The Politics of Evangelism

Photo from rebulicandefined.com

Over the weekend, Texas Governor Rick Perry announced his run for the presidency.  I'm not sure how you feel about that, but it really is immaterial.  I'm not going to write about politics here, I really try to shy away from that discussion in this forum.  However, I was listening to the news this morning and the commentators were discussing that tactics that Governor Perry is using in his campaign.  Perry has his sights firmly fixed on his biggest opponent in the Republican primary and on the incumbent President of the United States.  One commentator noted that Perry was completely ignoring the candidate who won the Iowa Straw Poll over the weekend.  Even so, why is Perry already focused on the President?  Here's why.  Perry wants to win.  He has the attitude that he will win.  He is thinking like a champion.  He is already visualizing himself in the White House.  While some may think that arrogant, isn't that why you run in the first place?  Your run to win.  If you don't think you can win or don't want to win, get out.


Now, some of you are wondering what this has to do with evangelism.  In a word, everything.  We must approach sharing the gospel with people the same way that Governor Perry is approaching his run for the White House.  So often, when it comes right down to telling someone about Jesus, we bow out of the race because we don't think we can win.  When we approach evangelism with a winning attitude, we will win people to Jesus.  It's not arrogant.  It's essential.  Many times we feel defeated and that people to not want to hear about Jesus.  Last year some research revealed that nearly 70% of unchurched people were willing to sit down with someone and talk about Jesus.  The unbelieving world around us wants to know what we have to say.  It's time to enter the race to win.  In 1 Corinthians 9:24, Paul exhorts us to run in such a way as to win or obtain the prize.  Win today!

Consumed

From modernsurvivalblog,com

We are consumed by so many things.  We are consumed with desires to succeed.  We are consumed with desires to win.  We are consumed with fear.  We are consumed with the fear of failing.  We are consumed with consuming and being a consumer.  All of this consumption can be a bit overwhelming.  We strive for the next thing or the next best thing or the biggest thing.  We have our eyes focused on things that will eventually wear our, break or become obsolete.  What gives?  Yesterday I preached a message from Matthew 6, verses 31-33 specifically.  I am not going to rehash it all here, but I do want to delve into the heart of what Jesus warns us about here.  


Jesus says that we are not to be anxious for anything.  He notes in verse 31, specifically, what we eat, drink or wear.  Now that may seem like funny things for Jesus to point out, doesn't it?  Not really.  The things that Jesus points out are things that we consume and, conversely, consume us.  I made the statement yesterday that we will spend all of this energy trying to pursue the perfect meal, the perfect restaurant, the perfect pair of jeans or the perfect pair of shoes, all the while bypassing the perfect God.  We have become consumers and are consumed by the wrong things.  We are consumed by the temporary as opposed to the eternal.  We want more stuff but we don't want more God.  In essence, our stuff has become our god.  While we are consumed by a god, it is not the God that we need to be consumed by.


So the question is, how did we get here?  We reach the point of being consumed by becoming overwhelmed.  When we are overwhelmed by something we will either surrender to it or escape it.  When we surrender to it, that thing now consumes us.  We become so overwhelmed by it that we finally just give in to it.  If you think about the things that consume you, I think you will discover that you were first intrigued.  That intrigue led to becoming infatuated.  Infatuation leads to being overcome.  Being overcome leads to being overwhelmed.  When you are overwhelmed, you will either succumb or escape.  If you succumb then you will be consumed.  For those of us who are disciples of Jesus, this is exactly what leads us to a life of radical obedience to God.  If you follow the progression you will see the work of the Holy Spirit at each of these points in your life.  My hope is that as you were overwhelmed by the Spirit that you surrendered to Him and became fully consumed by Him.


Being consumed is not all together a bad thing, so long as you are consumed by the right things.  When you are consumed with the Holy Spirit, led by Jesus and being obedient to the call of your Heavenly Father, that is crashing into life.  CRASH ON!

Being Boastful about Right Things

^"23Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, ²⁴but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD." (Jeremiah 9:23-24 ESV)


I've been reading through Jeremiah as part of my chronological journey through the Bible this year.  Jeremiah is such a timely book for the days in which we live.  I read this passage again just the other day and have been marinating on it.


We are such a people who boast about what we have accomplished.  God nails us in verse 23.  We boast about our wisdom and knowledge.  We boast about our strengths.  We boast about our wealth.  There is nothing wrong with any of these things, so long as they are not the object of our attention.  We must realize that God alone is the one who has enabled us to accomplish, succeed, grow, profit and excel.  This is why verse 24 is so important.  Our boast as a Christ follower is in our knowledge of Christ as Savior/Redeemer and Lord.  It is God who has enabled us, gifted us, saved us and positioned us for greatness according to His will.  Our boast is in God alone.  We are to boast in our knowledge and understanding of God.  It is not that we just know God but that God knows us.  It is not just that we understand God but that He understands us.  We are to boast in the greatness of our God.  He is a god who practices a steadfast, enduring and everlasting love for all of mankind.  He is a God who practices justice.  He is a God who is perfectly righteous.  As God is, so He creates us to be.  We, as His disciples, are in the process of reformation.  We must allow God to reform us into His original intent for our lives.  At the very end of verse 24 we read that God delights in these things.  


If we are only calling attention to ourselves, our church, our ministry or our denomination, we have missed it.  None of those thing exist apart from God.  Because God is God and I am not, He alone is worthy of my praise.


How will you boast in the Lord today?