Impact 2: "Radically Different" 09.21.08

Can holiness make an impact in our community?

Wouldn’t marketing a cool image or offering tons of exciting programs or preaching positive thinking make more of an impact? Holiness is not a very popular attribute in our day-in-age is it? Often when people in our culture think of holiness they usually picture such divergent things as incense, candles and church buildings, maybe puritans in stark churches, or monks or hermits or perhaps some mystical/spiritual place. Or, if they don’t think of things, they think of a ‘holier than thou’ attitude or legalism. Holiness to them seems incoherent and inaccessible at best and oppressive at worst. What about us? What do we think of holiness? Often don’t we think of it as some unattainable goal; something we need to be but we find impossible to pull off; something for super-Christians (who are way more spiritual than we are); or something that will define us in heaven, but not here on earth?

What is holiness? To be holy is to be set apart to God and therefore to be characterized by God. Holiness then, in the context of a fallen world – a world corrupted by sin - could be described as being radically different. And we learn about holiness and the impact it can make in our passage for today: 1 Peter 2:9-12.

I want us to look at this passage backwards, because that will allow us to look at the impact we are to have first and then discover how we are to make that impact.

That they may see your good deeds and glorify God

Live such good live among unbelievers

abstain from sinful passions

as sojourners and exiles in the world

Beloved

So, what is the impact? We find it in v.12: “that they may see you good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.” In our context, “they” are the unbelievers all around us – people we know and like; people we work with and live by. It is those people whom we want to see our good deeds (i.e. our Christian faith lived out genuinely, humbly and fervently) so that they might glorify God by believing and trusting in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Could our impact be to so glorify God through our lives that others come to glorify Him as well?

I believe so. For what precedes this impact? Peter instructs us to live good lives. Now, this is not living the “good life” (the American dream), but rather living lives that make a difference; lives that make an impact. And what sort of lives make an impact? Lives that have been impacted by Jesus; lives that take His teaching and example seriously. In his book, The Living Church, John Stott describes this kind of life as one characterized by Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount: a life of greater righteousness, wider love and nobler ambition.

And if we are to live such good lives – lives characterized by Christ – we must let go of certain things. The apostle Paul says it this way: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). We must take off what we were apart from Christ so that we can put on Christ. That involves abstaining from sinful desires. If you have remodeled a house, you know that destruction precedes construction. There is stuff to get rid of (clutter to remove, carpets to pull up, walls to knock down). The same is true in us. Before we can be rebuilt, things have to get torn down and removed. And to do that we must fight against the sinful desires which war against our souls. And that is not easy. That is why Peter refers to it as a war. Sin comes naturally to us. We’re all really good at it. Pride, selfishness, conceit, anger, hatred, jealousy etc. all come naturally and easily to us, but we must fight against those things. We must abstain (hold back, keep ourselves from) those sinful desires. And we must do that constantly. “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance,” wrote Thomas Jefferson. That is true of us. Sinful desires war against our soul and we must battle against them continuously.

But how do we do that in a world that preys upon our sinful passions; that encourages them; advertises to them; celebrates them? How do we do that in our Las Vegas culture? We must live as “aliens and strangers” or as it is also translated, “sojourners and exiles”. To sojourn is to stay someplace temporarily; to be a temporary resident. To be an exile is to be separated from one’s native land. When we live as sojourners and exiles, we recognize that this broken world is not our home and the way of this broken world is not our way. This world does not define us because we were meant to live for more. We are in it, but not of it. We live in the midst of it, but it is not our life. How do we abstain from sinful passions and live good lives in the midst of our Las Vegas culture? We change our loyalties and alter our priorities. We strive for something greater, higher, wider and nobler. Or as the writer of Hebrews says, we “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” When surrounded and accosted and tempted by the glitz and glamour, the propaganda and propositions, the easy money and cheap thrills of our Vegas culture, we must train our eyes to see through it (to see it for what it is: empty, base, fleeting); to see beyond it (to what is good, true and beautiful); and to see Christ (to look to and through Christ).

But what makes us want to live as sojourners and exiles in this world? Most people don’t generally choose exile or a life of sojourning. What would cause us to want that? The answer is found in one word: “Beloved”. We are God’s Beloved. And that makes all the difference. It makes all the difference because as Paul says, “Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Cor 5:14-15). People will do almost anything for human love, how much more the perfect love of God? And so, because we are loved we are willing and able to live no longer for ourselves but for the One who loves us; who died and rose again for us.

To be ‘beloved’ is to belong to the Father by being in the Son, Jesus Christ, and being filled with the Holy Spirit. To belong to the Father is to be reconciled. To be in Christ is to be redeemed. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be made holy. And so, to be ‘beloved’ is to be set apart and made right, or in other words, to be holy. As God’s beloved, we are made holy and as those who are made holy, we are beloved. As we read in vv.9-10, to be holy and beloved means we have received mercy; we are God’s people; we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation; a people belonging to God. And notice that even in that description we are pointed toward the impact we are to have. We read at the end of v. 9: “(so) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

How do we make an impact that causes unbelievers to come to Christ and glorify God? By living good lives in front of them and abstaining from sinful passions as those who choose to live as sojourners and exiles because they are the beloved of God (declared and being made holy). Or in other words, by living radically different lives out of our love for God.

But does that really work? Does living radically different lives (holy lives) make a difference? Yes.

For one reason, if we are no different from the world, what do we have to offer it? Why would people want more of the same? Without holiness (radical distinctiveness) that comes from belonging to God, all we have to offer is gimmicks and games. And our world doesn’t need any more gimmicks. It doesn’t need any more propaganda or platitudes. It needs integrity, confidence, strength and love. And so, holiness is compelling because love is compelling. Our good deeds, our lives of love cause people to glorify God. And holiness is compelling because integrity is compelling. When we live good lives; when our conduct is honorable and Christlike, people take notice. Personal strength is compelling because in a world of license, of indecisiveness and lack of commitment; a culture with the mantra of “if it feels good, do it” personal strength and self-control are rare and therefore striking. And confidence is compelling. Knowing who we are and being confident and comfortable in our identity as sojourners and exiles is somewhat refreshing in a world of identity confusion and identity fraud; of living vicariously and of people constantly trying to find themselves.

