Who Do You Think Jesus Is?

One of the neatest toys from childhood is Mr Potato Head.  A simple little toy with hundreds of options.  When I was a kid my favorite thing was to make the potato head into a creature straight from a nightmare...Eyes where the arms go, arms out of the eyes, nose on top of the head.  It just wasn't as fun to just make him look normal.

That attitude of remaking everything to suit our own needs/desires is a pretty common one.  We try to remake our spouses, our friends, our jobs, our kids, etc.  Too often we don't want to accept things and people the way they are, we want to remold them after our own images. 

And this attitude influences our relationship with God.

God and Jesus have been through quite a makeover the past few decades.  Amazingly the makeover has less to do with God Himself, and more with culture.  The God of scripture has always stood over cultural trends and eras, but lately it would appear that an "evolving" society is tired of a God who draws us to Himself and out of our selves, but instead is looking for a god that will follow and affirm where we have already decided to go.

I was recently reading an article about someone's problems with the bible and church.  An actual statement was that the bible needs to be updated and revised to be more in alignment with our new society.  This is the sort of god that is no longer an "embarrassment" to those with more nuanced and modern sensibilities.  It is a god that is a fancy designer handbag to wear as a philosophical accessory.

The response by orthodox believers and the church has sadly been unhelpful.  It's not that they don't try to speak truth when issues arise, but that they are spending all their time running from fire to fire desperately trying to put it out, without ever addressing the problem of what is starting all of these fires.

¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
                  Matthew 16:15-16

At the heart of all of these debates is that we are not asking and answering the fundamental question....Who IS Jesus. 

When Jesus becomes nothing more than an accessory to add and remove depending on our current whims, than we can manipulate him to fit into any box we desire.  Don't like what he has to say about sin, pop out that interchangeable part and pop in some "love" instead.  Worried that his statements about sex and marriage are too antiquated, pop that out, pop in some affirming philosophical mumbo jumbo that makes you feel better. 

If the answer to the question of who do we say He is, is that He is the Messiah, then all of that changes radically.  The son of the Living God, the King of Creation, the Risen Messiah, is not some childish toy that we manipulate and adapt to be more appealing to our current thought processes.  Instead of demanding He adhere to our standards, we are forced to recognize that it is us that must adhere to His.

Timothy Keller wrote that if the God we are following seems to always agree with how we feel, then we are not following God at all, just an idealized idolatrous image of ourselves.  If Jesus is the Messiah, than there is a implied correlating truth;  You are NOT the messiah.  This means that our own opinions and thoughts on a matter should be held skeptically.  The goal is not finding a way to shoe horn God's opinion into alignment with our own, but to be willing to submit our thinking to His Truth. 

As long as we do not address this fundamental issue, "Who IS Jesus??", we will always be putting out fires.  Should we speak truth in the face of falsehood?  Sure.  But if we do not address the heart of the matter, there will always be another fire to put out. 

Consuming Consumption

Have you ever not been hungry and ate more food anyways?  Welcome to my life.....Though I proudly trumpet my new found health and ever increasing rugged handsomness, I still struggle with unhealthy urges.  When those urges had more control of me I would often find myself eating well past being full.  My wife could always tell because when I overate I would have uncontrollable hiccups.  And the graceful woman that she is, she would always call me out. 

So why did I eat well beyond being full?

Because it made me feel good.

Even though it later made me feel bad......

Why do we over consume things?  Because they are filling in for something else.  We are a materialistic consumer driven culture.  And we are all victims of it.  Even the way grocery stores are arranged is to best induce you into buying more stuff....because you THINK you need it.  I just read about how even funeral homes put the most expensive caskets on the right hand side of the display room because almost every person turns right when they enter a room.

We consume, and consume, and consume.  Yet we never are satisfied.

The lie we have accepted and integrated into our lives is that we can go "get" something that will fill the gaping need we sense within ourselves.  We pursue things, people, money, sex, adventure, victories, etc, all in the desperate striving to finally feel ok.

Why are we like this? 

It is because we have objectified happiness and satisfaction.  Finite things and experiences have taken the place of objective truth and we treat these things as means to an end.  We feel no guilt about what we waste, whether people or things, because they have no greater value than what we wanted them to do for us for the moment that we wanted them.  When they lose their ability to bring us some sort of relief from the emptiness we toss them aside because they no longer have value.

