In the lead-up to Outreach October, which commences today, we’ve been preaching through some of the common fears Christians may experience regarding evangelism. Last week’s passage (John 15:18-27) shoed those fears are not unfounded, as Jesus himself warns us of opposition.
The main reason is the fact that the world hated Jesus first (v. 18). It is hard to rationalise why people would hate someone whose sole purpose in life was (i) heal people of their sicknesses, and (ii) take the divine punishment for their sins. Yet Jesus also told people that their sin, and inability to make up for it, which people don’t take to kindly to.
Yet Christians also face opposition because we’re strange. Having been given a perspective that sees even beyond the confines of this life, Christians now live differently. We have different ethics on life (e.g. abortion), love (e.g. remaining a virgin until marriage), fame (e.g. not needing the approval of others), and fortune (e.g. storing up treasures in heaven). Humans fear that which we think is strange.
Yet courage is not the absence of fear; it is the ability to overcome our fears because we see something of greater importance than our personal safety is at stake. Christians know that being ignored, ridiculed, beaten or even killed, is of little importance in the grand scheme of eternity. We know the truth that if our non-Christian family and friends do not turn to Jesus in repentance and faith in this life, they will have to deal with him as their cosmic judge in the next.
Not only is it cowardly to chose not to invite non-Christians to come and encounter Jesus, it actually works against their conversion. If non-Christians don’t see us willing to suffer for the sake of Christ, they have no reason to think Jesus is important. Rather it is through our courage for evangelism that will show non-believers how important Jesus is, as we’re willing to suffering for the sake of calling others to come and encounter Jesus.
