The Expository Files

 


 

 When You Discover Value



What do you typically do when you discover something that has great value? When an avid golfer finds a great new club, he can’t wait to tell his golfing buddies about it. When a woman who does arts and crafts finds a new pattern or idea, she is quick to share the good news. Pinterest and Facebook and Instagram are filled daily with messages and photos, sharing some great discovery. It is what we naturally do, when we find something of value. We want to tell others.

Isn’t this how evangelism ought to work? There is nothing we have ever discovered of greater value than Jesus Christ and God’s grace offered to us through Him. If you have, by the activity of your faith, become a recipient of forgiveness and life and joy – why wouldn’t you share that good news with everybody you know.

Ideally, this is what evangelism is and this is how it should work. No huge financial investment; no complicated institutional organization; no secrets; no packed program that exceeds all other methods. Just people talking to people about the Lord. Isn’t that the essence of New Testament evangelism?

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” – Jno. 1:35-51

 

 

 
 
By Warren E. Berkley
The Final Page
From Expository Files 21.12;  December 2014

 

 

 

https://www.bible.ca/