We create sayings to remind ourselves about things we recognize as important:
Each of these slogans helps us remember the importance of prioritizing our priorities. And they highlight the reality that often other things distract us from what we believe should be central.
The church is not immune to this. I’ve seen Christians become obsessed with ‘biblical’ diets, numerology, church growth, the end times, particular forms of worship, home-schooling, social justice, speaking in tongues, and not speaking in tongues. In each case, a secondary issue became an all-consuming issue. In some cases, a good thing became a bad thing because it replaced the best thing. At times, I despaired that Christians seemed to get excited about almost anything other than the gospel!
Today, there is a trend to make the gospel a priority. But like all trends, this one will likely pass. When it does, we will still have God’s appointed means for keeping the gospel front and centre in our lives: The Lord’s Supper. Let me explain three ways that the Lord’s Supper can help us remember to keep our focus on the gospel.
I used to live in a community where there were a lot of scientists. It seemed like almost everyone had a PhD. I would often ask people about their work but when they tried to explain it one of two things usually happened. Either they would lose me in a long monologue filled with technical jargon and confusing detail or else they would give a one-word answer as if to say, ‘You’re not going to understand this and I’m tired of trying to explain myself to people.’
I fear that the same thing happens when we have opportunities to share our faith. We either over-complicate the message or give up because we don’t feel qualified to explain it. How unfortunate it would be for the people you care about not to ever hear the good news of salvation because you were never able to explain it simply. With a little preparation, I’m convinced that anyone can share the good news. Specifically, I think there are eleven verses that every Christian should learn to share their faith.
When our dryer broke down last summer, I was faced with one of those buying decisions that I wanted to get right. I looked at ads, studied manufacturer’s websites, and read some comparison guides. But I knew that as detailed as those were, they were all written by people who were paid to explain a point of view. And so I didn’t feel my research was complete until I read the consumer reviews of my top contenders. What did people love? What did they find annoying? What surprised them? Reviews can help you find a trusted book, a better plumber, and avoid a restaurant with terrible service. The only thing better than an online review is a personal one. When someone you trust tells you about their experience with a great product or a fabulous service, it can help overcome a lot of doubts. The same is true when we tell others about our experience in meeting Jesus. In fact, the Bible says that we should leave Him lots of reviews. Let me explain.
Sometimes, our attempts to share our faith are little more than spamming the gospel. We go with the cheapest, most impersonal way to get the good news out. But gospel spam isn’t much more effective than the other spam that we receive. It’s quickly identified and sent to the trash. How can you be more than a gospel spammer?
As a former missionary, I’ve preached a lot of sermons on the Great Commission. Jesus famously called His disciples to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18). Those words have inspired Christians to take the good news of the gospel around the world. As urgently as I feel the need to share the good news with people at the ends of the earth, I fear that many Christians don’t even share their faith within the walls of their own church. Let me explain.
As you read the Old Testament, it’s clear that giving God tithes, or the first 10% of your income, is a big thing. It’s modeled by people like Abraham (Genesis 14:17-20) and Jacob (Genesis 28:20-22) even before the law was introduced. It’s commanded in the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 27:30). And when people neglect tithing, God equates it with robbing Him (Malachi 3:8). In the New Testament, it doesn’t seem to be mentioned as much. Understanding why helps us see how God’s vision for our finances has been transformed by Jesus.
What does the word “giving” do to your facial expression? Does it cause you to smile as you think of what your giving expresses to God and what it means to His mission? Or do you get that uncomfortable, feeling like when you realize you have overdue library books? Some people reading this know the joy of giving and have experienced the satisfaction of sacrificial generosity, both towards God and those in need. But inevitably there are others who know that the way they use their money isn’t honouring God. In Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, he gives four corrections that can help when you’re feeling guilty about your giving.
Statistics say that the average Canadian has $22,000 of non-mortgage debt and the average millennial spends more money on gourmet coffee than on saving for retirement. Something is wrong. The 3000-year-old Book of Proverbs, written by Israel’s King Solomon, contains financial wisdom from another era, but its principles are as relevant today as when he wrote them. Three lessons stand out.
There’s probably one passage more than any other that’s usually read at weddings. It’s the great chapter on love from 1 Corinthians 13. It’s an appropriate passage for married couples to reflect on, but it wasn’t written for them. This passage on love was written in a prolonged discussion of church ministry. It shows us how love turns volunteering into ministry and how a lack of love can make serving something less than it was intended to be.
I think we make subconscious value judgments all the time. We decide whether something is worth our time by the impact we feel it makes. The same is true of ministry. We want our lives to count, the question is how? How can you make the most impact in ministry? Let me share four ways I think the Bible answers that question.
