Scripture
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. (Colossians 4:2-4)
Observation
Timely verse for me as I’m currently struggling over a “simple and creative presentation” of the Gospel. You see the heart of the message, the meat, the Word, seems to be taking a back seat to the gimmick. I say currently, cause from this moment on I will fight to correct my heart and mind to follow as the Holy Spirit leads and quiet my soul to the doubt the devil wants to dominate my thoughts, knowing His will will open the door and solve any and every mystery.
I love creative presentations, I’m all about creative presentations. Creative presentations means there’s comprehension. And that is the goal. People are much more inclined to hear the Gospel via a creative presentation rather than the book of Chronicles! No offense to the writer of Chronicles.
Application
A paraphrase of something written by a famous Saint says, “to preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary used words,” basically saying that Jesus doesn’t need elaborate speeches or ground-breaking presentations. The Gospel in itself is enough.
But, “We believe that a simple presentation of the Gospel, Jesus Christ, done in creative ways will impact and transform lives.”
So what’s the deal? Do I just let the Gospel stand alone? Or do I present it in way that is understood and causes impact? I will choose the later every single time.
A start in finding an answer comes is verse 2 of Colossians 4, “devote yourself to prayer, be watchful, and thankful. In order to proclaim the Gospel clearly the first thing we need to do is pray!
- Pray. Pray that the Word of God is never distorted or compromised. That His complete truth would be revealed and not just the parts that fit into our narrative.
- Be Watchful. Lean in to the Holy Spirit as He purposes and prods in order to execute the will of the Father.
- Be Thankful. Thank Jesus for the open doors and opportunities to use any and every thing to preach the Gospel.
While I believe in the ultimate and unique truth that is the word of God, I also hold dear the moments when this truth was communicated or presented to me in such a way the impacted and transformed my life. I am committed to pay this forward, at all times choosing clarity over eloquence and simplicity over complexity.
Prayer
As we champion the cause of Evangelism in Hawaiʻi and the world, Jesus I pray that we are able to SPEAK CLEARLY to those we hope to win for You. May our words be few and our actions speak for themselves, reaching people with Your love and Your new hope.
