Are You Letting Your Light Shine?

Sharing our faith should be exciting to us. It is exciting. When we consider the free grace God gave us through His Son, telling others about Jesus should be on our priority list every day. For whatever reason, many find it very awkward to talk to others about Jesus. We can talk about just about anything else, though. That’s why it’s crucial that we look at sharing the gospel as an intentional thing we do. Intentionality is a great way to overcome our hesitancy, and let’s be honest, sometimes fear keeps us from sharing. 

Truth is, each personality requires a customized approach to sharing about Jesus. Some are outgoing and others are shy. A blogger for God TV has written that he admired a friend who told every seatmate on every plane he’d been in about Jesus.

The blogger went on to write that “Even if my fellow passengers desperately wanted to know Christ, they likely couldn’t even get my attention with a jackhammer drill or a pie in the face.” Kind of funny and also kind of sad, also very common. 

Matthew 16:24 says, “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’” So, if we’re looking for ways to overcome our mediocre gospel sharing, what can we do? Let’s look at a few tips. 

The first is prayer. Get honest with God and tell Him you’re not so great at evangelism. I mean, He already knows, anyway. Ask Him specifically to give you both opportunities and an intentional plan for communicating the best news anyone will ever hear.

Two, plan, think ahead. Are you a person who’s good at conversation? Go over a mental checklist that provides you with enough scripture and short sentences to make your pitch when the time comes. However, if you’re not outgoing, maybe you’re a writer. Consider communicating with a card to let the person know you’re thinking about him or her. Play to your strengths, not your weaknesses. 

Number three, listen before you talk. How many times do we jump into a conversation or meeting without taking a breath? Train yourself to be quiet for a bit until you hear where the other person is coming from. You’ll learn about your friend or acquaintance, and you can then think through the best way to approach them about the saving gift of Jesus. But also, don’t just wait for your turn to talk. Hear them. Meet them where they are, and listen to the Holy Spirit to see how you can speak Jesus into that person’s life. Very few of us are Billy Graham. That doesn’t mean we can’t share the gospel. Somebody’s depending on it. 

Let’s pray.

Father, whatever our personality and our experiences, give us a passion for loving unbelievers and caring about their well-being. The world is full of diversity. Help us embrace that. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sharing our faith should be exciting to us.
It is exciting when we considerthe free grace God gave us
through His Son.
Telling others about Jesusshould be on our priority list
every day.
For whatever reason, many findit very awkward to talk to
others about Jesus.
We can talk about just aboutanything else, though.

(00:20):
That's why it's crucial that welook at sharing the gospel as
an intentional thing we do.
Intentionality is a great wayto overcome our hesitancy and,
let's be honest, sometimes fearkeeps us from sharing.
Truth is, each personalityrequires a customized approach
to sharing about Jesus.
Some are outgoing and othersare shy.

(00:43):
A blogger for God TV has writtenthat he admired a friend who
told every seatmate on everyplane he'd been in about Jesus.
The blogger went on to writethat even if my fellow
passengers desperately wanted toknow Christ, they likely
couldn't even get my attentionwith a jackhammer drill or a pie
in the face.
Attention with a jackhammerdrill or a pie in the face Kind

(01:09):
of funny and also kind of sad.
Also very common.
Matthew 16 24 says then Jesussaid to his disciples whoever
wants to be my disciple mustdeny themselves and take up
their cross and follow me.
So if we're looking for ways toovercome our mediocre gospel
sharing.
What can we do?
Let's look at a few tips.
The first is prayer.

(01:29):
Get honest with God and tellhim you're not so great at
evangelism I mean, he alreadyknows anyway.
Ask him specifically to giveyou both opportunities and an
intentional plan forcommunicating the best news
anyone will ever hear.
Two plan Think ahead.

(01:51):
Are you a person who's good atconversation?
Go over a mental checklist thatprovides you with enough
scripture and short sentences tomake your pitch when the time
comes.
However, if you're not outgoing, maybe you're a writer.
Consider communicating with acard.
Don't let the person knowyou're thinking about him or her
.
Play to your strengths, notyour weaknesses.

(02:14):
Number three listen before youtalk.
How many times do we jump intoa conversation or meeting
without taking a breath?
Train yourself to be quiet fora bit until you hear where the
other person is coming from.
You'll learn about your friendor acquaintance and you can then
think through the best way toapproach them about the saving

(02:35):
gift of Jesus.
But also, don't just wait foryour turn to talk.
Hear them, meet them where theyare and listen to the Holy
Spirit to see how you can speakJesus into that person's life.
Very few of us are Billy Graham.
That doesn't mean we can'tshare the gospel.

(02:56):
Somebody's depending on it.
Let's pray, father.
Whatever our personality andour experiences, give us a
passion for loving unbelieversand caring about their
well-being.
The world is full of diversity.

(03:16):
Help us embrace that In Jesus'name amen.

Speaker 2 (03:22):
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