Ok I’ll admit it; I’m a Tebow fan.  Yup, despite all the hype, I’m in.  Is he the best quarterback in the league?  Probably not.  Is he good enough to even be in the league at all?   Some of his fans say yes even though they don’t know a thing about the game.  On the other hand some of his critics say no even though Tim is better than other quarterbacks already in the NFL.  If I had my pick, I’d trade him off to Dallas instead of NY.  Then my favorite team would now have my favorite QB. Sorry Romo; nothing personal.  Just business you know.  But with the huge divergence in opinions on the guy, it would seem that there’s more to the story than just football.  Even if he’s not that good now, he’s still early on in his game with time to improve.  So why the fuss?  The answer is obvious; he’s an “outspoken” Christ follower. Yes, there are other Christians in the NFL.  But Tim seems to have taken the spotlight because of his starting in the 6^th game of the 2011 season for the Broncos and winning while still living for and speaking out for Christ in a public way.  That’s the rub that people don’t know how to handle.  People ponder about how outspoken a Christian should live today.  Some believe he ought to just keep it to himself as this is a “private” matter.  Unfortunately those who believe and teach such things really don’t understand the essence of being a disciple of Christ at all.  Actually, the actions and spoken message of Tim really illustrates for us the second part in this study of Ancient Evangelism. 

Lifestyle evangelism is a big deal these days.  But while it’s true that your life must have a positive influence on the culture, the overwhelming picture in the book of Acts was the spoken word and not merely actions.  Referring to this ancient evangelism, the theologian Michael Green noted that, “Christianity is enshrined in the life, but it is proclaimed by the lips.  If there is a failure in either respect the gospel cannot be communicated.”  In other words, no matter how noble our lives may be, the saving message of Christ cannot be known by the lost unless we speak up and out. This imperative call is first seen in Acts 4:20 where Peter and John state before the Sanhedrin that they “cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”  They were moved by what they had witnessed in Christ and thus were compelled to speak.  But what was it that they “spoke”?  Glad you asked.  Grab some java or a diet coke and let’s look at a few of the foundational truths that must be spoken to effectively proclaim the message.

1. The first and foremost subject of evangelism is the person of Jesus Christ.  While speaking to the Ethiopian in Acts 8:35; it was the good news about Jesus that Philip taught.  The focus was on who Christ is and therefore what he was able to do for the lost souls of women and men.  It’s interesting today that we can almost always get away with talking about “God’s love” in general, but once we bring up the name of Jesus pressure can begin to mount.  I saw this up front the last time I was asked to give prayer for a city council meeting back in California.  I closed my prayer then just like I always do; in the name of Jesus.  I was not making a scene.  I was just doing what I naturally do.  But I was never asked back.  Some may take offense at the name, but without Christ as the central focus, we are not proclaiming the message, but a placebo.

2.  In all his teaching, Peter always included the death and resurrection.  Note Acts 10:39-40.  The death and resurrection are crucial to the message.  Because of the death of Christ we can know there has been a perfect sacrifice for our sin.  Because Jesus rose from the dead, we can trust His claims to deity and that the Father has accepted His sacrifice.

3. Following the proclamation, the message always included a deliberate plea for the hearers to respond positively to what was presented.  With the ancients, simply hearing the message and then casually discussing the highlights was not considered a healthy conclusion.  Rather, the New Testament illustrates at least three areas of response called for from those who heard the message.

• Paul exhorted the Philippian jailer to “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved.”
• Beyond mere intellectual assent, the message called for the believer to turn from his old life in repentance.  In Acts 2:38, the believing Jews were told to “repent and be baptized.”  In 3:19 the audience was called to “repent and turn to God” while in chapter 11 verse 21 states that a “great number of people believed and turned to God.”  
• In the book of Acts, each of these occasions of turning to Christ was immediately followed by being baptized.  For the ancient Christians, there was no hesitation between a hearer accepting of Christ and his being immersed.  In fact Herbert Kane states that it “was not until the post-apostolic period when the church was beginning to substitute ecclesiastical power for spiritual power, that candidates for baptism were required to undergo a period of probation and instruction.”

I suppose the best way to emphasis the necessity of proclaiming the message of Jesus is to look directly at his own words.  Matthew 28:19 and following record some of the best words of Christ on this commission.  Jesus said, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.”

