Saturday 6 August 2016

Spreading the Gospel

Spreading the Gospel
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.
As a Christian are you faithful in spreading the gospel? Have you ever given up on someone you have witnessed time and time again to seemingly no avail?
I admit it can be frustrating to reach someone with the gospel at times. However we should do our best to reach the people around us.
The Talmud while a Jewish book and not recognized by Christians, has a truth Christians need to learn. It tells this story about Abraham.
“An aged man, whom Abraham hospitality invited to his tent, refused to join him in prayer to the one spiritual God.  Learning that he was a fire-worshipper.   Abraham drove him from his door.  That night God appeared to Abraham in a vision and said: ‘I have borne with that ignorant man for seventy years: could you not have patiently suffered him one night?” The Talmud.
As Christians we should never give up on anyone. A person can accept Christ until the moment before they take their final breath.
Still we need to be careful that we are not the cause of people turning from Jesus. A fierce light shines on we Christians. The eternal resting place of those we witness to and associate with may lie with us.
When we tell others about Jesus we should never be aggressive. Never force our faith on anyone or judge anyone.
We should be willing to listen to them. After all if you do not listen to them, they will not listen to you.
At the same time our actions and our lifestyle should point others to Christ. As Francis of Assisi said,
“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 
 Francis of Assisi.
We should meet a person where they are at. The apostle Paul speaking in Athens didn’t judge those who invited them to speak. He noted that they were religious and that they even had a temple to “an unknown god”.
Paul started at that point and in a very polite manner presented what he believed to his listeners.
This is how we should be.
Be respectful of the people we are talking to.
Listen to them. They have a point of view. Respect it, even if you disagree with it.
Meet them where they are at.
Don’t throw a lot of Christian terms they may not know at them.
Present the Good News of Jesus Christ to them in a polite way.
Then if you feel it is the right time ask them if they want to receive Jesus as their Saviour.
Dear Christian please think about it.

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