In chapter 6 of the Gospel of John we have two great back to back stories.  First Jesus feeds 5,000 with some bread and some fish.  An amazing miracle that testifies to Jesus' divinity as well as supplying a real felt need(being hungry).  The crowd is excited about this Jesus fella and want to make Him King.  Since that is not why Jesus came to earth(to be an earthly king) He slips away and crosses the lake to another city. 

When the crowds figure out Jesus slipped away they follow after and confront Him, wanting more of the same, to which Jesus replies,

²⁶ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. ²⁷ Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

In the face of an amazing miracle of Jesus, someone who they are beginning to recognize as not just any man, what do they want?  More food.....  Jesus then explains what He is really offering

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

How do they respond to all of this?

⁴¹ At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴² They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

Do you get this?  When he was giving them "stuff" they were all about it.  When He told them to look past the stuff and just filling their "stomachs", they got grumpy.  They wanted full bellies when they were hungry, every time.....

There is a cycle of desperation and need seeking that we readily agree to accept.  We run from thing to thing when the need arises.  It has become as natural as breathing.  The pattern of allowing ourselves to get "starved" from what we really need followed by unhealthy binging so that we feel "ok" defines too much of our existence. 

Jesus came to not give you a meal to fill you up until you are desperate again.  He came to offer you hope and satisfaction that changes everything.  It changes the way we "need", the way we consume, the way we view people and things.  In Christ people and things are no longer objects existing to serve you.  Instead, they are beautiful gifts from a loving Father that deserve to be cherished, honored and enjoyed.  Not to control and drive you.  But to serve, and be served by, you.

Are you tired of the never ending cycle of starving and binging?  A pattern that never leaves you ultimately satisfied?  Stop looking to things that spoil.  Start looking to Christ.

How Much Beating my Kids is Too Much?

There is nothing more important to do as a parent than loving your kids.  The things you do for them, whether buying them toys, teaching them to read, feeding them, etc, are all nothing more than generic utilitarian practices when they are not rooted and shaped by a deep and abiding love. 

But don't forget that beatings are essential as well.  Not just beatings for punishment, but beatings for the pure sake of the importance of teaching kids that you are in charge.  Nothing helps a child develop a healthy sense of authority than using your superior strength to push them around.  In our house we actually schedule beatings by the clock.  10am....everyone line up for their beating....2pm...same thing.

If you haven't called child service yet, thanks for trusting in my unrelenting sarcasm.....

No matter how much you think you are loving your kids, throwing in a few random beatings(even if you think they are justified) has an odd way of derailing your whole showing them love philosophy.  Beating your kids and loving your kids are really just not able to be mutually practiced. 

Sadly we often practice a Christianity like this.  God loves you, but can't wait to beat you!  There He is, the cosmic score keeper, waiting for his chance to drop the hammer on you.  We create endless rules and regulations that we use to justify our behavior towards others and to create a sense of moral superiority to those who don't live up to our standards.  This develops an exhausting and painful Christianity that constantly tears down, but never builds up.

No matter how many times I say, "I love you son", it will not mitigate the beatings he receives.  Either he will develop an unhealthy concept of love that he will one day give to others(becoming a beater of children himself), or, he will become so destroyed by this experience that he will never fully function as a healthy adult. 

When we say, "God loves you", but then follow it up with telling someone how unlovable they are, we are creating either a fearful and beat up Christian, or, create not a Christian at all.

In Matthew 16:5-12 Jesus warns His disciples about the yeast of the Pharisees.  Just a little bit of their influence can destroy anything else that is good that you may be trying to do.  And what were the Pharisees all about?  Rules, rules and more rules.  And their "superior" ability to follow the rules made them prideful in themselves and abusive towards those who didn't live up to them.

Jesus is quite clear, and the New Testament reaffirms, that the abuses of legalism are incongruent with following Jesus.  The message of Christ is that while we were still sinners, He died for us!  It doesn't say, "You were pretty bad, but you got your act together and Jesus was like, ok, I can do this for you now".  The radical nature of the Gospel is that God offers us not a list of rules to exhaustingly follow, but, instead to experience a love that transforms us.

Does this mean there is no place for rules?  Anything goes?  Of course not.  I don't beat my kids up, but I also don't let them act inappropriately.  While the Pharisee would want to beat up their kid who messes up, Jesus picks them up, out of their mess and says, "I love you, let me help you" 

The Law of God is still valid, but how we apply it and how we practice it needs to radically change.  The Law is not a hurdle that we must leap to justify ourselves, but a mountain that we can be carried over.  In Love. 

