The Hope Inside
There will always be a reason not to. Not to go, not to say something, not to stand up. When it comes to sharing the Gospel, we are called to go and do and speak. Here’s the beauty of it – the power of the Gospel has nothing to do with you and everything to do with the Story you’re sharing.
The Bible is truly amazing. Yes, it carries the story of the good news of how God Himself stepped into His own creation to save and rescue it from the death it was under. What’s also beautiful is it contains characters, real people, who you and I can resonate with.
Moses pushed back against the Lord because he was insecure about speaking in front of crowds (Exodus 4), Gideon saw himself through the lens of weakness (Judges 6), and Jeremiah felt too young and unprepared (Jeremiah 1). Friend, however you may feel about your ability to share the Good News with others, there’s a person in the Bible you can find to relate to.
Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians gives us some color as to what God’s been up to over the course of history. Paul says, “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise’ God chose what is weak in the word to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).
John Eldredge says it well, “We live in a love story set in a world at war.” This world is filled with the brokenness produced by sin. It’s for this reason God sent His Son, Jesus, to be the sacrifice on our behalf – it was the only way to save us.
The world hears this story and scoffs, shakes it head, and walks away – it’s foolishness in their eyes. It is a radical story, but it’s not complicated. There’s a simplicity to the Gospel that’s unlocked through faith and belief. When we believe it to be true, we see the world through a lens of clarity and understanding.
Back to the original point, when’s the last time you shared what you believe with someone? A.W. Tozer says, “what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” If that’s true, why do we not talk about it more and – even more so – why are we scared to mention it?
You do not need to speak with eloquence, reach a level of intellect, or have a seminary degree in apologetics to share the Good News of Jesus with your neighbor. Jesus, Himself, didn’t win people over through lofty arguments. He told people the truth and it was the poor, the simple, and the overlooked that God ended up using to spread His Good News like wildfire.
Peter tells us in his letter, “always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). How do we do this? We need to know the story, yes, but also remember that there is power in the “blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony” (Revelation 12:11).
The blood of the Lamb refers to the sacrifice of Jesus. The word of our testimony is our own personal story of how we came to believe in Jesus. That’s what you share when someone asks you about your joy, your hope, or your kindness. The enemy wants you to believe you need to get smarter, know more, or be more confident before you share, but Jesus simply tells us to go.
Friend, there will always be a reason not to, but let’s push back, rest assured, and share with confidence the Good News that’s inside of us. Always remembering that the power of the Gospel rests in the Gospel itself.
