Mighty to Save - Happy to Share

We have been given the great commission to preach the Gospel and make disciples of all people. The Bible tells us that we are the body of Christ here on earth, but does that make God limited without us? 

A few years ago, I had an opportunity to work overseas in China as an engineer setting up a new factory for a North American company. Before I left for China, I met a pastor who had spent a good portion of his life ministering in the Asia region. He was easy to talk to so I threw some questions out and asked him “How powerful is God’s Word when sharing the Gospel?” When I asked this question, I was wondering what it would be like to share Jesus with someone and yet have no means to provide follow-up material or a church where I could invite the individual to attend. The minister replied with the verse “God’s word is living and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword.” (Hebrews 4:12)  The minister went on to tell a story of how he shared the gospel with a man in a remote area and years later when they crossed paths again, that man from the remote region was still going steady in joy and faith. I was encouraged by what the minister said. Even though I knew God’s Word was powerful, the living part was something I tended to forget.  

While working in China, I met a young Chinese man by the name of Tim who assisted the team. Tim was very friendly, and his English ability was decent enough to hold long conversations. On one encounter, I told Tim that I would be leaving the next week and going home and spending Christmas with my family. He asked if I was a Christian, to which I replied yes. He then told me he was Christian too and that we shared a common faith. I was intrigued and wanted to know more about his relationship with Christ. The topic came up again later that week. I asked Tim how he became a Christian and he told me that his grandmother was a Christian, and before she passed on, she told him about Jesus. He didn't know exactly what she was talking about at the time but she, unbeknownst to him, had planted a seed in his life. Years later when Tim was going to university in China, some international students invited him to attend a Christian group. He remembered what his grandmother told him and was open to it. In that Christian group he received Jesus Christ.

With Tim’s story, I’m reminded that the Holy Spirit is at work in the lives of people, drawing them to Christ. Sometimes we try to give the Gospel life by our own means and move it along by our own efforts. This can become stressful if we think that it is all up to us to help somebody who is in need or ‘get somebody saved’. Of course I agree that having proper follow-up material and a community of faith is important for spiritual growth. I also know that our labour of love helping and serving people changes countless lives. But I've come to realize that God is not limited by what we do and don’t do. 

As much as I like to help people in need and give my time serving, I've learned that my ability to impact lives is limited. I may only have a few moments with some individuals. I have found that if someone shares a need with me, I offer to pray and put the focus on Jesus and His finished work and prayer is rarely refused.

So if we are the body, the hands and feet of the Gospel, then the Holy Spirit must be the wings. (What? Wings? God?  Yeah – Psalm 91:4, possibly used metaphorically but still... :)  )  We can be encouraged and know that Jesus Christ is the Living Word active in this world. We take comfort in His promises and know that He loves and cares for every single person more than we can imagine and He desires everyone to be saved. God doesn't need us to minister, but gives us this wonderful privilege and blessing to be His partners. We are His messengers, but undoubtedly He is the One who touches and changes hearts.

Veritas Vos Liberabit

Veritas vos liberabit, a Latin motto popular with many schools, meaning “the truth will set you free” is taken from John 8:32. Higher institutes of learning pursue truth and knowledge, but what is truth and what is the truth that will set you free? Are we to go about openly declaring truth? Do all truths have the same significance? In the justice system, if you are innocent, then truth is something you want established, but if you are guilty of a crime, then the truth will not set you free but instead land you in prison. 

There are many Christians who believe we must take a stand for truth. So we take the passage of scripture that says “Thy word is truth” and conclude that everything in the Bible is true and therefore must be something we should assert. We extend this to our evangelism, political and social views and our relationships with those around us. Although we are mostly sincere in our desire to be obedient to God's Word, we often don’t realize what we are doing with our position. Some of us have alienated many friends, family members and strangers who would otherwise welcome the good news of the Gospel and the person of Jesus Christ.

While I believe the Bible is the inspired word of God, inerrant in its original form, I have learned that not everything is truth that we should proclaim.  For instance:
1) There are lies recorded, certainly a lie can’t be true  (i.e.  In 2 Sam 1:9  an Amalekite claims to have killed King Saul).
2) Satan’s words are written down, ... probably not a good idea to preach one of those passages out of context. 
3) Men speak of their own understanding but not necessarily God’s understanding. ( In John 9:31 the man healed of blindness claims ‘We know God doesn't hear sinners', but God must hear sinners, or else nobody would be able to turn to Him and receive Him).
Also, when sharing the Gospel, certainly not everything in the Bible is appropriate for every situation. For example, if I met somebody who had never heard about Jesus, I would probably not start my conversation with the first 3 chapters of Chronicles (which I'm reading through now :S).

So it would seem there is a difference in something being true and what the Bible refers to as Truth. It is interesting to note that the truth of the law is not the same truth that came through Jesus. John makes the contrast in John 1:16:  “The Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”.  What is the distinction? While the law reveals knowledge of sin, it is powerless to help anyone. Giving sinners the truth of the law certainly does not set them free, but instead brings condemnation and kills (2 Cor 3:6).

So then what is the truth that came through Jesus?  When Jesus appeared before Pilate, there was an interrogation that took place. Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” yet we don’t see Jesus’ response and it seems to be left open-ended. Whatever was said we know right afterward Pilate found no guilt in Jesus. Thankfully within scriptures we are not left without an answer. Jesus clearly stated in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life.”