A second reason that holiness makes an impact is because holiness is a reflection of God. And when people see God, they are never the same. When people see a reflection of God’s character in us, they are astounded by it and attracted to it.

A third reason that holiness makes an impact is because holiness is personal. Holiness cannot be advertised or marketed or printed on a church letter-board sign, or glued to a billboard or made into a movie; it cannot be communicated through a bumper sticker, a t-shirt, a tract or any other impersonal means. Holiness makes an impact because the only way to see it is personally – we see it in the another person’s life; we see it lived out. You can ignore church letter-board signs. You can throw out a flyer. But it is difficult to ignore someone’s life. When Mother Theresa spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in 1994 (in front of the President and other leaders) what made her compelling was not what she looked like (a small, Albanian woman dressed as a nun), not her performance (she read from a paper held close to her face), but the truth of her words backed up by the holiness of her life. You could ignore her appearance and performance, but you could not ignore her life. Holiness makes an impact because it allows the truth of our words to be backed up by the love and integrity of our lives.

Impact 1: "A Living Church" 09.14.08

Salt and light are two things that make a tremendous impact, but often in subtle ways. Salt brings out flavor in food. It preserves food. And it has antiseptic qualities that help the body heal. Light obviously allows a person to see. Light brings color. Light brings life. It’s no wonder then that Jesus used these two things as metaphors for what His People should be: “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.”

But are we living as salt and light? Are we having a positive impact in our community, our culture, our world? Does our presence make a difference in this neighborhood? If SRC were not here would it make any difference (other than freeing up some tax-exempt land for development)?

The past two years we have heard a lot of messages about what we believe, who we are and what we are called to do as the Church. Will we allow what we have heard and learned to compel us to think differently, act differently, operate differently so as to make an impact in our surrounding world? The messages in this series are a call to do just that.

And so the call today comes from Acts 2:42-47.

We are called to be a Living Church. And as John Stott suggests in his book by that title, to be a Living Church …

We must be a LEARNING CHURCH. We read in v. 42, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…” The first Christians were devoted – they were persistent, committed, loyal - they gave their time and attention to learning how to follow Jesus. They knew their faith had content. There was a message, a teaching that was essential for them to understand and cling to and follow. We too must devote ourselves Scripture - not simply a respect or an appreciation for Scripture - we must devote ourselves to studying, learning and living Scripture. And that takes personal responsibility. Often Christians talk about “being fed” and the pastor is the one who is supposed to “feed the flock”. But as John Stott perceptively asks, “How do shepherds feed their sheep? The answer is that they don’t. To be sure if a newborn lamb is sick, the shepherd will doubtless take it up in his arms and bottle-feed it. But normally shepherds do not feed their sheep; they lead them to good, green pasture where the sheep feed themselves” (The Living Church, 103). So if we are to be a learning church, we must be committed not simply to listening to sermons, but to actively and personally feeding on God’s Word. When led to the green pastures of God’s Word, we must start chewing. Sheep that lie around waiting for the shepherd to stuff grass in their mouths would be pretty sickly sheep. If we are to be a living church that makes an impact in our community, we must be a learning church. And here’s a little secret: the more you are feeding on God’s Word, the more natural it is to make an impact.

We must be a LOVING CHURCH. We read that the believers also devoted themselves to “fellowship.” Their fellowship was a common life. The Greek word, koinonia means “common” and is also at the root of the word “generosity”. We read, “All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.” This was not communism, but rather simple generosity. It was love for each other. Jesus gave His followers the command to love one another. It was how people would know they were his disciples. And so here we see it lived out. And that was huge. Just as the message that the apostles proclaimed was backed up by signs and wonders. So it was also backed up by love. And that was an incredible witness to a watching world. It still is. People can tell us we’re crazy for believing in God and deluded for believing the Gospel, but it’s hard to argue with love. It’s hard to dismiss human beings showing love for one another – and showing love for them. Love is convincing. Love is essential for our impact. Love is the impact we are to have. The thing we often miss as evangelicals is the fact that our methods have to match our message. We focus on the message, but the message is love and therefore must be accompanied by love. If we do not love one another, why would anyone want to be a part of us? If we do not love the broken people around us, why would they ever listen to anything we have to say? The Living Church is a loving church.

Additionally, we must be a WORSHIPPING CHURCH. We read, “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God…” The early Church wasn’t fractured by worship as we often are. They worshiped formally (in the temple courts) and informally (in their homes). They worshiped joyfully and reverently (with glad and sincere hearts). What mattered was not where or how they worshiped, but that they worshiped. Often Christians focus on where and how we worship, rather than actually worshipping. And often our worship is corrupted by self-interest. We are often guilty of what Jesus warned against in Matthew 6.7: babbling (“when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.”) The word in the Greek is an onomatopoeia (it sounds like what it is). It is battalogia (babble, stammer, repeat meaninglessly). John Stott defines it as, “any speech in which the mouth is engaged but the mind is not.” Jesus speaks of this as He quotes the prophet Isaiah, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." Is our worship just babble? Do our lips move while our minds and hearts are disengaged? May we not be guilty of that. May we worship with joy and sincerity - all that we are praising God for all that He is. Because that kind of worship makes an impact.

And finally, we must be an EVANGELIZING CHURCH. We read in our passage, “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” We need to be doing all of the above (learning, teaching, loving, caring and worshipping) with a view toward others. We need to honestly look at ourselves and ask: Are we a church in which people who don’t know the Lord very well can learn about Him? Are we a church in which people are genuinely cared for? Are we a church in which people can find and experience God?
Here’s a test: Think of a friend, neighbor or colleague (someone you know and have a relationship with) who is not a believer. Would you feel comfortable – even excited - inviting them to attend our church? If not, we have a major problem.
Is our church accessible to the people of our community? I’m not suggesting that we water down our message and strip away all the core elements of worship, but I am asking do we do ‘our thing’ with a view toward our non-believing community? And the question is not only are we accessible? But are we inviting? Are we simply a “waiting church” that sits around waiting for non-Christians, for some reason, to darken the doors of our church? Or are we a “going church” – one that seeks the lost and invites them to know Jesus and worship Him with us? If we are to be a Living Church, and have a future, we must be a “going church”.
- We must understand who we are and what we believe.
- We must also organize ourself in such a way as to reflect our understanding of our self. If we know that we are to be salt and light in the world, do we organize ourself – our worship, our ministries, our money, our time and effort so as to actually be salt and light in the world?
- The living Church must also express itself. We have to articulate our message. We must speak to people. And we must speak to people where they are at (not where they should be or we wish they were). We must share the Good News not ‘the way we’ve always done it, but in a way that is understandable to other people. We cannot simply broadcast the Gospel; we must articulate it - so people can actually hear and understand it.
- And the living Church must be itself. We don’t need to apologize for who we are. We must not shy away from our identity as followers of Christ. We mustn’t water down the Gospel or conceal the radical calling of God in our lives. An embarrassed Christian is not attractive to the world. Be a Christian! Be who God made you and redeemed you to be! Not obnoxiously or abrasively, but honestly, authentically, humbly. An authentic faith, lived out honestly and humbly IS attractive. It IS compelling.

