Share the Good News Pt. 1
We are in week 4 of a 4-week series on the practice of witness, inspired by the resources from Practicing the Way. Witness is the practice of intentionally opening up our lives to others in love and testifying to the good news of Jesus through our words, our stories, and our way of life in community.
Sermon Recap
The caricature of people sharing their faith – going door to door, interrupting someone’s day with a conversation about eternal destiny – became a caricature because it reflects real experiences for many of us. The practice of witness can sometimes feel like we are being asked to be salespeople for Jesus. But the NT presents a different model – far more organic, much less stressful.
In 1 Peter 2:11-12, Peter writes to a group of exiled Christians instructing them how to live as exiles. Living as an exile is a common and powerful metaphor for Christians in any age. He encourages them to live as citizens of the coming kingdom of God. “Conduct yourselves honorably” is probably better translated as “live a good life” or even “live a beautiful life.” The beauty of this life is seen both in what we must say “no” to, as well as in the “honorable” or “beautiful” deeds that we do.
Importantly, the call to live a beautiful life is not a requirement asked of individuals. It is a shared community responsibility. The most common form of evangelism in the early church was not 1 person (like a Billy Graham) preaching to many or even 1 person preaching to 1 other. Rather, it was the witness of the many together reaching individual people. In light of this, it’s striking to note the overwhelming majority of commands in the NT are about how Christians ought to live together as a community.
When this beautiful shared life is made visible in whatever context the church is in, Peter expects that outsiders will have questions. So he says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you give a reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). In this context, it is a call not to have philosophical apologetics ready (though that is an important work). Instead, it is to be ready to explain why you live the way you do. Always, with gentleness and respect.
The call to live a beautiful life in community, visible to others is a shared responsibility. But there will come moments or opportunities when you yourself will need or want to share your faith – in words. Just like all people naturally talk about things they love – a TV show, a restaurant, a game – so we who love Jesus get to talk about him. Our witness will flow authentically from that place, so remind yourself often of what you love about Jesus, why you find hope and comfort in His promises.
When we have opportunities to share our faith in Jesus, we do so by faith, knowing that the work of changing someone else’s mind or heart is God’s work. We are free to be imperfect or incomplete witnesses because God alone is the one who gives the growth (1 Corinthians 3:5-7).
Entering Conversation
We recognize that every small group has its own conversational dynamics. Feel free to use either set of questions below – or your own – in order to structure your talking together. As you do, remember that our goal, always, is not to end up with merely better knowledge of the teaching, but to help each other respond to what was taught.
1. Reflect back on what you heard in this sermon, or on the thoughts that have come afterwards. What stood out to you, either because it was new/interesting, or because you felt like the Spirit directed your attention to it?
2. What might it look like to respond in some way to what you heard? (NB – this is where community can be helpful. Sometimes we don’t know what to do with what we heard, but others can help us identify ways of responding. Be free to help each other, graciously and gently, listening for what the Spirit may be prompting.)
3. As you close your time, pray together. Invite the Spirit to help you see where God has been at work in your life, and where you might have opportunities to share that with someone else?
-OR (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)-
1. Think of a time when someone else’s way of living made you curious about them – not necessarily in a faith context. What was it about them that made them stand out or catch your attention?
2. Imagine your group of friends or neighbors could see your faith community from the outside for one week. What would they notice? What would you want them to notice?
3. Can you think of a moment when your own life — or the life of your faith community — prompted someone outside it to ask a genuine question? What was that like?
4. When you think about your own life with Jesus, what's the thing you keep coming back to — an aspect of Jesus, a promise of the gospel, etc – that means the most to you personally?
5. Peter says to "always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have." Without rehearsing a formal answer — what is your reason for the hope you have, in your own words right now?
Tonight’s Practice
Close your time in prayer, allowing for a time of quiet where you can each name the individuals in your life you would want to see become followers of Jesus. Ask the Spirit to renew your own faith and joy in the gospel, and to lead you to opportunities to speak from that place.
Practice for the Week: Our practice for this week is to put together all the practices of this witness series. Keep praying for those you want to see come to new life in Jesus. Continue to live a beautiful life in community, being your hospitable and authentic selves. As the Spirit gives opportunity, tell your story and preach (give, share) the gospel, trusting God to do the real work.