For thought and meditation

[rl69]

But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."

—Mark 1:38

Jesus went and met the woman at the well in Samaria because she had an appointment with God. In Jesus’ detour into enemy territory, we see two important concerns as we bring the message of the gospel today.

First, we have to go to where people are. Jesus did not say that the whole world should go to church; He said the church should go into the whole world. As Mark’s Gospel tells us, “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature’” (Mark 16:15).

When Harvest Ministries was doing an outreach in Disneyland a number of years ago, I was asked, “Why are you doing this in a place like Disneyland? Why would you come and hold an event in a place like this?”

I said, “Because Jesus said, ‘Go into all the world,’ and He did not exempt Disneyland. There are people there. And we want to reach people.” The glorious thing is that many people came into the kingdom through that outreach. We need to go to where people are.

Second, we need to care about the people we speak to. Jesus needed to go to Samaria because He cared about this woman (see John 4:4). When the apostle Paul was in Athens, he saw the city that was given over to idolatry, and his spirit was stirred within him (see Acts 17:16–17). He felt righteous indignation as he saw so many turning to false gods.

In the same way, any effective sharing of the gospel must always begin with a God-given burden. We have to care. Jesus cared. Do you? Do you want to reach out to perishing people?

[USMC87]

Amen, A much needed word.

[Blackwater]

The "Great Commission" is and always be a part of our Faith. I just wish more folks knew how to do it more effectively. More is won with a smile, some good humor, and some unabashed confidence and conviction than will ever be won by citing Bible verses, etc. People mostly react to our demeanor, than to our words. And this works no matter what you're "selling," or are trying to "sell." I've had some really good sales training, and the "secret," if you can call it that, is to NOT run off your desired "customer," and when they object, use the "yes, but" technique. And it works! Wonder of wonders, it really WORKS!

All that's really necessary to win someone is to first, know what YOU believe, and how to express it. Unfortunately, many of us find that very difficult, and are not that good at it. So first, we need to work on that. Secondly, we need to let THEM see what we have, and that it's good, and comforting, and uplifting, and REAL. So then, we have to know how to convince them that our Faith really IS real, and that it's NOT just some "wishful thinking" on our part. We have to know how to relate to them some concrete reasons why our faith is legitimized by "the earth and all the heavens." And we have to know the historicity, and what even archaeologists have found, all these years after it was originally used to discount and "disprove" our faith. We have to know how to answer objections and the usual lies that many still believe, and we have to be able to do it in at least a moderately scholarly manner, and with total confidence, for we DO know that our Faith is really Real.

And lastly, we can't let them find an "out" in our demeanor, our words or our attitude. Most disbelievers tend to be pretty haughty in their denials, and they'll cite most anything, no matter how tired, worn out and disproven they may now be. And one of the best ways to keep them engaged is to ask them questions, and when possible and you can find a way to do so, end every response you give them with yet another question for them. This keeps them engaged, as one-by-one, you shoot down all their "reasons" for their denials and disbelief.

The power of persuasion lies in one's technique. NOT in just being right! I wish we could all learn this. But Christians are, or at least are supposed to be, humble and loving people. Too many of us let our fears drive us into dispersions toward those who don't believe as we do. This even applies interdenominationally! But that's no way to "win friends and influence people!" Fear of being "wrong" clams up many. But if we've "studied to show ourselves approved," there need be NO fear at all - just confidence in the fact that WE know we're right, even if they simply refuse to hear our side of the story. And some will do exactly that. BUT .... let us never forget that when they walk off, they'll walk off carrying with them the knowledge, whether they'll admit it orally or not, that they really met their match, and a REAL and knowledgable believer who knows what and why they believe.

We simply need to be strong - strong in faith, strong in knowledge, and strong in our convictions and methods. And that's really all there is to it. It's simple, but "simple" is NOT a synonym for "easy!" Simple just means it's composed of few parts, but acquiring all those parts can take a lifetime. It has for me! And time's a'wastin' for ALL of us! We all need to know more, so we can USE that knowledge to spread the message Christ gave us to spread, instead of driving folks away who MIGHT (and many will, some of which will likely be the last ones you'd think would respond) come to the feet of our Lord!

It's said that Christ often works in myserious ways, and that is true. But it's true largely because we don't really UNDERSTAND Him like we need to! Life prepares us, if we'll just let it, to deal with most anyone or anything we encounter. But we have to do OUR part in it, and our preparation work shows every time we try to relate His message to anyone who currently doesn't believe. And it's what Christ instructed us to do. He NEVER told us to take our salvation, and let it go at that, leaving others to fend for themselves. He told us to prepare and to do the work He assigned to us. And for that, we have to "go to school," but thankfully, that "school" is all around us, and we can learn every day from all sorts of things that go on around us, if we just keep Christ first and foremost in our minds. Enough of that, and "even a bling hog will find an acorn now and then!" I know. It worked for me!