13Who is going to harm you if you are eager to
do good?
14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are
blessed. Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.
15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared
to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason
for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and
respect,16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak
maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed
of their slander.
17 It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good
than for doing evil.
18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for
the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in
the body but made alive by the Spirit,19 through whom also
he went and preached to the spirits in prison20 who disobeyed
long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while
the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in
all, were saved through water,21 and this water symbolises
baptism that now saves you also- not the removal of dirt from
the body but the pledge of a good conscience towards God. It
saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,22 who has gone
into heaven and is at God's right hand- with angels, authorities
and powers in submission to him.
A number of years ago, as a newly ordained, impressionable
minister, I went to a conference on Evangelism Explosion.
Evangelism Explosion or “EE”, as it’s
sometimes called, is a program to share the Gospel
developed by the Rev. James Kennedy in Florida. It
has resulted in
significant Church growth for his congregation and
many others who have used the program.
EE is based upon asking people two questions. These questions
are asked of people who have visited the Church as well
as going door to door and doing what are called “cold
calls.” The two questions are: “If you were to
die tonight do you know where you would go?” And “If
you were to stand before St. Peter and he was to ask you
why he should let you into heaven, what would you say?” From
a person’s response to those two questions a set
presentation of the Gospel is done and a commitment to
Christ is sought.
And so, because of all the buzz around it, I went to be
trained in this program.
Now, to be honest, I know that it works for some people and
some congregations but I felt very uneasy from the get go.
The set presentation of the Gospel was memorized and rehearsed.
It was the same presentation for everyone. Any questions
people had were dealt with superficially. The main thrust
was always getting the presentation done and seeking a faith
commitment to Christ.
For me it all seemed artificial. It treated people like
consumers who needed to listen to a sales pitch. It didn’t
feel comfortable or natural or personal. When I did try it,
I didn’t really have much success with it.
And so, I suppose you can say I “flunked” EE.
Evangelism—reaching out with the Gospel—bringing
people to faith in Jesus Christ is not something Presbyterians
usually spend a lot of time thinking about or doing. There
are all kinds of programs, like EE, which offer to show
the way to guaranteed Church growth. Generally speaking we
are
uncomfortable with them or prefer to have the Clergy do
that kind of work.
Now just because we don’t emphasize evangelism doesn’t
mean we can get away with ignoring reaching out to others
and speaking about faith. Without evangelism the Church
would shrivel up and die.
And so we want to take on, this morning, something that
might be uncomfortable for many people. But it’s something
we are called to do. And it needn’t be that difficult
or traumatic.
Our lesson provides us with a clue to becoming more comfortable
with the calling to share our faith with others.
Peter wrote to a community of Christians who were having a rough time. They
were in the minority. They were suffering at the hands of the majority.
This wasn’t the full scale persecution of the Roman
government that we think about when scenes of Christians
and lions enter our mind. It wasn’t that harsh. It
wasn’t that pervasive. But a group of Christians felt
like aliens and strangers in someone else’s land.
They were harassed and slandered.
They underwent trials and sufferings simply because of their
faith.
Being a Christian meant they had two strikes against them
in the eyes of those they worked with, their neighbours and
their associates.
People told stories about them behind their backs.
People treated them differently.
There was bias and prejudice against them.
Now surprisingly, Peter didn’t tell his flock to lay
low. He didn’t say that because they were being isolated
from the mainstream they should hide away and stay clear
of those who wanted to cause them trouble. Instead, Peter
told these suffering Christians to be prepared to explain
what their faith meant to them.
Verse 15 “…Always be prepared to give an answer
to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope
that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…”
Be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have.
In other words, be prepared to say what your faith means
to you—what Jesus Christ means to you—what
your community of faith means to you.
Be prepared to tell your story. But tell it with gentleness
and respect.
Our situation isn’t quite the same as the Christians
Peter wrote to. But we, in many ways, are in the minority,
now, in our society. While we don’t have to defend
our faith against a majority who causes us all kinds of
trials and tribulations, we do need to make what we believe
and
why we believe it known and understood.