Are we making an impact in the lives of people around us? The only way we can is if we are a church that is learning, loving and living the life Jesus gives us. Brothers and sisters, we are rescued sinners, brought back to God in order to learn, love and live for Him. Pastor and writer David Hansen made the observation that perhaps the most basic principle of evangelism is that “we lead people to Christ through living simple lives of love” (The Art of Pastoring). May we do that, and in so doing, impact the people of our community, our culture and our world.

My God is Salvation [3] "God (With Us) is Salvation"

The theme of Emmanuel (God being with His people) runs throughout Scripture. I believe that God’s promise to be with us is the central promise of the Bible, for again and again, God says, “I will be with you.” Now, we know that theologically, but do we believe it personally? We may know it as a textbook answer, but do we cling to it as a gut conviction?

Often we think that God is only ‘with’ the spiritual big dogs, the heavy hitters – the Billy Grahams and Mother Theresas. We think that God is with people who write books and speak at conferences. God is with pastors and elders and Sunday school teachers, but not really with me. But that is a wrong way of thinking, for God is with His people. God is with us.

In 2 Kings 4:1-7, we will find that God was not only with His prophetic representatives to kings and nations (guys who stopped it from raining and called down heavenly fire and parted rivers and brought people back from the dead), He was also with an impoverished widow and two boys who had lost their father. God was with the marginalized, the overlooked, the vulnerable and the helpless.

Please read: 2 Kings 4.1-7.

Walter Bruggemann has written that, “The marvel of biblical faith is that barrenness is the arena of God’s life-giving action” (Genesis, Interpretation). This woman had practically nothing. She was, in a sense, barren. She could not save herself or her sons. But barrenness is the arena of God’s life-giving action. And so into this arena God brought a miracle.

This story doesn’t attempt to explain how the miracle happens, it just reports that it does. And yet the story hints at the conditions in which the miracle took place. I’ve mentioned the condition of barrenness, but in that arena we also find the core biblical virtues of faith, hope and love. And so, I want us to look at this miracle story through these three virtues.

First, HOPE. Though this woman was in a hopeless situation, she still had hope and therefore she cried out to Elisha. Hope can be defined as a desire accompanied by confident expectation of its fulfillment. We are hearing a lot about “hope” lately, especially from one of the candidates running for president. But hope is not simply a slogan or a feeling or a vague promise. Hope is not an end in and of itself. Hope is always directed towards something else. We have hope IN something or someone. And it is who you place your trust in that matters. Real hope (the hope that this woman had) is a hope grounded in God. However, it would have been easy for her to lose hope in God. After all, she was the wife of one of the prophets from the company of prophets – a man of God – on the inside track with God. Couldn’t God have cut her a break? It would have been easy for her to exclaim, as Teresa of Avila did once, “If this is how God treats His friends, no wonder He has so few of them!” However, the unnamed widow did not give up on God. With confident expectation she cried out to God for help.

This woman also had FAITH. The author of the book of Hebrews (11.1) tells us that, “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” And it is the surety and certainty of faith that leads to action and to obedience. For faith contains both elements of belief and action. And we find such faith in this woman.

// We find a humble faith. We see this when this story is set alongside one that follows it – the story of the healing of Naaman. On the surface, there is not many similarities between the stories. Naaman was a powerful Syrian general (who suffered from leprosy) who came to Elisha with a letter from his king and with wealth and pomp and bling. He came to Elisha with a show and expected a show from Elisha. The widow however came with nothing and simply cried out for help. However, there is a similarity in that in both stories Elisha was not present for the miracle but merely gave instructions for the miracle to take place. He told Naaman to dunk himself seven times in the Jordan R. and the woman to ask for jars from her neighbors. And notice that their reactions were vastly different. Naaman threw a fit when Elisha refused to put on a show for him. He resisted out of pride. The widow simply obeyed out of humility and trust. Naaman wanted to be healed on his terms. The widow was open to God’s terms. She had a humble faith.

// We also find in her an active faith. Elisha told her to, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.” And the woman did as she was instructed. She didn’t grumble at Elisha’s suggestion or second guess it or even question it. She simply did what the prophet instructed her to do. In faith she acted. She took what she had – a little oil (similar to the five loaves and two fish of the disciples) and trusted the word of Elisha.

// And we find an expectant faith. Notice that Elisha tells the woman not to simply ask for a few jars from her neighbors, but to take everything she could get her hands on. God was going to pour out His blessing and she needed to collect as much of it as she could. And so she and her son went around the neighborhood borrowing jars and filled her house with them. Having filled her house with them, she began to pour the oil. And she continued to pour the oil. I don’t know if she knew what to expect, but she expected the Lord to act and she was not disappointed. She had expectant faith.

And so this woman and her sons witnessed a miracle … and experience LOVE. This grieving, scared, desperate, broken family was shown the love of God. The love of God was expressed to them through God’s mercy, His rescue, provision, abundance, redemption, salvation. God heard their cry. He saw their tears. He reached down into their hopeless, fear-filled situation and proved Himself to be “a Father to the fatherless” and “a defender of widows”. This family was shown God’s love in miraculous flow of oil. But they were also shown God’s love through their neighbors’ generosity – by God moving the hearts of their neighbors to respond to their need and share with them. God gave abundantly. He redeemed the woman’s sons from slavery and the woman herself from poverty. He gave them enough oil to pay their outstanding debts and to get themselves started again.