With Jesus' words in mind, when I read the Bible I see a distinction between truth and TRUTH. Little t truth says we are sinners. Little t truth says sinners deserve punishment and death. Little t truth says we must continually offer sacrifices when we do wrong. But Big T Truth says Jesus took our punishment as a sacrifice once for all and we are set free in Him. Big T Truth says that Jesus took the world’s sin upon Himself. Big T Truth says that we are made the righteousness of God in Christ.  Or simply, Big T Truth is Jesus Himself, the Living Word. 

In the book of Acts chapter 16, there is an interesting account where Paul is about the Lord’s work and a girl with an evil spirit keeps following and proclaiming “these are messengers of the most high!” Although what she was saying was true, Paul finally put a stop to it and rebuked the Spirit. I always wondered why he stopped her in the first place and why it took so long. For one thing, I’m sure it was getting distracting; she must have been very vocal. Secondly, it seems Paul didn't stop her at first because what she was saying was true. What we do learn from this passage is that even evil spirits can proclaim the ‘little t truth’. 

If grace and truth came through Jesus and we are to follow His example, why don’t we as a church do it more often? When Jesus saw Zacchaeus in the sycamore tree He didn’t take a stand for truth and start yelling at him, “You wicked tax collector, liar and cheating thief! Don’t you know that liars and thieves go to hell?!”   Instead, Jesus embraced Zacchaeus and came to his house.

Taking a passage of scripture out of context (the context being the finished work of Christ) and telling this to someone in hopes that this ‘truth’ would impact them, probably won't.  Calling people sinners and telling them to repent even thought it may be true, rarely yields the desired results, but instead turns people off. So rather than taking a stand for what is true, let’s stand for Truth and share the Truth of the Gospel, the good news that God was in Christ reconciling the World to Himself. That God has forgiven everyone and through Jesus has given us wonderful, new, abundant life. Jesus is the Truth that sets us free.

Half Full, Half Empty, or Overflowing?

While not an American, come every year I always watch the State of the Union Address. During the President's speech, many words are shared, challenges identified and achievements proclaimed. Much of the address reminds me of some Pentecostal church services I've been to, where after each major point everyone claps and sometimes to really show appreciation... stands up and claps. I like to pay attention to the reactions from both sides of the House, seeing who is willing to support the opposition ideas. I like when I see a few Republicans stand and clap among cheering Democrats and vice versa. While at the end of the address we are left with little new information, the concept of routine evaluation is sound. But what about the state of the Gospel in this world?  Is this something we pay much attention to?  Should we as believers be concerned about how things are progressing?  

I've heard many sermons and discussed this subject with many Christians who share a variety of views on the state of the Gospel. Some will say it varies between countries. For instance, countries like China are experiencing a rapid growth of Christianity, while European nations are seeing a decline in Christian population. What can be reasons for these trends and are they reflective of God’s power at work or lack thereof? 

If Christianity in the western world is declining, the question we ask is why?  How come we don’t see such great miracles here in our backyard? Why is God seemingly more powerful overseas? Whenever I've spoken with evangelists and asked this very question, the responses differ. Some say: “God is not taught in schools! We've gotten rid of the Ten Commandments.” Others say “There is no fear of God. Nobody respects God’s Word anymore. Evolution has replaced God and the need for a Creator.” Yet others say “We (western society) are all distracted by our materialism and limit the power of God by our unbelief.” Certainly, I agree that there is an enemy at work who is trying desperately to destroy mankind and some of his methods are as described by those evangelists, but also the enemy seeks to get the church distracted trying to defend or fight a battle that should not be our concern.

So with the view that unbelief is prevalent in society, when we look at the western world we see an obstacle to God’s power. We are reminded of Jesus when He could do only a few miracles in his hometown Nazareth because of the unbelief of the people. If Jesus could do few miracles and He is our example, should we expect a different outcome? I've often thought about this passage but wonder if we should equate these situations... is the western world even Jesus’ hometown, anyway?

But the contrasting view is this:  God is at work everywhere in everything in spite of unbelief. That unbelief isn't necessarily an obstacle, but an opportunity to receive faith from Jesus (Mark 9:24). While the world may be fallen, Jesus Christ is working through the tough situations. After all, Jesus declared:
“Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.” John 4:35

This world is full of lost people from all walks of life. Rather than a rejection of Christ, declining numbers indicate a rejection of Christianity as a religion. Some may be disillusioned by the church and the hypocrisy shown. At many times we as a church have come across in the opposite way we should. Instead of selfless and loving, we are self-promoting, interested in our own prosperity, while at the same time judging and condemning the world in the name of truth. In our efforts to stick up for what is ‘right’ we alienate many people. Thankfully, God's grace and goodness are greater than our ability to mess things up.

Our State-of-the-Gospel view is important as it can influence us in several ways: Firstly, how we conduct ourselves and how willing we are to share the gospel with, minister to, and love on people. Secondly, how we feel emotionally. If we are living in a world where we think that even Jesus couldn't do miracles, that is quite a bummer. What hope do we have? But when we realize that God’s Holy Spirit is at work in us and in this world, and that the Holy Spirit power is the same power that raised Christ from the dead (Rom 8:11, Eph 1:19-20), it helps put things in perspective.

So I encourage everyone to be the optimist -  the Holy-Spirit-overflowing optimist. For we have awesome good news to share and are entrusted with great love and life to shine into this broken world.