The other day my son said something rude to an employee at Walmart.  As we were leaving she said, "Have a nice day!"  To which he responded "Nah nah nah nah"(said as snottily as possible).  I stopped in my tracks and explained to him that it was unacceptable and that he had to say he was sorry.  He refused.  After profusely apologizing for my sons behavior I had to leave(my ice cream was melting). When we got home I had a long talk with my son about how hurtful and rude it was and how sad I was that he would do that.  He didn't have much to say at that time....but the next day the miracle occurred. 

During breakfast he stopped eating and looked at me, "Dad, are you still sad about what I said to that worker yesterday?  Because I am too, I am sorry that I did that, I won't do it again."

Only four years old and his little heart was learning to break over what his father's heart broke over.  Not because I beat him, not because I yelled at him, but because I loved him and showed him in my words how much I cared about the person he "hurt".  When we are loved deeply and experience that love consistently, it shapes our heart towards the agent of that love. 

That is Christ in us and for us.  His heart breaks over our sin, BECAUSE he loves us.  And His love for us shapes us towards loving what He loves.

Where is the yeast of the Pharisees in your life? 

Possible Impossibilities

Do you jump straight into the pool before you test how cold it is?  Or, do you sloooooowwwwlllllyyyy dip in one toe at a time and try to get acclimated?  Are you a chance taker, or, do you only want to do that which you know you can do?

In my marriage one of my wife's biggest complaints about me is my hyper planning/preparing to do things.  Everything has to be just "right" and all possibilities and ideas accounted for before I make the leap.  Generally speaking, she is pretty spot on with her assessment.  Sometimes I allow the façade of "just making sure" to be an excuse to not doing much of anything. 

Thanks to her not giving up on me, I am getting better.  Sometimes you just don't know what you don't know and you have to get going anyways!  When we wait until everything is figured out, we will never start. 

This a deep spiritual reality we face as Christians.  We are too slow to act.  Second guessing ourselves in the name of "wisdom" becomes the easiest way to avoid trying.  How many meetings do you think we should have before we go share the Gospel with our neighbors?  Perhaps a dozen...over the course of 5 years....  While we ponder and deliberate people who do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior are dying. 

In John 6 we find the story of Jesus feeding 5000 people with nothing more than a few fish and loaves of bread.  When the crowds arrive Phillip balks at the impossibility of being able to feed that many people.  Andrew, on the other hand, says, "Hey check it out, found this kid with a few fish and bread...LETS DO THIS!!!"(I think I paraphrased a bit there. 

Phillip wasn't wrong.  It was practically impossible to feed that many people.  But Andrew was right as well.  The crowds came to hear Jesus and they needed help, so Andrew looked to what was possible and trusted Jesus for the impossible portion of the task. 

Now this is not some call to be silly and irresponsible.  This does not mean we should have a free for all on doing crazy things without being wise and honoring to God with our choices.  But lets look at a few key components of this event and apply it to our own lives.

1)  The crowds came to them(vs 1-5). 

People were responding to the work of Jesus.  The work of Jesus is what drew them and it was the work of Jesus that would provide for them.  God does not call people to Himself and then act surprised and unprepared when they arrive.  If God will bring them, God will take care of them.

Are you casting a wide net with the Gospel in your life?  At your church?  Or, are you trying to work within your comfortable parameters.  A good friend once said that we should be in the business of creating logistical nightmares for the sake of the Gospel.  Open up your doors wide and be excited when you run out of seats, because than you will really see God move!

2)  Phillip limited his plans based on what he currently had on hand.(vs 7)

How many times have you avoided doing something for the Gospel because you weren't ready yet?  Didn't know what to say?  Didn't have the right information?  That person was too smart?  It wasn't a good week for you?  That person seems to busy?  Don't be Phillip, if you see the people, serve the people.  Figure out the details later.

3)  Andrew offered exactly what he had(vs 8-9)

Whatever is going on in your life RIGHT NOW, you are prepared for what God will put in front of you.  Even if it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense, take the best you currently can give, and give it. 

4)  Jesus takes over the show(vs 10-13)

After they had done the best they could do(a few fish and loaves) Jesus got to work.  And not just handing out a few bites to the first 10 people in line.  He did something amazing, miraculous, extraordinary.  At this point in the event the disciples were no longer the drivers of the event, Jesus was. 

