Reflections on the Bible, and Other Writings, from a Christian Perspective.
Being a disciple indicates that they were being taught. As they learned, they were traveling along the Way of Christ, and did not deviate from it. One impressive thing about them was that they were willing to be persecuted by others for their faith. Despite their terrible treatment, many were willing to be bound with chains and sent to far off cities for the name of Christ.
When we teach today, we may be tempted to just throw some Bible verses at someone without actually engaging our hearts and speaking with compassion. While God's truth would still be conveyed by using that method, I seriously doubt it would be the best approach! There is a big difference between talking to someone, and talking with someone.
In the Gospels, Jesus regularly ate with sinners. This is the case even for those who are often rejected in the New Testament, such as tax collectors and prostitutes. This is kind of surprising, isn't it? Absolutely! However, Jesus did not eat with them simply for the sake of physical nourishment. He was teaching them while they ate together.
A couple of weeks ago I read Final Words From the Cross by Adam Hamilton. One of the strongest points he makes is where he describes Jesus' interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well. After reading it, I was stunned, and actually stopped reading the book for a few moments before rereading the section again. I knew that I had to write a post about his thoughts.
Some of you may be wondering, “How could anyone use the beginnings of the four Gospel accounts for evangelism?” Actually, it can be done in a number of ways, and effectively too! I'll show you how.
James L. Hutton 