April 24, 2016

Sunday Devotional With Mr.E: Over Our Heads

Art history has always been a struggle for me. Most classes were set up as pure memorization and regurgitation of information. The volume of facts per test was like attempting to drink from a fire hose.  Coupled with the fact that a majority of my art history professors seem to speak only a language other art historians would understand, and you now know why my lowest grades in college were in art history.  I remember setting in class wondering how I'd approach teaching the information ( that's the kind of thing teachers do ).  The information felt inaccessible.   I wished that the professors would meet me where I was, and not speak over my head.  There was one time I felt completely lost, and I asked a question.  The professor literally said, "Let me dumb this down for you!" That was the last question I asked in art history.  



And so it was with me, brothers and sisters.  When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.  For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.  My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power.  1 Cor. 2: 1-5

Paul was a man of great intelligence. He was extremely persuasive in his speech.  He could have easily spoken over the heads of those he was trying to minister, and in doing so become completely ineffective.  However, Paul meet people where they were.  He brought his message down to the most crucial elements, Christ and him crucified.  He was not speaking down to people.  He was speaking to their need.  He showed them the Spirit's power, not his own.  He gave them Jesus, not Paul.  

Our testimony is one of the most important tools we have in sharing God's message with others.  We need to strip away all the churchy language, clever analogies, and "insider" information, and get back to the basics.  People don't want to hear how "holy" you are, they want to know what God has done for you.  They don't want to know all the rules and regulations....they want to know why/how Jesus makes a difference in your life?  They want to be able to see their story in yours.  

You don't need all the right words
....you just need to humbly share your story. 
BE REAL!  BE HONEST! GIVE THEM JESUS!

PRAYER

Dear Lord, help us to be able to share our story of faith.
Lord let us remember where we were before knowing you, 
and be able to tell others how you've loved us & the difference that had made in our life. 
We ask that you also give us boldness to share our story & opportunity.  
In Christ's Name, Amen


1 comment:

  1. AMEN to college Art History! I was right there with you! Thank you, thank you, thank you for this testimony. Your words speak so close to my heart! Fabulous way to start the week.

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