Evangelism | Reveds's Blog

We live in a strange time of absolute relativism.

In this brave new world there is no meaning except that which you give to something. Your experience is what determines and defines your reality, and outside of that experience there is no such thing as Truth or Right and Wrong. You can’t tell someone they are wrong today, just that their opinion of reality is different than your own. To insist upon one perceived truth over another is an aggression against a person’s individuality and is not allowed. To claim to be right is the only thing that is wrong.

This all started small. I remember when math teachers were proposing that 2+2 might not always equal 5. Now you can’t make judgements about someone’s life choices without being labeled close minded and bigoted. This video from the Family Policy Institute of Washington is revealing:

We are so confused today that we can’t even tell someone today which bathroom they are supposed to use.

As much as people consider this as avant-guard thinking, the reality is, as Ecclesiastes says, “there is nothing new under the sun.”

Durning Jesus’ trial, Pilate asks him, “What is truth?” Paul warned young Timothy that there would come a time when “people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Timothy dealt with this in the Church, as we still do today.

Today, if you preach that God is loving and gracious and forgiving, well that’s fine. But don’t tell me that I might be sinning in my dating relationships, or that my career and bank account have become idols, or that I have profaned the sabbath under the excuse of “quality family time at the lake”. That’s going too far. We are all too ready and eager to go shopping for a Church and a Preacher that will love the things we love, hate the things we hate, and never criticize our personal choices.

So how are we supposed to live in the midst of all of this? God’s Word to us from 2 Timothy is a strong foundation in this world of shifting sand. Here are a few points of application:

Recognize our own Tendency to Compromise
When reading 2 Timothy 4, it is easy to say that this applies only to those who are on the other end of the political/moral pendulum than me. They’re the ones who have itching ears, who wander from the truth, who find teachers who tickle their ears. In truth, we all gravitate toward likeminded people, and we resist those who will challenge and confront us. If we love the truth, then we must continue to put ourselves in the position where we will be corrected and reproofed by the truth. We must come to the realization that when the Scriptures address sin and call us to repentance, when the Preacher rebukes and exhorts, its not always about the other person; often times, its about you.

Be sober minded
I think a modern interpretation of this phrase might read, “Don’t flip out,” or “Don’t lose your head.” Being sober minded is being grounded in the truth. Yes, we live in a world of lies, and people love and and accept the lie more than they love the truth. There is a veil over their eyes, and they have been blinded to the truth. This is the state of affairs in a broken and sinful world.

So keep your head about you. At times it will seem as though the Truth is advancing, other times its seems as though the inmates are running the asylum. But this is not the end. Christ our Redeemer has overcome all things, including the lies and deception of the evil one. Love and hold fast to the truth, suffering for it, as you certainly will, with patience and compassion for those who are sadly deceived.

Do the Work of the Evangelist
The evangelist is one who proclaims good news in troubled times. In the midst of the lies, Christ came as the Way, the Truth, and the Life; He is the light in the midst of darkness, He is the truth that sets us free. In Him there is a resounding “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, but there is also a glorious “Yes!” godly living (Titus 2:11-14).

As followers of Christ, we are called to proclaim, to those who do not know the truth, and to those who are being swayed by the lies, to live out the truth in word and deed. With truth and love we are to proclaim Christ, calling all to repent and believe. We are to “have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh” (Jude 22-23).

So as I say each week at then end of worship, “Go out into the world in peace, be of good courage, hold fast to that which is good, return no one evil for evil, but help the suffering, strengthen the fainthearted, support the weak, honor and serve all people, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit!”

Grace and peace,
SDG

Ahh… peace and quiet at last. It’s day 5 in Haiti, and for the first time since we’ve arrived, we can hear the waves crashing in to shore. There’s no music blaring outside until three in the morning. Just the gentle hum of a generator, the light buzz of the swarm of mosquitos, and the wooshing of bats above our heads. Ah, Haiti.
It is lovely here, really, and we had an adventurous day. We started off dividing our work force. Matt was welding, Bruce was repairing the plow, and the ladies were gofers – going for this and that as needed. I went with Les to the Haiti version of Home Depot – it even had the right smell. We picked up a load of square tubing and angle iron, loaded the Land Rover with gas, as well as bought plenty of gas for the generators, and brought all the supplies back to the Consolation Center.
When we got back, so much had been done, but a break was sorely needed. It’s impossible to adequately convey just what the climate is like here. It’s hot. It’s sticky. The wind rarely moves. And the Sun burns down directly overhead. It’s easy to overdo it, and when you are welding, using a cutting torch, and working in the sun – you can overheat quickly.
We had one team member succumb to a little heat exhaustion today. The Haitians who were with us responded quickly, bringing us a bunch of coconuts – the electrolytes in the coconut have an exceptional ability to rehydrate and restore you. Still, we sent our sick one back the the beach house to rest for the remainder of the day – he went with our prayers, and we got back to work – more welding, some painting, and even some plowing. The good news is, if this ministry thing doesn’t pan out, I now have marketable skills in welding (wire and stick welding).
We finished the day with a refreshing swim in the ocean, followed by wonderful meal prepared by a lovely woman from the community. The main meal was goat, and it was fantastic. She made way more than we could eat, and the leftovers went to good use – we should all sleep well tonight.
Our devotional study for the day was on Kindness as an aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit. Kindness is a benevolence of disposition – desiring the welfare of others, even those who are continually taxing our patience. Kindness is wanting the best, thinking the best, and working for the best for all people, often at great personal expense.
We have been supported (financially and prayerfully) through the tremendous kindness of our congregation at Memorial Presbyterian Church. We have been shown great kindness and hospitality by our mission partners, Les ad Catherine DeRoos. But most importantly, we have receive the greatest of kindness, when God showed the “immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Jesus Christ” (Eph 2:7), when, through Christ, God raised us from the dead and to give us life.
God has proven to be kind and generous. When the punishment of sin was death, God showed kindness to Adam and Eve, clothing them to hide their shame, and sending them out of the Garden and away from His wrath. God continued to show kindness by demonstrating patience, and continually working restoration and reconciliation with His people. God’s ultimate kindness is seen in Christ coming to us for our salvation.
And so it is in that kindness that we have come to Haiti; and it is our hope that we may share God’s kindness with those around us. We want the people of Haiti to know God, and to trust in the grace of God through Jesus Christ for their salvation. We share this Good News freely. Yet we are also here to share this Good News through purposeful acts of kindness. We are making beds, painting gates, fixing plows, playing with children, rocking babies to sleep – so that through our kindness, others may see the kindness of God in us and be drawn to Him.
How much better would our message of the Gospel be if our preaching, our teaching, our evangelism, were always accompanied by purposeful acts of kindness? As you preach the Gospel, as you live the Gospel, try a little kindness – so that the world may see your good works, and give glory to our heavenly Father.
SDG