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“BEING PREPARED ...”
(Giving Account of our Hope)
INTRODUCTION: What is the earliest Graduation you remember? Mine was 8th
Grade. Our Day Care, at Community PC,
WC. had graduation, children, some who had been with us since infancy,
graduated from Pre-Kindergarten to Kindergarten in the public schools. (They wore robes, mortar
boards with tassels and received a large diplomas.) It seems diplomas get smaller
at each level of education. My graduation was low key, no robes or diplomas. I attended a
Boarding School, 1st- 8th grade with 3 in my class.
My Dad said: “This is more
than a graduation, it is a commencement, a beginning. You are prepared for the next stage in
your education." For me it truly was.
Were you born or
raised in another country? If so, what was your experience in coming to the USA? I was raised in Guatemala and flew to the USA, alone after graduating from 8th grade. My parents put me on a plane to Houston, Texas where I was to meet a man wearing a large cowboy hat. Every man in the airport was wearing such a hat. Fortunately, my hosts had a photo of me. When I arrived in their home, I began walking around looking for water to drink. The hostess asked what I was looking for? I told her and she said: "we drink water out of a tap." In Guatemala, we always drank water our of a bottle. Cultural Shock 1! The TV was on and there were women walking across a stage in swim wear. Seeing a women in shorts, let alone a swim suit, in public, other than a lake, ocean or swimming pool, was considered poor taste. Yes, it was 1957 and dress codes were different then. I learned I was watching the "Miss America Contest." A couple minutes later, four teenagers walked in. The boys were my hosts and their girlfriends were wearing short shorts. Culture Shock 2!
I was invited to go to a party with them. We got in a Hot Rod and started driving on a Free Way when I young lady in a Corvette pulled up next to us and we were off on a Drag Race. Culture Shock 3! (I knew about Hot Rods and Drag Races, but this was first experience riding in or participating in either.) We arrived at the party where everyone was dancing. At the Boarding School we were told dancing was wrong and doing anything on Sunday other that reading the Bible, attending Sunday School, Worship or writing letters to home was forbidden. Thus Culture Shock 4! After a little while, some said: "Let's go TP." We walked down the street and started throwing roles of toilet paper over trees. Then some nut lit a match and the TP caught fire. Every one ran away. We got in the Hot Rod and arrived home, after dropping the girls off at their home, around 1:00 AM. I had never been up that late. Culture Shock 5! The next morning we attended the First Baptist Church, Houston. It was a multi story building. We went to the terrace where their were youth playing basket ball. Cultural Shock 6! The Sunday School Class had hundreds of youth. During worship I was asked by the pastor to say a word about growing up in Guatemala and what my parents did, as missionaries. I was terrified, but believe I did OK. Culture Shock 7!
That afternoon the hosts put me on a sleeper car train to Minneapolis, Minnesota where I was to live with my grandparents while attending 9th grade. I wrote a post card to my parents: "I am ready to come home!" My parents had prepared me for life in the USA but I was not prepared for all the Cultures Shocks I experienced in 24 hours.
Are you attending
some level of education? Those
of us who have completed our formal education have been prepared to move into the
work force etc. Many of us are beyond
the years of “formal education.” Yet the lessons of being
prepared still apply to us.
In addition to my academic
studies, I learned about the Bible, had music lessons and was a Boy Scouts leader. Each was invaluable in my being prepared.
The Boy Scout Motto is Be Prepared. Read I Peter 3:13-17
TEXT: Be
ready at anytime to give a quiet and reverent answer to anyone who
wants to know a reason for the hope that you have within you. (I Peter 3:15)
In Peter’s day Christians
suffered persecution because of their decision to follow Jesus as their Lord
and Savior. Some were “banned from their families,” others whipped, thrown into prison or
placed in arenas with tigers and lions. Today Christians, every day, around the world are experiencing similar
treatment for making the decision of following Jesus.+ (Nun is Arabic symbol for N. It is painted on the homes, in Syria & Iraq by ISIS, of those who are called Nazarene. ISIS will not use Christian. Like, in Peter's day, these Christians join others around the world that have to choose each day whether to continue following Jesus or denying him and "converting to Islam or whatever religion is being imposed on a specific community. (I Peter 1:3-12)
Christians did not suffer
because they placed their trust in Jesus, but because their faith permeated
every area of their lives. Roman
Emperors were threatened because a Christian's first allegiance was to God/Jesus
Christ & then Caesar. Caesar was
the “ultimate” accountable to no one.
