYS BE PREPARED – Part 1

Once, I was with a few Christian friends on the El in Chicago, and we were chatting about Jesus. A young man politely interrupted us and explained that he couldn’t help overhearing our conversation. He asked if we were Christians. On behalf of the group, I explained that we were.

His eyes brightened. “I’ve been searching for a while, and I don’t know what I believe,” he said with sincerity. “Can you tell me exactly what it means to be a Christian and how I can become one?”

…If you’re playing basketball you would say, “That’s a slam dunk.” …In other words, you couldn’t find an easier guy to lead to the Lord -- unless, like us, you were unprepared.

Stunned by his straightforward question, I hesitated. Wow. Where should I start? My mind flashed back to my seminary days. Reciting to him the opening line of the script from my evangelism class certainly didn’t feel like the best way to go. I remembered another witnessing technique called the “Four Spiritual Laws,” but a canned presentation to his heartfelt question didn’t seem right. As my mind raced, I couldn’t figure out what to say, so I just started talking, hoping I’d make sense. The confused look on the man’s face told me I wasn’t.  

-- Craig Groeschel in “The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living as if He Doesn’t Exist”

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THEY PRAYED FOR BOLDNESS – Part 2

“But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.”  (1 Thessalonians 2:2)

How often has the Christian community of which you are a member prayed for boldness to declare the gospel? Probably not very often since we don’t place great value on boldness to declare the gospel. But what if we did? What difference would it make in our lives, our congregations, and the communities in which we live? The early disciples found that praying for boldness gave them the wisdom, the faith, and the power to live faithful and effective lives. What are we praying for today?

-- Reuben P. Job in “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God” 

THEY PRAYED FOR BOLDNESS – Part 1

Living in a multicultural world, the disciples easily could have remained silent about their dramatic encounter with God in Jesus Christ. In a world of many religions, they might understandably have been timid about even mentioning their faith in Jesus Christ. In a time when allegiance to the official religion often was demanded, they would have found it so much simpler to go along with the crowd. In a time when advocacy of any religion was dangerous, they would have been so much safer to hide any evidence of faith in Jesus Christ.

However, these very risks and dangers that could have sent the disciples running in fact prompted them to pray for boldness to declare the gospel. They did not ask for security, relief from persecution, or the demise of the opposition. They asked for boldness to declare the gospel. They were not longing for their own safety; they were longing for faithfulness. And as soon as their prayers subsided, the place where they were gathered was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31). Their prayers were instantly answered. 

-- Reuben P. Job in “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God”

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PLANTING SEEDS

The Apostle Paul said, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”  (Romans 10:9 NASV).

Paul always contrived to bring his hearers to a point of decision.  There was none of the indeterminate, inconclusive talking which we are apt to describe as "sowing the seed".  Our idea of sowing the seed seems to be rather like scattering wheat out of a balloon...  Occasionally, of course, grains of wheat scattered out of a balloon will fall upon ploughed and fertile land and will spring up and bear fruit; but it is a casual method of sowing.  Paul did not scatter seeds, he planted.  He so dealt with his hearers that he brought them speedily and directly to a point of decision, and then he demanded of them that they should make a choice and act on their choice.  In this way he kept the moral issue clearly before them, and made them realize that his preaching was not merely a novel and interesting doctrine, but a life. 

-- Roland Allen in “Missionary Methods: St. Paul's or Ours?” [1927] 

#5322

WE DO HAVE A PART

“And this gospel of the kingdom swill be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”  (Matthew 24:14)

Some of us may like to think we really don't play a part in the overall scheme of things. That is, we feel as though this ol' world will just continue with or without my help. In fact, we feel rather insignificant in the overall picture. However, the truth is that we do have a part in the world and in fact God entrusts us to deliver His message of salvation to a lost and dying world. The New Testament commands - not suggests - that we share our faith and warn the lost. Could there be any greater job? Is anything more important than sharing the message of Jesus Christ? 

-- Pastor Gary Stone 

#5271

GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN

Ask most people why they became Christians, and they'll likely tell you the story of other people whose witnesses were their inspiration. Ever since the shepherds and the wise men left the manger, telling what they saw to the people they met, Christians sharing their personal encounters with God have been the most important evangelism tools in the church.

It's no different today. On the job, in our neighborhoods, while running errands -- throughout our daily living -- we encounter people who are yearning for a deeper relationship with the living God. And our individual testimonies, told with humility, earnestness and gratitude (not pomp and self-righteousness) are often the stepping stones brothers and sisters need as they take that closer walk with God.

If Christ has made a difference in your life, you ought to tell somebody… Learn to share your story.

