Hi to my Forum Friends,
In the discussion begun by IamShouting! titled "How Can Anyone Deny This?" -- Nagel and I have been discussing the merits of sharing the Gospel with folks we meet.
In this discussion, Nagel tells me, "I don't pursue an active role in spreading the words of Christ because I do not wish to chase people away from Him. If some one is seeking Him and comes to me, I will gladly do all I can to help them find HIm. But I will not try to force Him upon people who are not looking, or people who aren't ready yet."
My Friend, if you feel that sharing the Word of God with people will scare them away -- then, change your approach in sharing. But, do not stop sharing His Word.
How will you know if someone is seeking -- if you are not sowing?
About ten years ago, I went to the Emergency Room for an infection on my foot. While standing in line to register, I noticed a young man, about twenty, standing behind me. This young man was very noticeable -- for he could have been the poster boy for the White Supremacist Groups. He had the shaved head, the muscle shirt, the tattoos all over -- the first thought that would come into anyone's mind upon seeing this young man was: White Supremacist.
After signing in, we went into the waiting room. I sat down, took out my Bible and began to study. I noticed that he also took out a book and began to read. As he held up the book to read -- I could see tattooed letters on his fingers. They read H-A-T-E. Yet, the book he was reading was the Bible. I was intrigued, but said nothing because there were other people in the room.
We both were called in to see the doctors and afterwards, I went into another waiting room to wait for my prescription to be filled. The young man was in this room also. When there was no one else around, I turned to him and told him, "I am very curious. Your hand says HATE -- yet, the book you are reading says LOVE. What is the story?"
And, this young man told me an interesting story. He, indeed, was a devout White Supremacist. His whole family were White Supremacists. And, the only music he listened to was what he called Dark Music, i.e., Satanic music (his words).
Then, one day he was walking in our town and a guy walked up to him and began to share Jesus Christ with him.
Would you have done this? I am ashamed to say that I most likely would have crossed the street and walked on the other side to avoid him. Yet, this on-fire Christian man walked up to this White Supremacist and shared Jesus Christ with him.
Nagel, you tell me, "But I will not try to force Him upon people who are not looking, or people who aren't ready yet."
Looking at this White Supremacist, would you have thought he was looking or ready to seek God? Would you have thougth him a good prospect for the Gospel of Jesus Christ? No. Most of us would have seen a hate-driven White Supremacist.
Yet, even though he saw no seeker, this Christian man walked up to this very obvious White Supremacist and shared Jesus Christ with him. And, right there on the street -- this White Supremacist repented and received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Now that young man is an on-fire Christian believer and an evangelist.
There, in the hospital waiting room, he and I began to swap our writings, our tracts, and both pulled out our Bibles and began to fellowship.
I was supposed to call my daughter to pick me up -- but, I got so involved that several hours went by. It was not until I heard my name on the hospital paging system that I remembered that I had not called her.
What would have happened that day if that Christian man had crossed the street to avoid the White Supremacist -- instead of walking directly up to him and telling him that he needed Jesus Christ? Very likely, that young man might never have become a Christian believer -- and others whom his life has touched and will touch -- might never become Christian believers. What a tragic loss that could have been -- except for one very brave Christian man who was not afraid to share Jesus Christ on the street.
But, praise God that man did not cross the street. No, he was not afraid that he would, to use your words, "chase people away from Him." I do believe this man was more concerned about letting someone slip through His fingers, slip away from Jesus Christ -- not worried about chasing people away from Him.
Nagel, we can all find reasons, justifications, for not following the Great Commission Jesus Christ left with us: Go, Make Disciples, Baptize Them, Teach Them (Matthew 28:19-20); Be My Witnesses (Acts 1:8); Preach The Gospel In All The World (Mark 16:15).
However, how will we explain to Jesus Christ on Judgment Day why we did not tell that man, or that lady, or that child, or that homeless man, or that White Supremacist, about His Gospel -- and let this person slip away into eternal condemnation? How will we justify that to Him?
No, my Friend, we are not called to be Couch Potato Christians -- we are given a Commission in His Army -- the Great Commission; and we do not want to tell Him on Judgment Day that we refused His Commission.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
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