Review: Sharing Jesus without Freaking Out

Evangelism… one of those “have tos” we are expected to do, but often not an excited “get to.” Expected but not expected excitement. One powerful perspective from Alvin Reid’s Sharing Jesus without Freaking Out (read my full review here) was his expectation.

Do we expect people to be open to the gospel? (Reid’s Principle 6).  Or do we expect a “no” before we get a “no”? How do our glasses of expectation color our conversations?

And as [Paul] was saying these things in his defense….Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words…. and to him I speak boldly…. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” (Acts 26:25-29)

Paul. Shamed. In trial. Life at stake. Chains. In his prison garb, perhaps unshaven, his kippah a little askew from the prison. Led down marble courts, his shackled feet shuffling over the mosaic floor. Before King Agrippa. The prisoner before power.

Yet, yet Paul expects power. Expects a positive response. Expects King Agrippa to be open to the gospel, the very words of God King of Kings.

Do we expect God to show up? What gave Paul such confidence? He expected God to show up. Do we feel alone, on our own as we speak? Do we expect God’s Spirit to move with power and conviction (1 Thes. 1:5)? Do we expect that God has already been at work, already moving, already as the Good Sower (Mat. 13) sowing the seed? Do we expect him to make it grow? (1 Cor. 3:9). God, the Spirit, blowing where he will, seeking, seeking, searching out for those who will worship him (John 3:23). God’s great heart pulses, beats—calls. HE is at work.

Do we expect to be used? Paul, a prisoner, undaunted by his humble conditions. He knew he was just a jar of clay carrying around the great treasure of Christ himself and the gospel message (2 Cor. 4:7). He might be chained, but the gospel was not chained (2 Tim. 2:9). We might never have finished high school. We might be shy. We might not be trained. We might not have read systematic theology books or be able to answer whether Adam had a belly button or not. We might feel our sin is too great, our past suffering or abuse is too great. Do we expect God to use us? He is greater. He is moving. He is working.

Do we, in our broader Christian culture, expect to love Jesus more than ___ (fill in the blank)? More than life? More than comfort? More than a program? More than rejection, possible shame, having to say an “I don’t know”? Alvin Reid reminds us of the necessity of preaching the gospel to ourselves. A soon-to-be-bride cannot be silent about her soon-to-be-bridegroom! A fisherman wants to boast of the big one that didn’t get away. We share our latest finds on Pinterest. We Facebook about the latest sports win. We bring our prize pie to the dinner and proudly claim it. Do we claim Jesus? Do we boast about Jesus? Do we overflow with love for him so much we cannot be silent? Or is or silence an expected norm in our Christian subculture?

Do we expect people to be open to the gospel with God already working before us? With us? Transforming us?

Do we expect? Truly to him who does more than we ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20-21). To him.