I pointed out last time the similarity between the ministry of Elisha and that of Jesus. Therefore, I find it fascinating that in Isaiah 61:1-3 (the passage Jesus quoted at the beginning of His ministry and went on to fulfill) we read this, “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” If anyone knew the “oil of gladness” it was this woman and her sons. For God brings good news to the poor, binds up the brokenhearted, proclaims freedom for the captives and release for the prisoners; He comforts all who mourn and provides abundantly for his Beloved – a crown of beauty, the oil of gladness, a garment of praise.

A simple story but one with deep meaning and profound significance. And so, what is its significance for us? We may not be able to relate to the specifics of this woman’s circumstances, but we can relate to her experience of fear, of grief and loss, of anxiety over finances, worry about children, and a sense of helplessness in life’s circumstances. Sometimes we look around and seem to be in the arena of barrenness (in our personal lives, in our family, in our work, our culture, even in the church). We can relate to what the woman went through, but can we also relate to her response?

DO WE HAVE HOPE or do we think that our situation, our circumstance is helpless, hopeless, unchangeable? Hope caused the widow to look to the Lord. Hope does that. It turns our eyes to the Lord. Hopelessness only turns our eyes toward ourselves. In his masterful work The Screwtape Letters, CS Lewis puts these words in the mouth of the devil Screwtape as he writes to the demon Wormwood, “Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do [God’s] will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys” (ch. 8). Do we have a hope like that? Even though a particular situation may seem hopeless; even though our lives may seem to be in shambles, do we have a hope that causes us to still obey? Are our lives so firmly rooted in God; do we cling so tenaciously to God that, in spite of our circumstances, we still have hope? Has our hope found its resting place?

DO WE HAVE FAITH TO ACT or do we shy away, pull back, let pride interfere? Do we have the courage to follow the Lord no matter what he asks us to do or give up? Do we have a humble, active and expectant faith? Do we really believe God can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Eph 3:17-21)? How many jars are we willing to collect? Just a few or do we fill the house expecting God to fill them all? Do we have a little faith or a faith that can move mountains? (And really the issue is not about our amount of faith, but our understanding of God.) Is God a God who does little things or is He a God who can move mountains? The question is not: do we have enough faith to manage or manipulate God, but do we have the faith to allow God to be God and have His way with us? Do we have faith?

DO WE RECEIVE GOD’S LOVE or is it just for others? Do we lay our lives before God (like the jars filling the house) and ask Him to fill us – to pour out His love in abundance? Or do we restrain ourselves and limit God’s grace? Allow yourself to be loved by God. God’s love is not a luxury or an accessory; it is a necessity! We don’t scrimp when breathing and how much more do we need the love of God! Closely associated with this is the question: do we receive each other’s love? I know people who are great at giving gifts (they love giving gifts) but cannot receive gifts themselves. Often we are good and praying for others, but won’t ask prayer for ourselves? We’re glad to support others, but won’t let others support us. Bearing one another’s burdens means not only carrying other people’s burdens but allowing yourself to be carried. Love is two-directional. In order to love, you must also allow yourself to be loved. All of us have faced, are facing or will face hard times; we all have problems; none of us is perfect or has it all together. Therefore love one another … and be loved.

There is one more application from this passage and it is the central one because it is about God. The application is not so much me asking allegorically, “What are the creditors who are coming to steal the children in your life?” This is not an allegory. The application is that the same God who helped this woman in her dire circumstances is the same God who will help you in yours. God is real. And so, the same God who responded to the hope and love of that poor widow with love is the same God who loves us and wants to find hope and faith in us.

God is with us. Do you believe that – not simply as a textbook answer, but as a gut conviction? In Isaiah 41:10,13-14, the Lord says to Israel: "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand … For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid … O little Israel, for I myself will help you," declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel."

That is the message of this passage. And that is the message of Scripture: God is with us. Our heavenly Father is powerfully present with His children. Not just the ‘big dogs’, but with you and me. We are His Beloved and no matter how barren our situation may seem, He will never leave us or forsake us. For He hears. He sees. And He acts.

My God Is Salvation [2] "Where Now is the Lord?"

Songwriter and singer Sufjan Stevens has written these words in one of his songs: Oh God, where are you now? Oh Lord, say somehow. The devil is hard on my face again. The world is a hundred to one again. Have you ever felt that way? Ever asked that question: O God where are you now?
We find the prophet Elisha asking the same question as his mentor and friend Elijah was taken away from him: Oh God, where are you now? Read: 2 Kings 2.1-18

Though Israel was idolatrous and corrupt (though they were faithless), the Lord was faithful and raised up His prophets to be His presence in their midst. When Elijah was taken up to heaven, Elisha asked the question: “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And what was the answer? The answer was given in the miracle that followed: Elisha struck the Jordan River with the cloak of Elijah and, as it had parted for Elijah, so it parted for Elisha. So the answer was that God was still powerfully present with His people through His prophet.

The authority, power and spirit of Elijah were transferred to Elisha as his heir. Elisha had asked to inherit a double portion of Elijah’s spirit (the amount given to ones heir). Elijah told him this was a difficult thing to grant, because the Spirit was not really Elijah’s to give. It was up to God. But God granted that request and filled Elisha with His Spirit.

As we consider this theme further, I want us to look at this story in three different ways: in terms of discipleship, presence and power and prefigurement.

First, Discipleship. Elisha was a disciple to the end. He was faithful to his call. For Elijah, knowing that the Lord was going to take him away, told Elisha three times to stay behind. However, all three times, Elisha declared, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” Elisha was faithful to his calling and his promise to follow. As they journeyed from Gilgal to Bethel and then to Jericho, they were met by the ‘company of the prophets’ in each city who warned Elisha that the Lord was going to take Elijah away. But Elisha was not dissuaded. He persistently followed Elijah. And therefore Elisha fulfilled the purpose of discipleship, which is to be like the one you follow. Elisha is an example to us of what it means (and looks like) to be a disciple. A disciple learns, serves, imitates and eventually does the work of the master.

