"From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." (Matthew 4:17)
It's difficult to speak plainly in today’s sensitive
culture. The effort to create a civil and accepting society keeps us tied to a very
general language about our relationship with Jesus. As we strive to be relevant
and engage those who have long rejected the traditions of the church, we speak
a language that can easily fog up the glass that the lost must look through to
see the love of Jesus.
The voice of Jesus was so clear. He simply stated the
eternal reality of those who would follow Him, question Him, judge Him, and beg
Him for help. The voice of Jesus brought clarity to those who were open to the
message.
But here is the tough part. His voice confused those who
were hard hearted and unwilling to trust Him. So even though His words were clear
and precise, much of the impact had to do with the listener. If their hearts
were not ready, then Jesus’ words seemed like lunacy. This presents an
interesting challenge for us as we reach out to others.
Our job is not to make
the message relevant as much as it is to speak truth.
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