| | Maybe Saint Francis was right...1 Peter 3:15-16
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
I remember these words haunting me. Always have an answer. My answer? What do I say: it looks good on a transcript, chicks dig the salvation hope?!?!? What answer would I give?!? For a long time it was solely because I get to go to heaven when I die. However, at that point someone would ask “are you sure your going to heaven” and I would say “I guess so”. Honestly, these verses scared me. I would sit at summer “church” camp and think about this: what’s my answer…. Saying that I was a Christian was a scary thing cause I didn’t have an “answer” to the hope (or so I thought).
But these verses of horror have become something beautiful.
When was the last time somebody asked you to do give an answer for the hope you have?
If we think about Peter writing, you can see that he is assuming that the way of Jesus would be so different, so “not of this world”, so counter-cultural, so against the grain.
He assumes that the people that live “The Way” would be constantly asking questions by people in the world like: Why do you care? Why do you serve me? Why are you listening to me when you could be doing something else?
Rob Bell asks this question: If your mouth was duct tape shut; would we still know you’re a Christian? If our church was duct taped from being able to say anything; would the community still say these people are an unquestionable force of good in the world. Would the community still be asking “Why do you live like this”?
“Always be ready…”
Without saying a word; people would know clearly who you are and what you’re about.
Maybe we need to just shut up and do what Jesus says instead of saying what Jesus says so that people who are burned out and tired and miserable about the same things about church that the next person is burned out and tired and miserable about could look at Christianity and look at following Jesus and say “man, that is something unbelievable” or say “oh that’s what He meant”!
If your mouth was duct taped would you still be able to give an answer to the hope that you have? |
| | Posted 4/28/2006 12:11 PM - 6 views - 1 comments
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