Musing – Why do we, or don’t we, evangelize?

Hebraic Musing – Why do we, or don’t we, evangelize?

The typical answer would be that we love our neighbor, just as we were told to do.  We quickly think of these red letters in our Bible – “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35  NIV

But that does not square with the challenge that Paul faced.  But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." Acts 18:6   And shortly after making that statement we read  One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.  For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city."   So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.  Acts 18:9-11    The book of Acts chapter 17 is all about Paul being rejected while preaching the Gospel in Greece and despite being beaten and rejected he continued to take the Gospel message to people he did not even know!  Why?

For Paul to be taking The Way, a Jewish movement, to Gentiles was not easy thing to do.  Was Paul responding to Jesus’ command to love one another, even the Gentiles?  Or, was Paul motivated out of love and respect for Jesus’ final command in Mark 16:15 before Jesus’ ascension into heaven?   Jesus commanded His disciples to "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”

What was Jesus’ command to Peter?   Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"  He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."  Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep." John 21:16

What motivates us to evangelize, whether to a neighbor or on a foreign mission field?   I find it to be a challenge to witness to some neighbors considering some of the different cultural issues and personality conflicts we have to overcome.  Jesus well understood the challenge of neighborly love when he answered the “expert in the Law” who asked Jesus in Lk. 10:25-37 “And who is my neighbor?”  Jesus had to stretch his/our thinking to include folks the “expert” did not want to consider.   I am not sure that I have enough love for all “neighbors” to be sufficiently motivated to seek them out socially, much less evangelistically.     

Instead, should my love and respect and desire to serve Jesus Christ be so overwhelming that I naturally overcome my own selfish preferences and reach out to ALL mankind?  Is my faith and commitment to life as a Christian such that I want to obey Jesus’ command to “GO”?  

Remember Mary’s advice to the servants in Cana - “Do whatever he tells you.”

Points to ponder

Did Jesus command us to “Go into all the world” because we love our neighbor? 
Or did He expect us to GO out of love and obedience to Him?

What did Jesus mean by “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me
will do what I have been doing.  He will do even greater things than these,
 because I am going to the Father.”  John 14:12-13

"If you love me, you will obey what I command.” John 14:15

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd,                                  May 31, 2016