Remaining in the book of Acts, Jesus said to the first Christ followers that they would be his “witnesses in Jerusalem and in Judea and in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  That is exactly what the apostles and first followers of Christ did.  Because of their faith, the message of Christ has come all the way down to us today.  They took Jesus and his message seriously and changed the world.  For us today, when we “proclaim the message” we are indeed following in the steps of Ancient Evangelism. 

The thing is; you don’t have to be a star quarterback to speak up for Christ.  You just have to be yourself and speak.  A great picture of this is seen in Acts 11:20 where we find average Hebrew Christians who “began to speak to Greeks also.”  They weren’t star athletes.  They were just everyday people like us.  But maybe Tim can be an encouragement to all of us to take up the torch wherever we’re at.  Who is it in your sphere of influence or friendships that have not yet heard the full message of Christ?  Who is it that you could share the story with today?  You might be surprised at who will be receptive when you’re sharing as a friend.  Who knows, you might even be the one who throws the pass they need in order to find the love of Christ.  So, take a deep breath, say a quick prayer, and then jump up off the bench and share the message with a friend today.  Then write me a note and share how it went.

Have you seen this clip?  It was made a couple of years ago.  But I came across it again the other day while researching a church planting organization.  Though the clip is not new, I believe it’s worth checking out again.  Jeff Maguire did a fun job describing the authentic Kingdom life which he refers to as Missional living.  The point being that authentic Christ followers are all called to live out the Kingdom of God in their own daily lives.  Sharing the message and love of Christ is the call of every Christian and not merely the domain of the decorated.  Remember, the CHURCH is not a building; but the people.  So whatever your niche in the Kingdom, be sure to be “missional” about it today.  Enjoy and implement!

William Merrill, 1867-1954

I’m excited to be back with my friends at The Crossings this Sunday. In honor of Father’s Day, I’ll be teaching from 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 which is a great and challenging text for dads. One of the illustrations of the study is a hymn written in 1911 by William P Merrill entitled, “Rise Up, O Men of God”.  Enjoy!

Rise up, O men of God!
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
to serve the King of kings.

Rise up, O men of God!
The kingdom tarries long.
Bring in the day of brotherhood
and end the night of wrong.

Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you doth wait,
her strength unequal to her task;
rise up, and make her great!

Lift high the cross of Christ!
Tread where his feet have trod.
As brothers of the Son of Man,
rise up, O men of God!

Ok, for those of you who really thrive on reading blogs with controversy, here’s a big one for you.  At least when it comes to boring theological stuff.   Baptism has become one of the most hotly debated issues in the history of Christianity.  Though the apostle Paul included Baptism among the “elementary teachings” in Hebrews 6:2, the subject continues to be divisive some twenty centuries later.  The theological interpretations of baptism today are as numerous as the denominations among the Protestant wing of Christendom.  The Roman Catholic church elevates the act to such an extent that there is no need for faith prior to baptism and thus baptizes infants.  Other groups do not adhere to physical baptism at all and merely spiritualize baptismal texts in the Bible. So what’s the answer?  Is there a connection to “Church Admission”?

I think for us to arrive at an honest understanding of the subject we really have to find some kind of balance between the two polarized views.  The New Testament is clear in its teaching of faith being a pre-requisite for salvation.  Therefore, a simple baptismal rite without belief and faith is futile.  Yet on the other hand, there are simply too many texts regarding this subject and its connection to the salvation experience to be ignored or spiritualized.  Some texts to be considered are: Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:16, John 3:5, Acts 2:38, 22:16, Romans 6:3-4, 1 Corinthians 6:11, 12:13, Galatians3:27, Colossians 2:12 and Titus 3:5.  Maybe the best way to jump into this is just to leave you with some bullet points to chew on.

 -Is it in the right realm?  Much of the problem with Protestant theology lies in associating baptism in the realm of works.  We know we are saved by His grace through our faith.  So baptism can’t be any part of it and is relegated to the category of works.  People often say that baptism is the ‘first act of obedience’ after they are saved.  So it’s the idea of, 1. Get baptized, 2. Obey the 10 commandment and on and on.  However, the New Testament model shows baptism as something which is passive for the new believer.  It is an act done to them.  It is an act whereby we can witness God’s work. 

