2020-03-27
Good Morning Dear Ones,
The word “conduct” is in the present tense, active voice, and imperative mood. This makes it an activity that is intended, by its use in the following passage, “Conduct yourself in a way that is wise toward those who are not believers, making good use of every opportunity you have. Your speech should always be pleasant and interesting, and you should know how to give the right answer to everyone,” [COL 4: 5-6]. This passage covers a lot of ground and reveals a lot of what the Lord wants. It is not enough just to study the Bible, but one should live its teaching, know it well, and not be afraid to convey it to non-believers, who are willing to listen. We need to set a good example by walking the walk and talking the talk. As someone who has studied the Bible and opens it every day, I feel a strong responsibility to share my faith, but not ever to force on someone who isn’t interested and doesn’t want to listen. It can be disheartening to feel someone you care about needs to hear the Gospel, but to be met with disinterest and to be disrespected. And yet, our Lord tells us to do what is necessary to keep our own faith strong. This is the situation I found myself in with my own mother, and she died never believing in the Lord Jesus because of it. Sometimes we are the wrong person, one too close, to be the source of transmittal for this Good News. That too has happened to me. No matter what, I am told by the Lord to keep my own faith strong.
Making the most of every opportunity demands that we train ourselves to look for every opportunity. This means watching what the Lord is doing in our own lives and those of other people. I have seen lives changed by His work, and my experience in sharing the Gospel has allowed me to see its power for good. Several years ago, I was volunteering for an organization out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada called In Search of Shalom. My job was to have on-line computer chats in real time with seekers, wanting to know more about the Lord Jesus and other related matters. We’ve all heard the comment, “life happens,” meaning we are often caught up in our circumstances. To make something new and hopeful like the Gospel message, it must be presented in a form relative to the situation in which a seeker finds himself. The message itself never changes but has the power to help the seeker deal with his situation in a godly manner. One of the most comforting aspects of the Gospel message to seekers is one, which they often don’t see how it applies to his life. That is the fact that Jesus Christ bought us out of the slave market to sin by giving His life as our Kinsman-Redeemer on the cross [IS 65: 1; RO 10: 5, 9-11, 13, 15 & 20]. RU 2: 20 describes how Boas, a relative of Naomi’s, became the kinsman-redeemer for these two widows (Naomi and her daughter-in-law, Ruth) who became important to him. Jews with land were told by the priests to share the corners and gleanings of their harvest with widows and orphans [LV 19: 10]. Boas did this, and Ruth came often to take this due. Boas saw her and became acquainted at first, then falling in love with this faithful lady and her mother-in-law. Things progressed, and Boas eventually married Ruth. As for a kinsman-redeemer, we first read about this term in connection with Cities of Refuge in the Promised Land. This is where people who broke the law in a way which is not premeditated would go to seek refuge from those wronged taking revenge. Usually, a male close relative would serve as kinsman-redeemer and go to take the inadvertent wrong-doer home and protect him [NU 35: 9-34; DT 19: 1-13; JS 20:1-9; RO 12: 19-20].
1 PET 3: 15-17 gives us further illumination on how God expects a believer about to share the Gospel should conduct himself. “But have reverence in your hearts and honor Him as Lord. Be always ready to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have but do it with gentleness and respect. Keep your conscience clear, so that when you are insulted, those who speak evil of your good conduct as followers of Christ will become ashamed of what they say. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if this should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” Dear Ones, each of us has a choice, and God’s desire is that we remain righteous (not self-righteous) in the face of whatever provocation we must endure. No one ever said this would be easy, but call upon the Holy Spirit, and He will guide you through it.
PRAYER: O Lord, it is by Your excellent grace, that we have the power, ability, and faith to follow Biblical teaching. 2 TIM 3: 16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and useful in teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the believer who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every good deed.” Using Your words to pray helps for You to know what is in our hearts. We love You very much, and Your view of our lives matters. You are the One and only Lord; Your love for us is evident in all You do. Whatever prejudice and provocations we must endure, we endeavor never to lose our faith in You. We have been told what is in 1 COR 10: 13, “Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps His promise, and He will not allow you to be tested beyond your ability to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, He will give you the strength to endure it and provide you with a way out.” That way is the knowledge that Christ is with us and will protect us. He has the power to do this. We praise and thank You for all the ways You show us Your love. In Christ’s holy/mighty name, we pray. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: There are some common- sense ways to witness to a potential believer, which I hope to share from my own experience. This will be the subject of next week’s message. Because I was reared in a traditionally Jewish home, I had to deal with the big question: What will happen to my relatives who reject the saving-grace that the Gospel message contains? There are some answers (or at least suggestions) in the Scriptures, and there is the advice of people I respect. One of them is the lead chaplain of all the hospitals in the Twin Cities in MN. He visited our church one day while I was living up there. He gave us a Stephen Ministry class on the spiritual aspects of death. It’s a tough subject to discuss, but every Stephen minister is faced with this possibility for their care-receivers. I asked that question of this chaplain, and what he said made a lot of sense to me. “If you have done what you can to convey the Gospel, and your listener has rejected it, then you must accept that and not let it break your own faith.” He was telling me the same thing the Lord did, and I know in my heart that people who have led decent lives won’t be short-changed by the Lord when it comes time to decide their eventual fate. I received more intriguing advice in the reminder, given in RO 11: 25. “There is a secret truth, My friends, which I want you to know, for it will keep you from thinking how wise you are. It is that the stubbornness of the people of Israel is not permanent but will last only until the complete number of Gentiles comes to the Lord.” Yes, this means the Jews, who now reject Christ, will have the veil of stubbornness lifted when all the Gentiles God has called to Himself have come to faith. How, when, where are questions God doesn’t need to answer in the Scriptures. The reason is clear. He gives us just enough information to keep our faith strong [HE 11: 1]. Praise and thanks be to Him!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2020. All Rights Reserved.
<-- Back to Archives