Desk of Dennis PillerFearlessly Courageous2 16 2023Click for Audio Version
It’s a confrontation not to be Ashamed of the Gospel today. Are you ready?
Paul said in Romans, 1:16 "I am not ashamed of the Gospel." I was reading an article in Blaze Media. There is a large 10'x19' painting "depicting an image of Jesus and merchant seamen adrift in a lifeboat, presumably after being torpedoed in the Indian Ocean during World War II." at the Merchant Marine Academy, It was said that they covered the painting to create "a welcoming environment." It was hidden away after an activist group from New York complained with iconoclastic vigor. They demanded its removal, but the governing body decided to cover it and put up a plaque description of it to soothe the tension.Weinstein told the Christian Post that the complainers "believe that the display of the 'Jesus painting' is totally violative of the clear time, place and manner requirements of the No Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution," adding that "it's as though USMMA is screaming that 'Jesus Christ is the only approved solution to all of life’s difficulties.'""The original complaint was made long before this year. Since that time, no other superintendent has made any changes with regard to the painting and has respected its historic significance.Here is the clincher and double standard. Fox News Digital revealed that while Christian imagery has been hidden from sight, sexual secular idolatry is permitted at the academy. Ahead of the concealment of the historical painting, the USMMA was plastered with LGBT propaganda and still boasts a rainbow mural in the main causeway.
We need people unashamed of the Gospel to stand up. We need missionary planters that can navigate the tension that comes with embodying the gospel. Such tension is a question of how we live in a manner that is both faithful to Jesus and contextual to the local cultures that are always fluid and changing.
It is clearly our responsibility to share the Gospel. The Great Commission is a special privilege and responsibility that belongs to each and every Christian. The purpose of Jesus' incarnational ministry, according to Luke 19:10, was “to seek and save the lost.” He loved people's souls with an eternal and sacrificial love.
How does one do that?
• Don't look to “defend” your faith. Tell your story and how Jesus changed your life. No one can refute that!• Look for conversations, not confrontations.• Look to the Interests of Others. Serve them. • Look to God to Change Hearts. Prayer and Intercession.
What are ways to show and tell the Gospel?
1. Walk your dog. Walk when your neighbors are outside. …2. Fix broken things. …3. Build short fences. …4. Try a new hobby. …5. Build relationships and talk to them just like you do with Christians.6. Display imperfection. …7. Pray before conversations. 8. Ask good questions. 9. Watch your reactions – Respond to frustrations graciously, and display patience when faced with difficulty. Life's "small moments" are the best platforms to display your faith. Not surprisingly, this song reminds me for our departed Pastor Dale Brooks. Remember, “Don’t be ashamed of the Gospel.” We do need to be aware of what's happening and let our voices be heard! With intentional love and courage. Finally, most evangelism happens through meaningful conversations and genuine relationships. So above all, love others well. And choose not to offend Christ vs. potentially offending a colleague or acquaintance. 1 Romans 17 says, “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith” …I am not ashamed by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choirhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AStr4gfQGTM
