Simon Sinek in a TED talk in May 2010 (“How great leaders
inspire action”) made the point that it is not your plan or the benefits to
people from your plan (or product) that counts, but your belief. People will
follow someone who inspires through a belief, rather than purchase a product
for the quality of the product. He illustrated this with the stories of the
Apple Corporation and other companies and leaders.
This got me thinking about the way we share the gospel with
people. So often we tell people that their lives will be improved, that God has
a great plan for their lives, or other words which concentrate on the benefits
of following Jesus. This is not only ineffective in most cases but it is a
false gospel.
The gospel is about Jesus and not about us. There are
benefits of course, but it is not primarily about us.
What we believe about Jesus is of fundamental importance. He
came in the flesh so that He could glorify His Father by returning the world to
Him. The original creation was so marred by sin that the only way that the
Father could receive the creation back was for a new creation to be formed
through Jesus. The old had to die and a new creation resurrected from the ashes
of the old.
We are part of this new creation and are able to give to God
that which has always been His due, worship and devotion.
We say that Jesus is Lord and that we are His servants
without always fully understanding what these words mean. They are true words
of total submission to His will and purpose.
So, to get back to the original point. What we believe is
what we are to pronounce: not the benefits of this belief, but the belief
itself. We are to be Jesus’ witnesses as He charged:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and
you WILL BE my witnesses in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
(Act 1:8 NIV)
We are to witness to Him and His teachings:
Then
Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore
GO and MAKE DISCIPLES of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE
COMMANDED YOU. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age."
(Mat 28:18-20 NIV)
If we did this then we could be sure that the power of the Holy
Spirit would be with us and others would come to know and trust in the Lord
Jesus.