 -Is it being trumped with non-biblical ideas?  In other words, baptism is often referred to as an “outward sign of an inner act.”  Now I don’t have too much problem with that and actually kind of like it.  But there just might be a problem when this totally separates and places baptism in the category of optional.  If it’s just a sign of something that’s real, then it’s just fluff.  The argument would go something like, ‘we’re saved and you can take or leave baptism because it just symbolizes the experience like a wedding ring symbolizes the marriage.  A follow up issue is that of the sinners prayer controversy which is something a person prays and then receives God’s grace.  Again, I don’t have too much problem with that in and of itself.  I actually lead people through something like that when I lead them to Christ.  But the problem is that it is a practice that is found nowhere in the Bible.  The constant pattern in Acts and the Bible is one of a person expressing belief in Christ, repenting of their sins, and then immediately being baptized.

Justin Martyr

 -Testimony of the Early Christians.  While this is an area widely ignored by the modern Evangelical church, there was no hesitation between a hearer’s accepting Christ and being baptized in Acts and the early church.  In fact, Kane states that it “was not until the post-apostolic period, when the church was beginning to substitute ecclesiastical power for spiritual power, that candidates for baptism were required to undergo a period of probation and instruction.”  In Peter’s first sermon, he placed baptism directly after repentance in the Jewish cry for help (2:38).  Other important texts on this issue include: 8:26ff; 10:43; 16:15, 33; and 18:8.  Commenting on baptism in the early church Ferguson noted that “Baptism was the decisive act of conversion for one who accepted the Christian gospel.  It marked the break with the past and the initiation into the church of Christ.”  Irenaeus, who was thought to be a student of Polycarp who in turn was a student of the Apostle John and lived from 120 to 202 AD, commented about the subject in chapter 13 of the Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching by stating that baptism was for “the forgiveness of sins. . . and that this baptism is the seal of eternal life, and the regeneration to God by which we become the children, not of mortal man, but of the eternal and everlasting God.”  But remembering the necessity of faith, Justin Martyr, who was one of the first apologists of the church, stated in his first Apology that “Only he who is convinced and has given his assent is to be baptized.” 

 -What about when a person can’t be baptized or dies before they are immersed?  Ok, so here’s the answers that all of you who are sitting out there with clinched teeth are looking for, YES.  Yes a person who dies in a plane crash but acknowledges Christ before he dies can go to heaven.  Yes, those who lived during Catholic dominated dark ages and knew only infant baptism can be saved. Yes, the person who slips on the wet floor going up to the baptistery and dies can be saved. The Lord knows the repentant heart and sees all this.  But my question for this question is, why are you asking it?  To say something like, ‘do I have to be baptized to be saved’ is kind like asking, “Do I have to have a wedding to be married?” 

 So in short (like anything would be short for me) if I were pinned to the wall for an answer, I would say something like, “baptism is the standard, biblical, objective time by which we can know and claim God’s promise to save us.”  I guess it might be something similar to how Peter described baptism as a “pledge of a good conscience toward God” (1 Peter 3:21).  Though the physical act of baptism does not save us, it is never divorced from the salvation experience in scripture.  Actually, the idea of saying a prayer for salvation and then having an option to get baptized at a more convenient date is a rather new doctrine in Church history.  Well I’m sure that all of this makes it about as clear as muddy water.  But what we do find from the Biblical texts and earliest Christian writings is that much of the modern baptismal doctrine is foreign to the most ancient beliefs and practices.  So there does seem to be a connection between baptism and Church Admission.  Ok, feel free to run with that now.

I got a link this morning from a friend to a video clip about a new flick that has just come out called, We Live in Public.  Feel free to check it out, but you might want to make sure you don’t have any kidos nearby.  Though the intent its creator, Josh Harris, was to make a “cautionary tale of what to expect as the virtual world inevitably takes control of our lives”, the video actually illustrated something else I’ve been saying for years.  I see one of two futures for America.  Either a Christ following revival and awakening or a socialist dictatorship.  When “Free” information and complete “Freedom” rule and are the prime objectives in life, then chaos is the ultimate result.  The only way you can be free from Chaos and its natural consequences is by some form of order and “rightness”.  That will happen either by a changed, self willed choice to honor Christ in the lives of everyday folks, or because the State forces them to obey the rules it sets.  Just some Free thought to chew on.