-- from Interpreter magazine, October 2000

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THE MEANING OF LIFE

“Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”  (John 8:12 ESV)

Like most living legends, Julius Erving (Dr. J) is often asked about the greatest highlight of his career. Though Dr. J enjoyed one of the greatest careers in NBA history with over 30,000 points scored, he likes to tell others what went on in his heart.

“At age 29 I realized I was looking good on the outside but was hitting a lot of peaks and valleys on the inside.” He says, “After searching for the meaning of life for over ten years, I found the meaning in Jesus Christ. When I gave my life to Christ, I began to understand my true purpose for being here. It’s not to go through life and experience as many things as you possibly can and then turn to dust and be no more. The purpose of life is to be found through having Christ in your life, and understanding what His plan is and following that plan.”

Surely, God blessed Dr. J in basketball and in the game of life.  

-- Rod Handley, Elliot Johnson, and Gordon Thiessen in “Character Counts for Athletes”

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SPEAKING ABOUT CHRIST

“Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans came to Him, they urged Him to stay with them, and He stayed two days. And because of His words many more became believers. They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.’” (John 4:39-42 NIV)

We are doing more good than we know, sowing seeds, starting streamlets, giving people true thoughts of Christ, to which they will refer one day as the first things that started them thinking of Him; and of my part, I shall be satisfied if no great mausoleum is raised over my grave, but that simple souls shall gather there when I am gone, and say, "He was a good man; he wrought no miracles, but he spoke words about Christ, which led me to know Him for myself.” 

-- George Matheson, from “Streams in the Desert”

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TOUCHING AND SAVING LIVES

“‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”  (Romans 10:13-15 NIV)

All other businesses we do for living, and for leaving good and great footprints, are good! In fact, we must not let our gifts and talents be idle, but in all our endeavors we must not forget that there is one more noble business than any, and that is touching and saving lives for the Kingdom of God, in truth and in spirit, and proclaiming the coming of Jesus Christ with all due diligence, understanding, humility, courage and fortitude! 

-- Ernest Agyemang Yeboah

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ALWAYS BE PREPARED

“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 you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,…”  (1 Peter 3:15 NIV)

The Bible says in 1 Peter 3:15 that all Christians should be prepared to explain why they believe what they believe -- and to do so… with gentleness and respect.

In a world where the media often trumpets claims by skeptics, best-selling books hawk atheism, and many university professors seem bent on destroying the beliefs of young Christians, it’s increasingly important for all of us to be able to articulate the reason why our faith makes sense.  

-- Lee Strobel, in the Foreword to “On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision” by William Lane Craig

#5040

PACK YOUR COFFIN

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”  (Galatians 2:19-20 NRSV)

A century ago, a band of brave souls became known as one-way missionaries. They purchased single tickets to the mission field without the return half. And instead of suitcases, they packed their few earthly belongings into coffins. As they sailed out of port, they waved good-bye to everyone they loved, everything they knew. They knew they’d never return home.

A. W. Milne was one of those missionaries. He set sail for the New Hebrides in the South Pacific, knowing full well that the headhunters who lived there had martyred every missionary before him. Milne did not fear for his life, because he had already died to himself. His coffin was packed. For thirty-five years, he lived among that tribe and loved them. When he died, tribe members buried him in the middle of their village and inscribed this epitaph on his tombstone: “When he came there was no light. When he left there was no darkness.” 

-- Mark Batterson in “All In: You Are One Decision Away from a Totally Different Life” 

#4937

PRACTICING WHOLE-LIFE WITNESS - Part 2

Whole-life witness is in the center flow of the Methodist tradition. Along with his call to a transformed life, John Wesley called for the transformation of the social structures of his time by confronting issues of poverty, economic injustice, imprisonment, and war.

Wesley continued the call for social reform until the end of his life. In fact, the last letter he wrote was to William Wilberforce, who had been converted through the Wesleyan Revival.  In the letter Wesley encouraged Wilberforce to continue his struggle for the abolition of slavery, writing with the same passion he expressed when sharing his personal faith in Christ. Wesley died just six days later on March 2, 1791. The struggle went on for sixteen years until [the British] Parliament abolished the slave trade in 1807…

Both as individuals and as congregations, the people called Methodists are called to whole-life witness by which growing disciples of Jesus Christ become a part of God’s transformation of the world. When Jesus said, “You shall be My witnesses” (Acts 1:8), He wasn’t speaking only to the first apostles. He was speaking to us! 

-- James A. Harnish in “A Disciple’s Path: Deepening Your Relationship with Christ and the Church”

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