Daily Devotions
What Is Evangelism?
Title: What Is Evangelism?
Reading for August 1: Isaiah 60-63
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.
Isaiah 61:1
What is evangelism?
Evangelism is an act of compassion. It is the greatest act of mercy one human being can show to another. Evangelism is loving those that are hurting, those that are broken, those that are forgotten, those that are poor.
Evangelism can become an act of pride. It can be a club to beat down those who already think they are worthless. It can become a way of boosting our own ego by making followers of ourselves. And when used in this way we make our "disciples" twice as much sons of hell as ourselves (Mt 23:15).
True evangelism is not about building our ego, building up church numbers (for the sake of vanity), or any other selfish agenda. True evangelism is about Jesus, not ourselves.
See, when the message of the cross gets inside of you, there is no more room for self. It's all about him. He is everything to you. He is your life and your reason for living. He is your highest thought. He is your Savior and your King. He is your best friend.
No, there's no pride in telling others about Jesus. You glory only in the privilege of being able to tell someone of how he set you free. You don't see the homosexual, the adulterer, the crack addict, the dead-beat dad, the murder, the drug dealer as being somehow inferior to yourself. They are painful reminders of what you used to be.
They are harassed and helpless... sheep without a shepherd. They are without hope, without purpose, without God. They are weary. They are hungry. And they don't know where to turn.
What is evangelism?
It's one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread...
Father, make your love and your grace so real to us this day that the words just flow off our lips to the desperate souls all around us... "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief!"