But what are we to do and how are we to do it?
Peter tells us to share our story but do so with gentleness
and respect.
There is power in that simplicity.
Every person gathered here has a story to tell.
It’s not a canned presentation with points to memorize.
It’s not artificial with a set agenda to accomplish.
Your story and my story are personal.
Your story and my story are natural.
It’s unique to us as individuals.
It’s not a course to be memorized.
It’s an expression of the lives we have lived—the
experiences we have had—the faith journey we are
exploring.
Our story has to do with what Jesus means to us—what
faith has done in our lives—what impact our Church
family has had on us and those we love.
Our story has to do with remembering what life was like
before we made faith in Jesus Christ a priority in our lives.
It has to do with recognizing how our lives have changed
and are changing because Jesus is central to what we think
and do and say.
It has to do with celebrating how our faith has shaped
our lives—imagining what life would be like without
Christ—what our life experiences would mean if they
hadn’t been lived through a filter of faith.
In his book, “The Jesus I Never Knew” Philip
Yancey wrote:
“Jesus left few traces of himself on earth. He wrote
no books or even pamphlets. A wanderer, he left no home or
even belongings that could be enshrined in a museum. He did
not marry, settle down, and begin a dynasty. We would, in
fact, know nothing about him except for the traces he left
in human beings. That was his design.” pg 228
So what are the traces Jesus has left behind in our lives?
What have those traces meant to us?
What would life be like without them?
Each and every one of us has his or her own unique story.
The traces Jesus has left in us will be different for each
of us.
Our stories are special.
That’s worth celebrating.
God’s power and our faith make a difference in our
lives.
God’s power and a new faith can make a difference
in someone else.
People don’t have to have the same experiences. They
don’t have to feel God’s touch in the same way.
They don’t have to have God’s influence manifest
itself in the same manner.
What we can offer is our story about what faith means to
us and the hope and assurance that faith can make a difference
in the lives of the people we tell our story to. God won’t
necessarily act in their lives as God has acted in ours—but
God will act—faith will make a difference—Christ
will become real to them.
And so I invite us to do three things.
First, spend some time thinking about your own life story.
Ask yourself some questions about the meaning of faith
and Christ in your life. What are the experiences that point
to God’s special touch in your life? What would
life be like if there was no God, no faith in Christ,
no Church?
What is your story?
Think about it.
Develop it as something to share.
Second, pray that God will present opportunities for you
to share your story with others. Remember that when
we pray to God and tell God we are open to God’s will—be
prepared—doors will be opened.
And third, when a door is opened, walk through with gentleness
and respect. We are not seeking to convert people. We are
simply sharing our story in humility and grace.
Evangelism is best done in the exact opposite style from
Lucy, of Peanuts fame.
Lucy came up to her brother, Linus, and told him that she
had "converted" someone in her class to her way
of thinking religiously.
Knowing his sister, Linus couldn't believe it.
"
How did you do it?" he asked.
Lucy explained, "I told him everything I believe and
asked him if he believed it, too. When we came to something
he didn't see my way, I just hit him over the head with
my lunch box until he believed it!"
We don’t have a weapon to wave.
We don’t beat people over the head with a lunch box
or a bible.
We have something unique and natural and personal and powerful.
We have a story to tell.
We have our story.
We plant a seed in someone’s life and watch and pray
for the Spirit to germinate it and grow it into something
beautiful.
Our responsibility isn’t to convert people. It’s
to tell our story and let God work through our lives a second
time—once in our own experience and once in the life
of someone else through what we share.
Evangelism needn’t be scary or uncomfortable.
It needn’t be something we feel guilty about not
doing.
It needn’t be something we have to do in a certain
way.
All that’s needed is a story of faith—a story
of hope—your story.
“ Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks
you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”
And watch, in amazement, what happens!
(1651)
© The Rev. Dennis Cook, St. Timothy’s Presbyterian
Church, Ajax, ON, Canada
