Honest Evangelism: How to talk about Jesus even when it's tough (Live Different) by Tice Rico

Author:Tice, Rico [Tice, Rico]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9781909919402
Publisher: The Good Book Company
Published: 2015-04-12T16:00:00+00:00

God’s power

The problem with actually doing evangelism is that it just doesn’t work. You’re never successful—people don’t become Christians. The other problem is that you might get it wrong. You’re not good enough at it—you can’t answer the questions, or you don’t say it in a way that’s interesting or funny or striking (or whatever) enough.

If you feel like that, you’re right. Your evangelism will never make someone come to faith in Christ. And your evangelism will never be good enough to win someone.

But here’s the thing; it doesn’t have to be.

That’s not your job. When it comes to witnessing, the most liberating truth is to realise what our job is, and what God’s job is:

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

(2 Corinthians 4 v 4-6)

We know that the minds of unbelievers are blinded. We experience it every day. Why don’t people want to know about Jesus? Why don’t they think about eternity? Why, when they’re told, don’t they come to faith? Because “they cannot see the light of the gospel”. They’re blind! They just can’t get it. And neither you nor I are spiritual eye surgeons. Nothing you and I do or say can give spiritual sight.

So what hope is there?

God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts.

(v 6)

God turns on the lights, Paul says. And when did God first say: Turn on the light? It was as he created the world:

The earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

(Genesis 1 v 2-3)

In 2 Corinthians 4 Paul is saying that if you are a Christian, God took the same power that made the world, and he used it to give us sight: to give us hearts that understand that in knowing Jesus, we know God in all his majesty, perfection and love.

That’s what happened when you became a Christian. The power of God’s Spirit recreated your heart so that you could see who Jesus is. It took the power necessary to make stars to do that. And God has that power. Only he can do it—but he can do it.

Now, if he can do it for you, he can do it for your friend or family member or work colleague. Think of the person you know who seems least likely ever to come to Christ in faith. Then think of the power that created light for the first time.

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