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- Apr 25, 2006
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- 17,520
15 November 2007
Philippians 1 v 15-19
It is true that some preach about Christ because they are jealous and ambitious, but others preach about Christ because they want to help. They preach because they have love, and they know that God gave me the work of defending the Good News. But the others preach about Christ for selfish and wrong reasons, wanting to make trouble for me in prison.
But it doesn't matter. The important thing is that in every way, whether for right or wrong reasons, they are preaching about Christ. So I am happy, and I will continue to be happy. Because you are praying for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ is helping me, I know this trouble will bring my freedom.
How should I talk about Jesus to others?
People say all sorts of things about Jesus, don't they? Maybe their motives are wrong and they do it for the attention or the money or to influence people's lives. Maybe their message is wrong and they misrepresent Jesus completely by putting their own words in his mouth. A hundred different people will say a hundred different things about Jesus and many of them will have wrong motives or a wrong message or both! How are people ever going to get the true good news of Jesus when there's so much rubbish out there?
Paul doesn't seem worried one bit. He doesn't seem to worry about preachers' motives or even about what they are saying, so long as it's about Jesus. What matters, he says, is that people are "preaching about Christ". He's content that people are talking about Jesus and that's enough. "But wait a minute! What about all the wrong motives and dodgy messages out there?!" Paul realises something that we all need to understand:
The truth of Jesus is big enough to stand up for itself.
Jesus doesn't need us to worry about making his message seem more or less true. It is true and so long as we and others around us are talking about Jesus, that's excellent and it's enough for people to decide for themselves what they believe.
Father, thank you that you are real and your word is true, not matter what people say, why they say it or how. Please help me to represent you well to others and to get people talking about you so they can choose to hear your voice and know you for themselves. Amen!
Written by Dave Pegg
Philippians 1 v 15-19
It is true that some preach about Christ because they are jealous and ambitious, but others preach about Christ because they want to help. They preach because they have love, and they know that God gave me the work of defending the Good News. But the others preach about Christ for selfish and wrong reasons, wanting to make trouble for me in prison.
But it doesn't matter. The important thing is that in every way, whether for right or wrong reasons, they are preaching about Christ. So I am happy, and I will continue to be happy. Because you are praying for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ is helping me, I know this trouble will bring my freedom.
How should I talk about Jesus to others?
People say all sorts of things about Jesus, don't they? Maybe their motives are wrong and they do it for the attention or the money or to influence people's lives. Maybe their message is wrong and they misrepresent Jesus completely by putting their own words in his mouth. A hundred different people will say a hundred different things about Jesus and many of them will have wrong motives or a wrong message or both! How are people ever going to get the true good news of Jesus when there's so much rubbish out there?
Paul doesn't seem worried one bit. He doesn't seem to worry about preachers' motives or even about what they are saying, so long as it's about Jesus. What matters, he says, is that people are "preaching about Christ". He's content that people are talking about Jesus and that's enough. "But wait a minute! What about all the wrong motives and dodgy messages out there?!" Paul realises something that we all need to understand:
The truth of Jesus is big enough to stand up for itself.
Jesus doesn't need us to worry about making his message seem more or less true. It is true and so long as we and others around us are talking about Jesus, that's excellent and it's enough for people to decide for themselves what they believe.
Father, thank you that you are real and your word is true, not matter what people say, why they say it or how. Please help me to represent you well to others and to get people talking about you so they can choose to hear your voice and know you for themselves. Amen!
Written by Dave Pegg
