One of our five values here at St. Andrew’s is ‘Share the Gospel’. We are invited to express our love for God and our love for neighbour by joining in with the work of proclaiming Christ to the nations. This commitment to sharing Jesus with others is one of the core characteristics of Biblical Christianity. That is the driving force behind our ongoing commitment to run courses that equip church members to share their faith (Honest Evangelism) and courses that give people an opportunity to learn about Jesus for themselves (Christianity Explored).
On an individual level, we can find it daunting to share our faith with others. In our summer teaching series, we are currently looking at the final chapters of Acts, where Paul is interrogated and challenged, and he must give a defense of his faith in the Lord Jesus. While our experiences may not be quite as intense as Paul’s, nevertheless we will experience the challenges of having to defend our faith and giving good reason for our faith in Christ as we share him with others.
As we are taught in 1 Peter 3:15, we are to ‘always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.’
One thing that is clear is that Paul was neither defensive nor apologetic about his trust in Jesus. He is bold in proclaiming the death and resurrection of Jesus, without being pushy. He is confident in his teaching and reasoning, without coercing others into responding in faith.
we are confident and joyful in the hope of the Jesus Christ risen from the dead
Paul’s confidence was not grounded in himself, but in an unwavering confidence in Christ and the salvation that is found only in him. Jesus is the Messiah who has made salvation available, and the Sovereign God of Heaven is at work in human hearts to bring them to a knowledge of the truth. The Spirit of God is growing the Church as the flame of the gospel message spreads. Confident of these truths, and the beauty of them, Paul is empowered to stand firm in his faith and to share it lovingly and courageously with anyone who gives him an opportunity to speak. It is an incredible moment in Acts 26:28 when King Agrippa recognizes that although Paul is being interrogated, the reality is that Paul is taking even that situation as an opportunity to proclaim the salvation hope of the risen Lord Jesus.
When we are confident and joyful in the hope of the Jesus Christ risen from the dead, then we will be well placed to share the faith confidently and joyfully with all those whom we meet. The best way for us to prepare to share the gospel and defend the faith is to have our eyes fixed fully upon Jesus, so that he fills our hearts and minds. The more our hearts are captivated by Jesus, the more we will be willing and able to speak of him and to share him with others.