Next, I want us to look at the story in terms of Presence and Power. Elisha received a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. By the power of the Spirit, Elisha was able to stand up to kings (since his authority was above theirs); and he was able to minister to those in need – healing, feeding, providing for the helpless. After taking up the fallen mantle of Elijah, Elisha became the primary prophet of the Lord. But he wanted to be sure that he had been empowered and so he returned to the Jordan and, standing by the flowing waters of the river asked, “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he struck the water with the cloak and, as it did for Elijah, the water divided to the right and the left and Elisha crossed over. This was convincing proof (to both Elisha and the company of the prophets who were watching). And notice how and where this event took place: Elisha re-entered the Land just like Joshua and the Israelites did (by crossing the Jordan River which had been parted by the Lord), and at the same location – Jericho. Elisha then entered the land like a second Joshua. And his ministry was a sort of conquest. His ministry was to claim the land and the people for the Lord. And so he ministered mercy and brought judgment.

I also want us to consider this story in terms of Prefigurement. To prefigure is to show or represent beforehand by a figure, type or model; to foreshadow. And the stories of Elisha clearly prefigure our Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel. Jesus showed His disciples how all of Scripture speaks of Him. We see that clearly in this passage. And so, let’s look at the story in terms of a cast of characters.
- In one sense, Elijah is a type of John the Baptist – a lone voice in the wilderness. Jesus
even refers to John as being Elijah. As John baptized Jesus and then faded from the scene,
so Elijah anointed Elisha and soon was taken away. Elisha then is a type of Jesus. Elisha
was surrounded by disciples and had a ministry of life-giving miracles (cleansing a leper,
raising a dead son, multiplying bread, providing for the helpless).
- In another sense Elijah is a type of Christ and Elisha represents the disciples. As the
disciples left their fishing nets and family to follow Jesus, we saw last week how Elisha left his
family farm to follow Elijah. As the disciples carried on the work of Jesus, so Elisha carried
on the work of Elijah. As Elisha was given Elijah’s spirit, so the disciples were all filled with
the Holy Spirit.

And so, we can see hints of the Gospel here in these stories. But does it really matter? Yes. It does matter - a lot. Because without Jesus, the significance of this story collapses. If God was only ever present in the great figures of Israelite history and not ultimately in the Word made flesh, God incarnate, the Messiah Jesus, then these might be good stories, but that is all they are. Elisha’s question “where is the Lord?” is not only significant because it resonates with our human experience, but because it looks forward to the ultimate Answer. Where do we find God? We find God when we see Jesus (see: 2 Cor 4:6 and John 1:18). The Lord was powerfully present with His people through His prophet. But even more than that - through the life of this prophet, God foreshadowed how He would be even more intimately present with His people through His Son. Elisha’s ministry was but a foretaste of that of Jesus. The presence and power of the Spirit in the life of Elisha was a foretaste of the presence and power of the Spirit in the lives of Jesus’ followers.

So, we have looked at this story in terms of discipleship and seen that Elisha was FAITHFUL TO THE CALL. We have looked at it in terms of presence and power and seen that Elisha was FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT. And we have looked at it in terms of prefigurement and seen that the story of Elisha is FOCUSED ON CHRIST.

What do we learn? We learn that God is present with His people and the strength of His people when His people (like Elisha) are: FAITHFUL TO THE CALL, FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT, and FOCUSED ON CHRIST.

The people of Israel, in the days of Elisha, could rightly wonder where the Lord was. They felt His absence and they felt how vulnerable they were to hostile nations around them, because they were faithless in terms of their calling; they had rejected the voice of God’s Spirit in the mouths of the prophets; they had rejected God’s way of salvation. We too may feel God’s absence. We too may feel far away from God and vulnerable to the hostile forces of this world. Sometimes, that’s simply the result of life being hard. But often that feeling is the natural result of us:
- Being more faithful to the pressures, expectations and ways of the world than to the call of
God in our lives.
- Filling ourselves with anything and everything other than the Spirit of God.
- Being more focused on ourselves (our own wants, desires, felt needs, assumed rights,
entitlements, lusts, addictions, ambitions) than on Christ and His Way.

The prophet Isaiah wrote this: “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things” (Isaiah 59:1-3).

When we sense the Lord’s absence maybe it is because we need repentance. The arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. God is there. He is ready and willing to save, to hear us, to help us. But your iniquities have separated you from your God. We allow sin and self to come in between us and God. We allow the stuff of the world (the noise, lies, perversions, distractions, temptations) to corrode and clog our spiritual arteries blocking the flow of God’s presence from us.

We need the witness of Elisha and the conviction of the Spirit who filled him to draw us back and give us repentant hearts
- That we would turn from faithlessness and be faithful to the call of God in our lives.
- That we would empty the junk out of our lives so that we can be filled with the Holy Spirit.
- That we would allow “the things of earth to grow strangely dim” as we turn the focus of our
lives upon Jesus.
Then we will know the presence and power of the Lord. Then He will be our strength. Then, when we are faithful, filled and focused, we can answer the question, “O God, where are you now?” with the ultimate answer: He is here; He is with me because I am in Him.

The world in Elisha’s day needed to see the presence and power of the Lord. Our world does as well. And when we are faithful to the call, filled with the Spirit and focused on Christ, we not only experience God’s presence and power personally, we display it for the world to see.

Where now is the Lord?

My God is Salvation [1] "A Burning Decision"

Please Read 1 Kings 19.15-21

In this passage, we learn about the person, the call and the response of Elisha.

First, the PERSON of Elisha. Elisha was a prophet in the 800s BC. He lived and prophesied mostly in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. It seems that he came from a somewhat wealthy family (12 yoke of oxen and the workers to use them) and was called to ministry when he was still young, for according the Bible, his prophetic ministry lasted over fifty years and extended through the reigns of six kings. Elisha was the disciple and successor of Elijah and, like Elijah, stood against the idolatry and corruption of his generation. Elisha’s life was one of faithful, fearless following after God. Elisha was among those whose knees had not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths had not kissed him. In the midst of a faithless, corrupt generation that had, for the most part, turned from the Lord to follow other gods, Elisha was one who remained faithful. Though king Ahab and his wife Jezebel led the nation into idolatry and though the majority followed like lemmings, Elisha was one who stood firm, resilient to the cultural pressures, and worshipped the Lord alone.

Next, we learn about the CALL of Elisha. When Elijah found Elisha he was out plowing the fields. Elijah “passed by him” and threw his cloak around him. That is the same phrase used before when the Lord passed by Elijah on the mountain. It appears then that God passed by Elisha as well, calling him to follow and be His prophet. Elijah threw his cloak around Elisha to confer a new role and responsibility upon Elisha and to mark him as his successor.