If you as Christians
suffer, Peter writes, you should
know why you chose to follow Jesus. You
ought to take every opportunity of explaining why you are not afraid of human
power or death & the hope within you.
The Apostle Paul never lost
an occasion of telling his story. Each
Christian knew there was nothing too loose.
The worse that could happen was death and that meant joining their Lord
in Heaven.
Few of us suffer because of
our faith. Some of our friends colleagues may not know we are Christians. Some, knowing we attend church, may tease or
harass us/faith.
At some point they may ask
“why are you different?”
Will you be ready
to answer? If you followed what the
early followers of Jesus did in Acts 2:42-47, you will be ready. They Learned, Fellowshipped & Prayed.
Peter gives Two
Characteristics of good & effective responses
to the hope within us.
1. The First Characteristic is Reasonableness.
Reverence.
Use language and
illustrations understood by the person asking you. Theological and Philosophical terminology may
impress but not clarify. Unless one
knows the names of the different knots used by scouts, a bowline, half-hitch
or square knot they mean nothing to you.
Most know what a square knot is even if they do not know how to
tie one. If one can name the knots and
tie them, & never uses them for their determined purpose, of what use are they?*
Scouts learn to tie the knots
while camping in the wilderness. More
importantly they learn to follow instructions, set goals, work in teams, lead
as well as many other interpersonal skills in assisting them in being ready/prepared
for various situations. (They sure
helped me.)
Using words like “Born
Again.” “Saved,” “Grace” even “Sin” in today’s world,
have very little meaning. If we have experienced the
meaning of those words we can Reasonably, Intelligently and Temperately
tell our story giving an explanation to the hope in which we live.
We can only do that if we know
and live what we believe. That comes
from Learning. It is one thing knowing Bible
stories, reciting creeds and even answering the questions of Shorter Catechism,
which at one time was required for church membership, it is another to understand what we are
saying and have thought out the implications. We say “Jesus is Lord.” Is Jesus
truly Lord of our daily lives? Are we following and implementing his teachings?
Unfortunately, some are not
ready when challenged in College or at Work. We
find ourselves tongue-tied or exasperated.
In Scouting one learns not only what to do but why. So too with our Christian faith. If we never wrestle with the why, we will not
comprehend the what.
Experience is the best teacher. Scouts learn about camping from a handbook
and set up tents in the church, but if the scout never goes camping, all the
knowledge will be of little use. Scouts
need the experience of setting up camp in the dark, rain and wind to truly
appreciate the skills they have learned.
So too with our Christian
Faith. “We need a first hand discovery
not a second hand story.” (W. Barclay,
273) The tragedy is that many
Christians don’t know what they believe let alone why
they believe. (That is one reason for having Bible Studies.)
Can others see our hope
in Christ? Are we prepared to
tell them what Christ has done in our lives?
Giving a reasonable /
logical explanation of the hope within us is the 1st Characteristic
2. The Second Characteristic is Gentleness.
Teachers instruct in a clear
and sensitive manner. Arrogance,
belligerence or trying to cram something down someone’s throat will back fire.
Amazingly, some Christians
try “sharing their faith” in this manner.
They think, “anyone not believing as I do is a fool or knave.” Throughout history people have been forced to
accept their conqueror’s beliefs.
Jesus taught: “You are light
and salt. Light brings clarity to what
is hidden in darkness. Salt heals,
purifies, enhances, preserves and causes thirst. A friend of ours who had a battery of tests,
including colonoscopy and endoscopy for cause of nausea, dizziness, dehydration
learned that she had low sodium. I
wonder if part of the what is affecting our nation is a lack of Salt.
