This is a follow up to my last post on hope. In order to have an eternal hope, there needs to be faith in Christ. We are saved by grace through faith in Christ (Eph. 2:8; John 3:16; Rom. 3:25,5:1). In these uncertain times when many people are struggling financially, mentally and physically, we need faith. Only by faith in Christ can we have a hope for our future.
The response by many churches I know during this current event of the coronavirus, is to close the doors of the church, and provide lessons and sermons online. Many are using programs like “zoom” to conduct digital meetings. These are great avenues for the church to fellowship, encourage and learn. However, how is the gospel message of Christ being spread to those who are not believers. The non-believers are struggling as well and looking for hope. How do they find help when the churches have shut their doors and post closed for business signs on the church buildings.
People have reached out to me, asking where to find a good sermon or lesson online. Many are realizing watching even their own pastors online is a different experience than being in church. Many pastors are discovering preaching to a video camera is more difficult than preaching to people who are responding to the message. The early church had a similar situation as they were persecuted and not allowed to assemble as a church in many locations. They still found a way to spread the gospel, today we have the internet, which is being utilized on a large scale for the church to communicate with each other, but we need to embrace it as an opportunity to reach the lost as well during this time.
If faith in Christ is the only way to have true hope, how do we guide non-believers to this hope? I am going to start to answer this with scripture, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” (James 1:5-6) We learn from this to ask God for wisdom in all things, asking in faith. Prayer is the way we fight our battles and win our victory in this life. We must come before God in reverence and faith when we pray. I witness people often pray to God as talking to a neighbor. He is our friend, but He is the Almighty God foremost and deserves reverence, respect and fear. When we pray, God will guide us by the Holy Spirit to the things to do and say.
After prayer and guidance, the scriptures should be our next step. We must know and use the scriptures to share the gospel with others, there are many ways to do this on the internet, social media, blogs (such as this one), and even videos and email. We see in Romans “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) Posting a different verse on “Facebook” or some other social media post each day or creating a message regarding the gospel and posting it.
All of these are ways to share the gospel message. I have a booklet I like to hand out to individuals when I talk to them about faith in Christ. It is called “The Story” and has a link the person can go to on the internet and watch a video of the content in the tract. The link is https://thestoryfilm.com/watch and is a great video. We have more ways to communicate the gospel message today than ever before, we need to embrace this gift God provided for us, especially during this time of isolation.
The last step I will discuss in this post is our worship and light to others. We are to be an example to others of Christ. That is difficult when we are stuck in our houses. Of course, being a light and demonstrating Christ’s love for our family members in our house, is critical to our testimony to others, this may be a good time to demonstrate that as well. I have seen several news articles about the rate of domestic violence rising with everyone stuck in their houses with their spouse, kids and parents. This is a time for Christian’s to demonstrate who we are and what we stand for. What we post on social media is also very important to our testimony to others. We may demonstrate a strong faith around others, but now that we are stuck watching posts on “Facebook”, the things we like, share and post can make an impact on our testimony to others.
Music is another aspect of worship, for me and my family. We love contemporary Christian music. Many of the artists have been posting everything from short concerts at their own houses, to devotionals on social media. Sharing them instead of other music or posts may be a great way for someone who likes music to relate and start following or listening to Christian music. My wife over the last week or so has selected a music video to post on “Facebook” every day to hopefully help someone who watches it. We all make an impact on others for Christ. Let us during this unique time in history use the gifts given to us by God to tell as many people as possible about Christ, and the hope and salvation they can have in Him through faith.
A practical application to this would be to post a life lesson or testimony along with a verse to go with it everyday for a week or so, or longer. Another would be to call and check up on a friend or relative and start discussing the current event compared to scripture and hopefully lead into a presentation of the gospel with the person if they are not saved. The Holy Spirit works in so many ways, often we do not know the result, but we are to be constantly spreading the Word. I have read a couple books over the last year, which stated we as the Christian church have been lacking in the fire for evangelism in this modern culture, maybe this current event is a wake-up call to the church.
I have added the below verses which are a couple of my favorite verses, they are good verses to use on this topic and to meditate on today as it is Good Friday. Hopefully they are a blessing to you in this time:
”I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
In Christ,
The Sword of the Spirit 