Don't bring your best to Jesus and then keep micromanaging it.  Do your best, and then do what Jesus tells you to do.  We too often try to manipulate every step of a situation as if we can more ably cause the Spirit to act if we just try a biiiit harder. 

5)  The people knew who Jesus was(vs 14-15)

Here is the final key that challenges me to do it Jesus' way.  We bring our best(which is not nearly enough) let God do the rest.  And then people aren't saying, boy, that Andrew sure knows how to throw a party and keep things organized.  They are instead seeing Jesus.  How often do you do things in such a way that people notice YOU.  When we only do that which is possible, it becomes all about us.  When we run after the possible impossibilities you can't help but see the Risen Lord!

Whatever it is you are currently "holding back" on doing, stop waiting.  Do it!

Well, there are some things that are impossible.....

Election vs Free Will

Do you like arguing about theology?  Oh, wait, I forgot you are a 21st century western civilization Christian.  You LOOOOVVVVEEEE to argue about theology....and doctrine....and church practices.....and pretty much everything else.

What gets people more heated than anything?  Election vs Free Will debates.  AKA, Calvinism vs Arminianism.

For those who have been lucky enough to have avoided knowing too much about this SUPER ESSENTIAL argument.  Let me briefly sum up the two positions.  But with the qualifier that I am in no way intending what I am about to write to in anyway be a completely exhaustive(or perhaps even fair) summation of either position.

Arminianism/Free Will:

Every person has to make the choice for Jesus.  No choice is also considered a "no" for Jesus choice.  No one is bound for evil, or, bound for good.  We are free will moral agents responsible before God for the choices we make.

If I was a competent blogger I would list a number of bible verses here that support this position.....

Calvinism/Election:

God Himself "elects"(chooses) who is to be saved and who is not to be saved.  This places a high value on God's absolute sovereignty and is hyper focused on our utter sinfulness and inability to do anything to "earn" salvation.  If you are God's elect, you WILL be saved BECAUSE of HIS work, if you are not, you will NOT be saved.

Ditto on the competent blogger post...blah blah blah, bible verses.


Where we Go Wrong

Are you able to know whether or not you are elect?  Probably not.  You know what is inarguable?  Jesus Christ came as fully God and fully man to die in the place of sinful man and to rise again and that through him(regardless of your view on elect/free will) and only him we can be saved.

The mechanism by which this actually works is a bit challenging to work out.  Not that lofty and challenging theological introspection is without value.  But here is the problem, the bible is pretty liberal at mentioning both.  It mentions constantly our responsibility to claim with our lips the Jesus is Lord, AND, it talks about God's elect. 

But, regardless of the actual details of the mechanism, both positions are clear.  It is only through Jesus that it happens. 

How did Jesus deal with the issue of election?

Let's take a look at an interesting exchange in Matthew 15

²¹ Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. ²² A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
²³ Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
²⁵ The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
²⁶ He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
²⁷ “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
²⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.


Jesus appears to be a bit of a jerk here.  This woman is making quite a scene begging for help, yet he ignores her.  When pressed to respond to her he replies, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel"

Did you catch that?  Jesus had a specific, pre-ordained, ministry goal....shades of Election perhaps??

But this non-elect woman does not stop.  She comes right up to him, kneels before him and calls him Lord.  And Jesus heals her daughter just as if she had been one of the "Elect". 

Jesus was there for a specific people.  God had elected to send him there for them.  But when a non-elect person, by faith, comes to Christ crying "Lord Lord" Jesus commends her for her faith and in no small way shows great love and mercy to her.  In a way, her position transforms from non-elect to elect. 

I cannot deny that the bible speaks with clarity about God's elect.  Yet, here is a beautiful picture of our Savior reaching across that divide to one who was not elected. 

In practice and theology I lean much closer to Reformed and Calvinist theology.  But this is how I personally read scripture regarding this issue.  I do not believe that Election is a mutually exclusive position.  Meaning, ONLY those who are elect will be saved.  Scripture, as I read it, shows that the Elect WILL be saved, but when, by faith and calling upon the name of the Risen Savior, the non-elect come to the feet of Jesus, they will also be saved.

So how do we take this bit of theology and apply it to our lives.  Well, you don't know if you are elect, and neither do I.  But what I do know is that I have a responsibility to respond to the call of the Cross.  And the message of the Gospel is a responsibility that all followers of Christ are called to share. 