Treating those with whom we are
sharing our faith with love, gentleness, and appropriate manner, may
open opportunities of giving account of our hope. Bludgeoning closes opportunities of explaining our faith.
Illustration:
Story of a Christian Barber
convinced he needed to share his faith in Christ with others. He decided that the next Saturday he would
tell one of his clients about Christ. Throughout
the day opportunities arose but he froze and was unable to say anything. As the day drew to a close the tension was
building. He said: “hook or by crook” I am
going share my faith with the next person who comes in. In walked a man asking for
shave. The barber thought: “this is the one!” Preparing himself mentally and winding up the
courage, he lathered up the man’s face, picked up the razor and sharpened it on
a leather strap. Walking to the front of
the chair, his voice quivering and his hand shaking he blurted out:
“Brother are you prepared to
die?” The man jumped up and ran right
through the plate glass window, tearing down the street screaming.” (D. Roper. “Loving Life”)
Fortunately, that is not the
way of sharing our faith. Sometimes we
may come across too heavy or argumentatively scaring people away.
We may not be able to keep
people from slandering us for sharing our faith. We
can stop supplying them with ammunition.
As long as we are “light” and “salt” living as Jesus taught, their
accusations will be empty and embarrass them.
Let us keep our conduct above
criticism. Remembering that: Gentleness
opens doors to giving a logical reason for our hope within us
enabling us to live without fear.
Pray for opportunities to share the
Hope we have in Christ with others we come in contact with during this journey.
Pastor John Foye, CPCWC, before meal introduces himself & me and asks: “Is
there anything for which you would like us to pray?” She was surprised and then said: "Yes, my mother is failing in her health and I am afraid."
CONCLUSION: Even as scouts learn, practice and experience first hand being ready means,
applying the knowledge when necessary, so we
as Christians can do the same, so we
are ready when called upon explain our faith.
When we are confident of what and why we believe we
may be instruments of God’s love. The
Holy Spirit will enable us to respond in a reasonable and gentle manner.
When we are not ready, we will
likely stutter and become argumentative.
A Godly conduct will silence slander & disarm
criticism.
The only un-answerable argument for a Christian is a
life that is light and salt consistent with Jesus’ teachings, causing an
eagerness in believing in God.
That life is
one securely anchored on knowledge and experience of the saving activity of
Jesus Christ. How we live, How we handle difficulty and
How we treat others will say more than all our words.
But the fruit of the Spirit is live, joy, peace,
forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control. Against such things there
is no law...Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
(Galatians 5:22,23,25)
Two Illustrations:
1. Weaver who did more talking than work:
“He
needs to let his Christianity come out
through
his fingers rather than his mouth.”
2. Woman who got into a shouting match with her
husband. Enraged, stormed through the
kitchen swearing under her breath – opening all the cupboard doors then slamming
them shut. Walking by an open kitchen
door – she was startled to see a neighbor on the other side of the screen
door. Terror raced through the woman
when she recognized the neighbor as one for whom she had praying and was
seeking a way of leading her to Christ for two years. She thought: “I have really blown it this
time.” She invited the neighbor to come
in, apologized, admitted her own weakness & of the Lord who forgives.
Her neighbor was so impressed with the woman’s
honesty. courage and certainty of God’s forgiveness that she invited Christ
into her life that day. The Christian
woman had been prepared to lead her neighbor in starting of a new life
in Jesus Christ– beginning a new chapter and being prepared to tell
others of the change in her life and reason for the hope within
her. Read Again: (I Peter 3:15)
Be ready at anytime to give a quiet and reverent answer to anyone who wants to know a reason for the hope that you have within you.
It is not failure that discourages us – it is not
being ready to give a reason for the hope within us. May that not be so!
Continue Learning, Worshipping faithfully and Praying
& Keeping in step with the
Spirit who reminds us of all we have
learned about Jesus & assisting us in telling others of the hope
within us, that enables us to live with joy & without fear in a time when
it is risky talking about our faith in Jesus Christ the Lord of our lives.
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