Finally, we see the RESPONSE of Elisha. Evidently Elijah didn’t linger but kept on walking so that Elisha ran after him to stop him. And when he had caught up to him he said, “Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye and then I will come with you.” Now the jury is still out on whether this was a positive or negative response (see Luke 9:61-62). But Regardless of Elisha’s initial response, his overall response is clear and decisive (see 1 Kings 19:21). Elisha’s actions marked a clear break with his former life. How did Elisha make a living? Farming. What do you need to farm? Oxen and plowing equipment. And here Elisha breaks apart his plow and makes a bonfire out of it and then slaughters his oxen and cooks them over the fire. Talk about burning your bridges! Elisha left himself no means of return. This was no experiment. He was not trying out the life of a prophet to see if he liked it or not. He committed himself completely to following the Lord as he served Elijah. There was no going back.

This reminds me of the story told about the Spanish conqueror Hernando Cortez. In the year 1519, he anchored his 11 ships off the Yucatan Peninsula in an ambitious attempt to conquer the Aztec empire. He was vastly outnumbered and was separated from home and reinforcements by thousands of miles of ocean. Even so, after his men went onshore, he ordered for all of his 11 ships to be burned. Now, you can rightly condemn Cortez for many things, but one thing is certain: he was totally committed. But even more was Elisha totally committed. Elisha made a burning decision out of a burning desire to serve the Lord.

So what do we lean from this story of Elisha’s calling?

1. We learn that Israelite culture was idolatrous and corrupt. Israel had rejected their covenant with the Lord, killed his prophets and worshiped other gods, such as Baal and Asherah. Their king and leaders were corrupt, leading them away from the Lord.
2. We learn that God did not give up on them. He still spoke to them through His prophets. God preserved a remnant of those faithful to Him and sent His prophets to call out to them and to serve as a witness of His presence, power and authority over them.
3. And we learn that Elisha was:
a. willing to be apprenticed. An apprentice learns, serves, imitates and eventually
does the work of the master craftsman. And that is what Elisha did. He let go of
his former life in order to commit himself as a disciple of Elijah; to learn and live a
new life.
b. willing to be marked. At this time, Elijah was at the top of the ‘Israel’s Most
Wanted’ list. He was a marked man and considered an enemy of the state. King
Ahab hated him and Queen Jezebel was actively trying to kill him. Elisha then was
risking his life in obeying the Lord and following Elijah. But he was ready and
willing to do so.
c. was willing to be used. Like Elijah, Elisha would stand up to kings; would stand
against his corrupt culture; would speak God’s message, show off God’s power
and follow God’s leading. His was not an easy life, but it was an obedient,
powerful, God-glorifying life and therefore a compelling life.

But what do we learn about us? How do we fit into this story? How does it shape us? Like Elisha, we live in an idolatrous, corrupt culture. We may not worship Baal and Asherah, per se, but we have a host of other gods and goddesses that we bow down to, the foremost being the chief god of Self. We have broken our relationship with the Lord and turned our hearts away from him. Like Elisha’s culture and like the world Paul refers to, we live in a ‘crooked and depraved generation’. But God is patient and faithful. He does not give up, but continues to speak through His servants and use His servants to “shine like stars in the universe as [we] hold out the word of life.” God continues to carry out His plan of redemption through the men and women He calls to follow Him.

And so, we, like Elisha, are called to be:

Apprenticed. We are called to leave behind our former life (what we knew and what we were) in order to commit ourselves as disciples of Jesus Christ – to follow and learn from him. We are called to learn, serve, imitate and do the work of our Master Craftsman. We are called to let go of our former life in order to learn and live a new life.

Marked. Sometimes being marked is a difficult thing. It means you have to live differently. It means some people may resent and hate you because you live differently. You will experience some cultural friction. But our lives should clearly display our allegiance to Jesus and His claim over us.

Used. We are called to stand up against our corrupt culture; to stand up even in the face of kings and rulers; to speak God’s message, show off God’s love and power and follow God’s leading. The Christian life is not an easy life, but it is a joy-filled, hope-filled life. And an obedient, authentic, loving, God-glorifying life is a compelling life.

Elisha had the mantle of Elijah thrown upon Him. We however, have had Jesus say to us, “Follow Me”. But what is our response? Is it like those who, when Jesus called them to follow, came up with excuses and ways of stalling? Is it like the son, in the parable of the father who asked his sons to work in his vineyard, who said yes but didn’t go? Is it like the rich young man who decided that following Jesus cost too much? Or is it like that of Elisha who dropped everything, burned his ships and set out to follow?

Are we totally committed to Jesus or only mostly or partly of kind of? With Jesus, it is all or nothing. We can’t hold anything back. Jesus is not merely Lord of our “spiritual lives” while we run our physical and professional lives. Jesus is not Lord over our private life while we take care of our public one. He is Lord of all – all of us, every part of us.

With Jesus, it is all or nothing. And so, there is no returning. We must burn our ships. We must give ourselves totally to Him. We make a clean break with the old way of doing things (the way of the fallen world). We give those things up. And though that sounds like a lot, its really nothing. We give up nothing and gain everything.

We have a burning decision to make. Will we choose the plow and oxen over the call and keep on doing what we’re doing – the seemingly safe and steady thing, ‘our thing’? Will we chose th plow and oxen or will we light it up, throw a farewell party and follow our Lord and Savior on the adventure of being His disciple?

Anybody got some matches?

LN 23: "Love For the World, part 2" 06.08.08

Last time we considered how we show love for the world through outreach – through actively and personally extending ourselves to those around us and around the world with the Good News and love of Jesus Christ. We looked at outreach in terms of evangelism. Today I want us to look at outreach in terms of service.

As we consider this, I want to suggest that We are called to serve our neighbors through self-giving love, thereby bringing joy to ourselves and glory to God.

“WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE…” We simply have to look at 2 statements about Jesus to recognize this.
- Philippians 2:5-11. Our attitude should be the same as Jesus. What did Jesus do? He made Himself nothing. He became a servant and gave Himself for us. And we are to have the same mindset. Just above this passage we read: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” We need a mindset to serve.
- Matthew 20:25-28. The way of the world is arrogance and one-upmanship. The way of Jesus is humility and servanthood. Jesus said, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.” For our example is Jesus Himself who “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” If we call ourselves Christians then we must follow Christ and serve others.

