Yesterday a friend read my Blog and fired back a comment suggesting that there was more to the question, so I went back and re-read what I had written. At about that time also I read Jonathon Acuff’s Blog where he spoke about putting the cart before the horse (paraphrase) and it occurred to me that perhaps I had done just that and been too restricted in my focus.
Having said that I had to agree especially when my theme statement was two thirds of the way through. I guess that is the problem when I do my own proofing and also when I change the title after the fact: it had been “The World – Our world: They Are The Same”.
While maintaining that you and I are, potentially, God’s change agents in the world through the lives we live and the love that we demonstrate through those lives I interfered that we were able to do it alone. In fact what I meant to say was that we do this in co-operation with the Holy Spirit and that He is the One who enables us, who supplies the love we need when our contacts are “unlovable” and that He is the one who stirs us to action at the appropriate time. The story of yesterday’s athlete is a case in point where because, perhaps, she moved in her own timing the opponent was not ready for her advances: on the other hand maybe this was His work and the outcome is still to finalize.
This is part of the dilemma that we face as we examine a circumstance from just one point in time and from just one perspective. This is what I did, when talking about mass evangelism; I discounted the episodes of New Testament of mass ministry by Peter at Pentecost and Pauls Athens Address. These two events illustrate a truth in evangelism, Peters “Men of Jerusalem” speech is as a direct result of the action of the Holy Spirit and “thousands were added to the Kingdom.” Pauls on the other hand was as a result of an invitation of the leaders of Athens. I am not suggesting that Holy Spirit was not in the speech simply that there is no record of major conversions as a result. The thing to note is that a church was still established in Athens, even though Paul’s address at Mars Hill is considered as a failure. He was asked to speak as a case of civic control, as much as religious interest. Interestingly the location is reportedly the place the place where Ares was tried by his fellow gods for murder of another of them, talk about entering the enemies territory.
Public evangelism does have its place in the kingdom. Peter spoke on Pentecost day and 3000 were converted, then at the Gate Beautiful 5000. These are Billy Graham type results in terms of first century Jerusalem and recognition must be given to the place that Holy Spirit had in these events. In the first, the disciples had just been filled by Him and it was the noise from within the house that drew the crowd, in the latter Peter had healed the paralytic after which the crowd gathered and the opportunity presented.
Jesus told us “the wind blows where it will ... so it is for everyone born of the spirit” (John 3:8). The Acts account of the disciples activities all include signs and wonders which led to the number of believers being added to.
This is critical that Spirit cannot be contained, proscribed, or tamed. He is about the Father’s business and enabling us all; the media personality, the big time evangelist, and you and I in our daily lives. Sometimes God asks us to stand publicly against an injustice or oppression, sometimes for the God News and then sometimes He says be still and let God fight the battle. In the mean time live your life in the fullness of the fruits of the Spirit, be a Jesus disciple and be ready to be His ambassador.
Peter and John were hauled in front of the Jewish Leadership, following the miracle at the Gate Beautiful and speech. They were ordered to stop speaking about their belief but their answer was that they had to obey God. This answer is still current today. Fear not when the time comes for our contacts to be introduced to our Jesus. It is then the Spirit will steel our resolve and He is the one who will give us the words of life for our friend or contact.
It may not be easy, it may need patience, but aren’t these minor costs to that Jesus encountered for us? Are you up for the revolution of love?
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