Preaching by example

Too many Christians do forget that they are commanded to

“make disciples of people of all the nations.”

How they have to do that is never explicitly said. We should realize that there are different ways to make disciples or to bring people to come to know God.

For sure a bad way to get converts is to use pressure or force. Jesus’ commission was to

“tell good news to the meek ones,”

to

“bind up the brokenhearted,”

to

“comfort all the mourning ones.” (Matthew 28:19; Isaiah 61:1, 2; Luke 4:18, 19)

We may not forget the task Jesus has given his disciples

19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations,+ baptizing them+ in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.+ And look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”*+ (Matthew 28:19-20)

Real Christians should have their heart, their ears and eyes open for Jehovah’s Word and be willing to share that Word with as many people as possible. They should go looking for different ways to declare the good news from the Bible. We all should be obeying Christ by going out into the world and letting others know about the Divine Creator and His wonderworks.

Like the prophet Ezekiel of old, today real students of the Bible and followers of Christ should try to find those who

“are sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done.”—Ezekiel 9:4.

We should make a positive effort to reach the public, just as Jesus did when

“he went journeying from city to city and from village to village, preaching and declaring the good news of the kingdom of God.”

His early disciples did likewise. (Luke 8:1; 9:1-6; 10:1-9)

As such we can go out on the streets, going from one place to an other, telling those we pass, about the good news which had reached us. We can share that what made us so happy and full of hope and are sure of will be bringing blessings also to them as it does to us.

We can invite people to come to our meetings and there we can share our faith with many.

23 Let us hold firmly the public declaration of our hope without wavering,+ for the one who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider* one another so as to incite* to love and fine works,+ 25 not forsaking our meeting together,+ as some have the custom, but encouraging one another,+ and all the more so as you see the day drawing near.+ (Hebrews 10:23-24-25)

Jesus giving the Farewell discourse to his eleven remaining disciples, from the Maesta by Duccio, 1308-1311. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yes as lovers of Christ we should also consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. The the assembling or gathering is one way of showing to the outside world our unity or our family as members of the Body of Christ. There, at the meeting places, we should exhort and encourage or stimulate one another.

Sincerity, fullness of faith, the sprinkling and washing that come from repentance and baptism give the conscience freedom of access.

‘Let us approach . . . let us hold fast . . . let us consider each other ‘

are the three exhortatives which urge the practice of the three divine virtues. Hope particularly is founded on the fidelity of God to his promises, and charity must be social. Our faith is not something which has to stay in our own closed closet.

Today too much we see people who are afraid to show their faith to others. Discouragement has made them avoid community at the very time they needed it most. Forsaking fellowship is a sure way to give place to discouragement.  This discouragement festers where God’s people are not exhorting one another.

We may have the gathering together of the redeemed of the Lord at the day of judgement, but it is now we have to take care that as many can be saved. Our love should be full of the love of Christ who gave his life for all mankind. We do not have to give our life, but much of our life should be concerned about the others, those who not have found Christ.

We should make an effort to bring more people to Christ Jesus. It is up to us to let him be known by much more people.

Our life should be for Christ and like Christ being an example for others. When we tell others about our faith they should see it that we live according that faith.

A Christian’s being an example of right living says more than hours of sermonizing. This was pointed out to Christian wives who had unbelieving husbands:

“They may be won without a word through the conduct of their wives, because of having been eyewitnesses of your chaste conduct.” (1 Peter 3:1, 2.)

Therefore, let us try to recommend the good news to others in this way also:

by being exemplary in the Christian conduct that they recommend to others.

Let us remember that we should try to do unto others as we would have others do unto us.

12 “All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must do to them.+ This, in fact, is what the Law and the Prophets mean.+ (Matthew 7:12)

We do know we can not know everything, nor can we be perfect.  Being imperfect, we do not always succeed 100 percent. But it is the desire of our hearts to do good unto all people not only in telling them the good news of the Kingdom but also in extending a helping hand whenever possible.

14 Of what benefit is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but he does not have works?+ That faith cannot save him, can it?+ 15 If a brother or a sister is lacking clothing* and enough food for the day, 16 yet one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but you do not give them what they need for their body, of what benefit is it?+ 17 So, too, faith by itself, without works, is dead.+ (James 2:14-17.)

+

Preceding articles:

A Christian has to have eyes and ears and a tongue to use in good ways

Daring to speak in multicultural environment

How To Get Started In Sharing Your Faith As a Christian

Your position about materialistic desires having conquered the world

Looking for a shepherd for the sheep and goats

It takes years to learn

Believe today and now!

When believing in God’s existence and His son, possessing a divine legislation

What’s inside matters..

Not making yourselves abominable

Where are the female writers

Perishable non theologians daring to go out to preach

What Should I Preach ?

++

Additional reading:

1. How long to wait before bringing religiousness and spirituality in practice
2. Jehovah steep rock and fortress, source of insight
3. Atonement And Fellowship 2/8
4. Missional hermeneutics 4/5
5. The Right One to follow and to worship
6. Many forgot how Christ should be our anchor and our focus
7. Counterfeit Gospels
8. Hope by faith and free gift
9. Showing by the scriptures that …
10. Salvation, trust and action in Jesus #3 as a Christian
11. Proclaiming shalom, bringing good news of good things, announcing salvation
12. Establish your hearts blameless in holiness
13. Looking for True Spirituality 7 Preaching of the Good News
14. Looking for True Spirituality 8 Measuring Up
15. Breathing to teach
16. 2013 Lifestyle, religiously and spiritually
17. Belgian Christadelphians 2013 & 2014 in review
18. Stepping Toes 2014 in review
19. Looking on what is going on and not being of it
20. A prophet to restore
21. Imitate prophets and Paul
22. Oratory Style
23. Counting sands and stars
24. Which Christians Actually Evangelize
25. Learn how to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News of the coming Kingdom
26. Bringing Good News into the world
27. Intentions of an Ecclesia
28. Holland Week of billing
29. Faith and trial
30. Faith a commitment to the promises of Christ and to to the demands of Christ
31. How should we preach?
32. The Rapture Wars
33. Not many coming out with their community name
34. Writers needed to preach to non-believers
35. Jehovah can make him stand
36. Our openness to being approachable
37. Different approach in organisation of services #3
38. Glory of God appearing in our character
39. A Society pleading poverty
40. Good or bad preacher

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