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20. Jesus Everyday Talk
Engine Driver
Once a man came to Charles Spurgeon, (1834-1892) the great Reformed preacher, and told him he wanted to help bring people to Jesus Christ since he was now saved. Spurgeon looked at him and asked, "What do you do for a living?" "I'm an engine driver," the man responded. "Is your fireman a Christian?" asked Spurgeon. "I don't know," he replied. "Find out, and if he's not, start on him!"✞
Sharing What We Are
One of the late Johny Cash's (1932-2003) songs was entitled "I talk to Jesus every day." The words explain themselves, "Well you talk about important people that you say you know, Presidents and superstars of big television shows, Well I know someone personally who's bigger than them all, And next to him your superstars look mighty small, And I have a talk with him each day, and he's interested in every word I say, No secretary ever tells me he's been called away, I talk to Jesus every day. Well now I don't think that I'll ever be in any Hall of Fame, And the social register of wealthy folks might drop my name, But my name is written in the book of life I'm proud to say, And that's all that matters anyway, And I talk to Jesus every day and he's interested in every word I say, no secretary ever tells me he's been called away, I talk to Jesus every day." In Johny Cash's words, everyday talk is the sharing of what we are as Christians with those around us. More often than not our daily conversation is with those who know us best, our friends and family. We share most effectively by being ourselves with our friends in the coffee shop. Those we work with or go to school or university with figure much more prominently in our talk than the unsaved throngs across the seas.✞
Jesus Heals Legion
The Biblical story of the healing of a man named Legion exemplifies this for me. He had been tormented by demons and terrorized those who lived nearby but was remarkably pacified and put at peace by Jesus. Today his story would have been made into a bestseller, even into a movie! But what did Jesus tell him? He said in Mark 5.19-20, "Go back home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how kind he has been to you" If we go, what do we do then? We do our Jesus everyday talk. Once we have said our piece, we then need to listen. Christian evangelism shares the wonderful things about Jesus Christ practically, for Jesus is indeed wonderful. A delegate to a Church Army conference once stated stunningly, "There are three wonderful things in life to me. Jesus Christ is wonderful, people are wonderful, and bringing them together is most wonderful of all." In Christianity, evangelism is the commitment to or act of publicly preaching (ministry) of the Gospel to spread the message and teachings of Jesus Christ." We need Christian evangelism to be effective in our Christianity. Sharing ideas seems to be the "in-thing" in many of our churches. Committees, subcommittees, groups, and subgroups are extensively organized to determine what people think about this or that, whatever that may be.✞
Discussion is not Evangelism
On the other hand, there is a lot of misinformation and ignorance that can muddy the waters. Useful conclusions can be reached and much new information may be gained and propagated by this process. This can in no way be a substitute for actually doing! Remember that discussion is not evangelism nor is Christian public relations evangelism either! Isaiah 9:6 reads, "For to us a child is born, to us, a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." We note that "Wonderful Counselor" may be equally translated as "Wonderful" "Counselor." Jesus is indeed Wonderful as well as the Counselor! Christian evangelism means bringing people and God together and this is indeed a wonderful thing in God's sight!✞
"Jesus Everyday Talk"
by Ron Meacock © 1982-2021
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