But WHO ARE WE CALLED TO SERVE? The apostle Paul helps us with this when he writes in Galatians 5:13-14, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself.” We have been set free to serve our neighbor. But we may ask: “Who is our neighbor?” Jesus was asked that once. This was His response - the parable of the Good Samaritan. Look at Luke 10:30-37.
- What is the message of that parable? Haddon Robinson, once told the story of how his son was taught the parable one day in Sunday School. His son told him the whole story and when he had finished, Robinson asked his son, “Now, what was that story all about? What does it mean? His son paused for a moment and then said “The story of the Good Samaritan means – whenever I’m in trouble you’ve got to help me!” That’s a pretty good understanding of the story – a simple recognition that human need requires human assistance. Robinson, in his own sermon on the parable, summarizes it this way: “Your neighbor is anyone whose need you see and you're in a position to meet.”
- You’re neighbor is anyone. Generally speaking every human being alive is your neighbor. Every person should be an object of our concern. However, we are not able to help everyone. The problems of the world are overwhelming and can be paralyzing. And so specifically speaking, your neighbor is anyone whose need you’re in a position to meet. How do we deal with the problems of the world? By dealing with the person in front of us whose need we see and whose need we’re in a position to meet. Edward Everett Hale once wrote, “I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do. And what I ought to do, by the grace of God, I will do.” Who are we called to serve? Our neighbor - anyone whose need you see and you're in a position to meet.

So, we are called to serve our neighbors, but HOW? By following Jesus’ example of self-giving love. Read John 13:1-17. Foot washing was a menial task – so low that it was listed among tasks that an Israelite servant should not have to do. And yet as the supper commenced and no one had their feet washed (evidently no one was willing to wash the feet of their peers), Jesus got up took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. This was a sign of a servant. Jesus, in an incredible act of humility, thus identified Himself as a slave. And He did this, we are told, to show “the full extent of his love.” Knowing who He was and what was about to happen to Him, Jesus still focused on His disciples, serving them in love.

This foot washing illustrated Jesus’ entire ministry and mission and so it must illustrate ours. Jesus said, “Do you understand what I have done for you? ... You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” Jesus has given us an example to follow, the example of self-giving love.

But all this talk about being a servant is not very palatable to our culture. Words like service, submission, selflessness, and sacrifice are not exactly popular terms. Even among Christians, service is often seen as a form of drudgery – something we’re guilted into doing. And so why in the statement I offered would I say that, “We are called to serve our neighbors through self-giving love, THEREBY BRINGING JOY TO OURSELVES…”? Because though our culture mistakenly believes that happiness is found in focusing on oneself, joy is found in extending oneself for others. That is why the Gospel appears upside-down to our culture. Jesus said, “whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” In order to find ourselves, we must give up ourselves. Joy is found in giving yourself away. Do you want to experience growth as a Christian? Do you want to experience joy and satisfaction? Then learn to serve.

We are called to serve our neighbors through self-giving love, thereby bringing joy to ourselves AND GLORY TO GOD. But how does serving one’s neighbors glorify God? We often see work or service as drudgery, but it is actually worship. Both Hebrew and Greek have words meaning both work/service and worship. Why is that? Because worship is not simply a cerebral activity nor is it merely a vocal activity. Worship is a life activity. As Christians, our lives are to be worship. Therefore, when we serve one another and others, we worship God. We bring glory to God. That is why Jesus said, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Self-giving love glorifies God because it reflects God’s character to the world. And self giving love brings joy because we were made to reflect God’s character to the world.

Brothers and sisters, We are called to serve our neighbors through self-giving love, thereby bringing joy to ourselves and glory to God. Through service we reach out to the world with the Good News and love of Jesus Christ. We exemplify the Good News for them. Through service we build each other up as well. Without service the mission of the Church cannot be accomplished, for we cannot show love for God or one another or the world unless we are willing to serve. And so are you willing to serve? Are you willing to give of yourself?

We are called to serve. For serving is a vehicle through which the mission of the Church is accomplished.

Jeff Mugford tells a powerful story:

He saw people love each other, and he saw that love made strenuous demands on the lovers. He saw that love required sacrifice and self-denial. He saw that love produced arguments, jealousy, and sorrow. He decided that love cost too much. He decided not to diminish his life with love.

He saw people strive for distant and hazy goals. He saw men strive for success and women strive for high ideals. He saw that the striving was often mixed with disappointment. He saw strong and committed men fail, and he saw weak, undeserving men succeed. He saw that striving sometimes forced people into pettiness and greed. He decided that it cost too much. He decided not to soil his life with striving.

He saw people serving others. He saw men give money to the poor and helpless. He saw that the more they served, the faster the need grew. He saw ungrateful receivers turn on their serving friends. He decided not to soil his life with serving.

When he died, he walked up to God and presented his life to him—undiminished, unmarred, unsoiled. The man was clean and untouched by the filth of the world, and he presented himself to God proudly saying, “Here is my life!” And God said, “…What life?”
(Jeff Mugford, Youth Specialties: Hot Illustrations)

May God not say that to us. May we not waste our lives in selfishness, but learn to serve – to serve our neighbor with self-giving love, thereby bringing joy to ourselves and glory to God. And may we heed the call of God who says, “I will make you a light for the nations that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

LN 22 "Love For the World, part 1" 05.25.08

As followers of Christ we are the light of the world, but if we stay hidden what good will we do anyone? We must shine in the darkness where the light of God’s love is needed most - reaching out with the light of Christ. And so, as we continue to consider what we do as the Church and focus on the Church’s mission to love, we must consider how we show love for the world through outreach. Today, we will look at outreach in terms of evangelism.

What is evangelism? ‘Evangelism’ is the word for “Good News” (euangelion – eu = good, angellein = announce (from angelos = messenger/angel). So to evangelize is to bring good news; to be a messenger or herald of the Good News of Jesus.

Though that is what it literally means, evangelism has taken on all sorts of other meanings. We often think of sweaty preachers and mass conversions, revival tents, a person on a street corner with a bullhorn, passing out tracts & televangelists. We hear the word ‘evangelism’ and we get scared that we’ll be asked to do it or feel guilty that we haven’t. We think of evangelism as something we are supposed to do and supposed to want to do, but something that we don’t do because we are scared or think we don’t know how.