When we get lost in debating the nuances of the mechanisms by which God does what He does, we avoid the personal responsibility that we do have.  So let us cut down the rhetoric and start proclaiming that the Cross of Christ is the only hope for ALL men!

Wide Tents with Thick Walls

Did you hear?  Some Christians don't get along.  They have drawn a line in the sand and declared those on the other side Hereticstm and will now refuse to be friends!  Regardless of how you feel about it, these fights are increasing in frequency and angry rhetoric.  Is this ok?

In Matthew 12 Jesus is accused of being from Satan due to his ability to cast out demons.  This leads to a very important teaching moment for the church today.  "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand"(verse 25).  He goes on to illustrate that when we are divided we become ripe for destruction. 

So, should we just stop fighting.....

I want my kids to get along and love each other.  In a perfect world they would always be best friends and watch out for the other.  But this is not a perfect world, and my kids are not always best friends.  Sometimes, because I love them, I have to separate them and protect them from one another.

A few days ago I heard my 2 year old daughter began to cry in the other room.  My 4 year old son happened to also be in the room.  Since I am very Sherlockian in brilliant intuitive connections, I said to my son, "Why is your sister crying?"  He replied quite frankly, "She was playing tea party and I was playing crush things".......

I could  not allow my house to be divided, so following Jesus' wise counsel, I let my son continue to push around his little sister....

Wait, what?!?!

My son's behavior was unacceptable.  It is something we have addressed many times(and will surely be addressed many more).  In our house, you DO NOT pick on your siblings.  If you do, there are consequences.  I protect the unity of my house by addressing and putting a stop to hurting one another. 

The concept of unity is not found in ignoring bad behavior.  It is around rallying around love, truth and good behavior.  I love my kids unconditionally.  No matter how many times he hits his sister, I have never noticed a depreciating measure of my love for him.  I want to lead him in love towards being a child who treats his sister with love.  While also standing up to his bad behavior!

Do you know how difficult it would be to be a parent if our expectations and rules changed daily?  Today I tell my son to not hit his sister, and then tomorrow I ignore it, perhaps even reward it.  Talk about creating disunity!  Part of the hopeful effectiveness of lovingly teaching rules in our house is that they are consistent and reliable standards. 

The Church today has so many terrible fights and line drawing going on.  One day your are in, the next day you are out.  A hero today, a goat tomorrow.  Theologian extraordinaire in the first book, and Purveyor of Heresy in the next.  The goal post is constantly shifted to what it means to be a Christian. 

Sadly, this is not a new problem that has infected modern western Christianity.  From nearly the beginning of the Church people set up their little camps to duke it out over secondary doctrines that we were used as the lithmus test of True Christianstm.  So how have we made it 2000 years and counting with these ridiculous squabbles. 

Well, first and primarily, the fact that Jesus is alive.

But secondly I would contend that there have been moments in Church History that men were willing to lay down their differences and reaffirm that which was non-negotiable and true.  And that was quite a small list actually.  We, in many ways still lean on what they wrote.  We know them as the Creeds. 

I am not great theologian or Church Historian.  So don't go overboard on correcting my potential simplification of the matter.  I have linked to the two primary ones, the Apostles and Nicene creeds.  And in history there have been a number of other great statements of Faith that helped guide the church for many years. 

So why do I mention them?  I believe it is time for a new creed.  Not as a replacement, or a rewording, of the ones that have come before.  But one that can allow us to say, the tent is wide, but there are thick walls that clearly define us.  Perhaps you view justification and sanctification different than I, but if you affirm "these", then I can call you brother!  We have to not only be unified in fellowship, but also unified in correcting that which falls outside the fellowship. 

For those who read me religiously(hey Mom!!..and....um...somebody else...) I hope to never present myself as some sort of profound theologian.  But, to at least open up the discussion, here is my attempt at a new Creed that we can affirm together!

The 21st Century Creed

1.  The Old and New Testaments are an accurate and reliable testimony to the Living God, King of all Creation

2. Jesus is the Son of God who came to Earth as fully man and fully God for the purpose of dying in sinful mans place on the cross to pay the penalty of man's sin.  He rose three days later and in Him and Him alone we have hope of eternity with God.

