Evangelism Training from Jesus

Matthew 8:20 “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

Jesus never shied away from the harsh reality that following Him required. He was always very upfront about the cost. He warned of persecution and trials that every Christian would inevitably experience. For some, that promise became the bedrock of their faithfulness. For others, it was the stumbling block that led to indifference.

Jesus’ method of sharing with others was never diluted by promises of ease. Life is difficult, and following Him does not alleviate the hardship. In fact, generally, it increases the pain. Jesus did not coddle every individual who came to Him with false hope. He laid out the cost, and waited to see conviction. If someone was coming to Jesus to escape the challenges of life, they would not be satisfied with His response.

Despite the clear method Jesus exemplified, the gospel today is often presented with opposite claims. In an attempt to attract the seeker Christ is presented to them as a cure-all. “Come to Jesus and all your troubles will disappear.” Today, the message of the gospel is littered with flowery speech that produces false converts or at best ill-prepared converts. The church should take care that we don’t forsake the truth for numerical gain.