BLOG 5/16/17. THE CHURCH: EQUIPPED TO COMMUNICATE
In my last Blog, I was trying to make somewhat intelligible how important it was for the Christian community to equip all of its members to understand their culture, i.e., to be equipped to be prophets. That Ephesians 4 passage looms very large in the apostolic teachings about the dynamics of the church’s mission. It mentions four specific gifts that are essential if God’s people are to be equipped for maturity in their New Creation / Kingdom lives: apostle, prophet, evangelist, teaching-shepherd. I lament that I find most expositors do a sort of ‘ double-two-foot shuffle’ … and pass over this. There are, of course, those individual persons who are especially gifted in each of these dimensions of the Christian life, … but the sense of the text is that all of God’s people are to be equipped to be engaged in the ministry of the New Creation community.
Indulge me that perspective, and let me tackle the gift of evangelist. I know, that just to use that word conjures up all kinds of images of colorful public speakers, or aggressive Christians, who assault others with the message, … but it simply has the meaning of being able to communicate one’s embrace of the thrilling message of Jesus Christ to another in the ordinary conversations of life. For one thing, the New Testament teachings indicate that our life-style as the followers of Jesus ought to elicit come curiosity in others. Beginning with the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5), there follows after the list of beatitudes the comment: “Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works (i.e., your Kingdom behavior) and glorify God – know that somehow God is behind the way you are living.
Or, Jesus tells his disciples that they are live out their lives of love “that men may know that they are his disciples.” If, especially in the most difficult, or conflicted, or arid settings of our lives, we are living as the light of the world, the salt of the earth … then, folks should be curious. So, when Paul describes the seven pieces of the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6), the third piece we are to put on is (note): “… as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness of the gospel of peace.” We are to be gently always ready to be agents of communicating God unimaginable love for humankind—the gospel of peace.
But, perhaps the passage that most intrigues me is from Peter’s first letter, which was written in the context of the often-cultural hostility against Christ’s followers, in which they are described as aliens and exiles. He encourages them to keep their conduct among the non-believers so honorable, that when they speak evil against God’s people, … they may see the good deeds of God’s people and glorify God in the final analysis. Ah! But a bit later in the same letter, Peter makes this injunction—so apropos to our thesis here:
“Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? … but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared (i.e., equipped) to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that when you are slandered (note: you may well be ‘bad-mouthed’) those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame” (I Peter 2-3, in loc).
The Christian faith is never passive in expressing God’s love in Christ, but being equipped to communicate that love in life-style and ordinary, or hostile, conversation needs some mentoring by good models. I’ve certainly learned from some incredible models, who with wit and knowledge and love communicated. When the genome of Christ lives in us, we will move toward, and not away from, those still walking in darkness to be messengers of God to them. There are few things that are more fulfilling than engaging in this role. And it puts us at ease in some of the most difficult interpersonal engagements. “On your feet, the readiness of the gospel of peace.” http://wipfandstock.com/subversive-jesus-radical-grace.html