So how do we define evangelism? John Stott helps us in this by clarifying how it shouldn’t be defined. In his book Christian Mission in the Modern World, Stott states that:
- Evangelism is not defined by recipients. The Gospel is for everyone.
- Evangelism is not defined by results. When we think of ‘successful’ evangelism, we think of conversions and “winning souls”. Granted, the goal of evangelism IS for people to become disciples of Jesus Christ, but conversion is not our responsibility, whereas evangelism is. God converts people. We simply share the Good News of salvation. ‘Successful evangelism’ then is not determined by the number of conversions, but by one’s faithfulness in making the Gospel message known.
- Evangelism is not defined by methods. There is no one way to do evangelism.

Evangelism, therefore, is not defined by recipients, results or methods, but by the Message. The most important part of sharing the Good News is…the Good News!

We find this kind of evangelism in Romans 10.1-17.

In this passage, we find the MOTIVATION FOR EVANGELISM. The motivation is love. Paul was motivated by his love for God and his love for others. He wrote, “Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.”
- Paul wanted God to be glorified and for God’s will to be done. Paul desired salvation for his people because salvation is also God’s desire (see: John 6:40 and 1 Timothy 2:3). Paul loved the Lord and wanted Him to be glorified by the salvation of many.
- Paul was also motivated by love for his fellow people. His statement above is one of passion and compassion. In the previous chapter, Paul wrote, “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel.” Paul was willing to give himself up for the sake of his brothers. That is love. Love motivated Paul to share the Good News.

In this passage, we also find the MESSAGE OF EVANGELISM.
- The message involves grace (read in v. 3-4) Salvation does not require some Herculean task of us. It requires us to receive what is offered by grace, for Christ provides righteousness for everyone who believes.
- And so, the message calls for response. We read in vv. 9-11, “if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
- And thirdly, this message is for all. We read in vv. 12-13, “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile- the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” In evangelism, there is no partiality. We don’t speak the Good News to some and not to others. The message is for every human being on earth, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

And lastly in this passage, we find the MEANS OF EVANGELISM.
As we consider the means we see that evangelism is necessary - v. 14-15: “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 they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Now in the task of evangelism, there are two central elements: proclamation and presence.
- There is a message to be proclaimed. As Paul asked, “how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” At some point, as we live as witnesses for Jesus, there must come a time in which we communicate verbally the message of salvation.
- However, something must precede proclamation and that is presence. Jesus not only told us to make disciples, but also to go. We are to go into the world; into our communities; into our neighborhoods; into the lives of our friends and be present there with them. Who are you more likely to believe: a person who has been your friend and stuck with you in good times and bad or a person yelling at you on a street corner? We need to be personal with people, present with them, forming relationships, building friendships – respecting them, not treating people like conversion projects.
- And presence is needed not only as individuals but as the Church. The visible presence of the church is attractive. People need not only to hear the Gospel, they need to see it lived out. People want to see it! People want something real and true. Stott says it well, “There can be no evangelism without the church. The message comes from a community that embodies it and welcomes into its fellowship those who receive it.”

But how do we do this? There are plenty of great resources that can help us, but for today, I want us to simply consider two basic ways we can do this.

The first is: BE THE CHURCH. Too often churches, in their desire to be relevant and be heard by their culture, sell out to their culture. Rather than following the motivation, message and means of Jesus, they use the motivation, message and means of the world.
- But the motivation of the world is self-focused whereas the motivation of Jesus is God-focused and others-focused. The world seeks its own glory, whereas Jesus sought to bring glory to the Father. Churches therefore must not seek to glorify themselves, but only God.
- The message of the world is that we don’t need any help or if we do it is help that we can provide for ourselves. The message of Jesus, however, is that we desperately need a Savior and He alone is our Savior.
- The means of the world are often connected with the business world (you get what you pay for, there are no free lunches, watch your back, and you have to climb the ladder, stepping on and over others to succeed). We follow Machiavelli (the ends justify the means) and Nietzsche (will to power). However, the means of Jesus, in total antithesis to that, is self-giving love.
And so, be the Church. Be what God has made you to be: a people reconciled to Him through self-giving love and who thus relate to each other and the world through self-giving love.

As the Church, our motivation is love, our message is love and our means is love, because Jesus is our motivation, message and means. We must never lose sight of that because it is the love of Jesus that is compelling. It is the love of Jesus that saves.

The second way is: BE YOURSELF. Be who Jesus gave His life for you to be. Be a follower of Jesus, who has had his or her life transformed by the Gospel. How do we do that?
- Believe the Gospel. Stott says, “Nothing hinders evangelism today more than the widespread loss of confidence in the truth, relevance and power of the gospel” (40). Are you convinced in the truth, relevance and power of the Gospel? You will never share the gospel if you are not convinced of it; if you do not believe it; if you do not share Paul’s conviction which he expressed in Romans 1: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes”.
- Not only must you believe it, you must be transformed by the Gospel. You can’t give what you don’t have. If you truly believe the Gospel, then you will be transformed by it. Before we speak of transformation and encourage others to be transformed, we must be transformed. (Not perfect, but growing into the new creation God has made us to be.)
- And so we must also live the Gospel. We not only share the Good News with words, but with actions. As we talk about Christ, we must strive to live like followers of Christ. And this does not mean that we simply live happy Christian lives and hope that someone notices. We must live intentionally - developing friendships with non-Christian people, getting to know your neighbors and co-workers, being light where it is needed not simply where it is safe. And when you live the Gospel, you are empowered by God. When you are intentionally following Jesus as the light of the world, your weakness becomes strength.

Be the Church and be yourself – not the Church as an historical institution (in which we only do things the way we’ve always done them) but the Church alive in Christ; not yourself (simply wandering through life) but yourself alive in Christ. For a church that is alive in Christ; a body of believers who are alive in Christ is the most compelling thing there is. If that is not true then why would God have chosen human beings (chosen us) to communicate His Good News?

We are followers of Jesus Christ. If we stay hidden in the closet (behind the walls of safety and comfort) what good will we do anyone? We are called to shine in the darkness where the light of God’s love is needed most. We are called to reach out with the light of Christ.