3.  The Holy Spirit is the promised deposit given to each person who has professed faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.  It is through God in Us(the Holy Spirit) that we are empowered to fulfill the ministry of the Gospel and grow in every increasing maturity as followers of Christ.

4.  Each individual has a personal responsibility to respond to the claims of Christ and to claim Him as savior, or to reject Him.

5.  The Bible is our primary guide to life as followers of Christ and the functions of Christ's Church. 


This is probably far from complete, but what would you add, or take away?

Why We Stink at Evangelism

Evangelism....ick.  How many times have you been in a church or parachurch organization that is about to embark on some sort of "Gospel Blitz" and just cringed a bit inside? 

Drive by tractings....

4 Spiritual Laws

Servant Evangelism

But has the needle moved in our culture?  Not really.  Actually, that's dishonest, it is moving....the other way.  Numerous studies show that the numbers of those who would self-identify as Born Again Christians are shrinking, while those who are known as the "Nones"(spiritual but no affiliation) is growing.  Not to mention the growing visibility of atheist/agnostic groups. 

Now, it isn't all doom and gloom.  In many areas and within many amazing churches and organizations God is doing amazing things.  Lives are radically changing and people are being saved from death into life. 

But why isn't it more widespread?

Because, frankly, the sheep suck at making new sheep.  To put it simply, we aren't very good evangelists.  And no number of conferences and ONE TIME events are going to change that.

So, what can we do?

Here's a little life hack I want to pass on to you, FOR FREE!!  When trying to figure out what you as a Christian should be doing, see what Jesus did!!

In John 5:31-47 Jesus provides a wonderful example of how HE went about testifying about Himself(the Gospel in the flesh).  Everyone wants to know what He is all about and who He is, so He does what He does best...tells them. 

We see 4 great and applicable principles in Jesus' response that each of us should take to heart as evangelists(which we are ALL called to be).

First Principle
³¹ “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true.

Jesus is not saying that what he is going to say is a lie.  He is responding to the legal understanding of the Jewish culture.  Namely, that you cannot testify on your own behalf in court.  There was the basic belief that people will lie to make themselves look better.  Jesus is accepting that to communicate effectively with his audience he needs to follow their rules of discussion and proof.  He goes on to say, I know what I am saying is truth, but we will play by your conversational rules(my paraphrase)

We are terrible evangelists because we too often refuse to communicate to people in a way that they can interact with and understand.  If I am talking to someone who has never been to church throwing around a bunch of words like; Propitiation, sanctification, justification, etc...will not effectively tell them anything helpful. 

Are you being wise to know who you are talking to and how to talk to them well?  And guess what that requires?  Getting to know them!!!  Don't expect to be very effective as long as you are speaking another "language".

Second Principle
³³ “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth."

Jesus than refers to a known testimony found in someone else's life.  Namely John the Baptists.  This Jewish audience respected John and they had observed the reality of his life and message.  John's life was a living testimony to the truth Jesus was trying to communicate to them. 

We are terrible evangelists because we don't have a life testimony that confirms the message we are sharing.  Everyone accepted what they observed from John to be the real deal.  Do people accept what you say to be the real deal in relation to how you actually live and behave?

Ask yourself, "Does my life reveal the truth of what I say, or contradict it?"

Third Principle
³⁶ “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me.

Here is where Jesus starts to get supernatural.  He started by communicating by their rules, then he used an outside "testimony", and now he goes to the heart of the matter.  His miracles.  And what was it that the Father sent the Son to do?  To die and rise again! 

We are not inviting people to join a club of do gooders.  We are telling them about the Risen Lord.  If you are trying to share the Gospel, and this point isn't central....well....then you really aren't sharing the Gospel. 

Who is the last person you shared with that your talked about Christ crucified?

Fourth Principle
⁴⁶ If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.

At the very end Jesus goes to the Scriptures.  Going back to principle one, you have to talk to people in the way that they can understand.  If someone doesn't believe in God, quoting random Bible verses right off the bat isn't going to be very helpful.  But the glue that holds the testimony(your life, Christ's ministry) is the Word of God. 

The best way to utilize God's word is by naturally using it in your conversation to show where it lines up with what you have been sharing.  If you start by saying "the bible says this" you can lose them before you show them its validity!

How well do you know the Word so you can use it appropriately.


Ready to stop stinking at evangelism?

Get to know people and know how to communicate with them.

Live a living testimony to the power of Christ in your life.

Share the hope of a Risen Savior.

Know your Bible well!