Evangelists Trust that God Works Behind the Scenes

Christians regularly pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven.” When Jesus sent out his disciples, he told them to proclaim, “The kingdom of God is near.” How can Christians convey this same message in today’s world? It begins by trusting the power behind the Word.

Jesus illustrated this trust through two parables:

Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.” Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”  (Luke 13:18-21)

Unbelievers regularly demand evidence of God’s hand, and truthfully, Christians often do the same. We plead for God’s will to make itself known in our lives. And for those who step out in faith to share their faith with others, we long to see immediate fruit. We want people to accept our invitation to come to church, express a desire to learn more about the gospel, and receive faith from the gospel message. When that doesn’t happen according to our timetable, we get frustrated. A common by-product of misplaced hope is inaction.

Proclaiming the gospel feels risky. We may not go to jail or be persecuted for evangelism, but there is an emotional risk of placing ourselves out there to be hurt, rejected, or disappointed. It’s a risk far too many are unwilling to take.

However, Jesus tells us in Luke 13:18-21 to trust him. Like faithful farmers, we are encouraged to liberally scatter the seeds of His Word and trust that the Lord of the harvest will use it for his purpose and glory. Like a small mustard seed, God uses short gospel messages in ways that we can’t imagine.

Faith does not demand evidence but trusts that God works behind the scenes. He works in people’s hearts and minds that Christians rarely see. Hope in Christ prompts obedience that focuses entirely on “minding our own business”. Our role is delivering messages of Good News. God’s business is to use those messages to carry out His purposes. That is his work and is his responsibility, not ours.

I had the privilege to partner with Our Savior Lutheran Church in Roanoke, VA to train members how to proclaim the gospel. The following day, we put our training into action by going door-to-door to proclaim the gospel. Towards the end of a humid afternoon with thunderstorms looming in the horizon, I decided to knock on just one more door. It’s uncanny how the last door of the day tends to be a good one.

And I was not disappointed.

I met Denton, a truck driver with a deep Virginia drawl. I found him out working in the garage. After introducing myself, he told me, “I respect God and all, but I want to have nothing to do with church.” He wasn’t exactly surly, but one could say he was guarded. I saw an opportunity to engage him and build a bridge of respect. For the next twenty minutes, I asked questions about his life, plus told him funny stories of what it’s like going around the country to knock on doors sharing Christ with people. He seemed to enjoy our conversation.

Denton told me that he grew up on a 100-acre farm in southern Virginia with a variety of crops and about 100 head of mean show horses. He never knew his mother and his father was rarely around. A strict grandfather raised him to be tough and made him work hard as a child. Pointing to his beautiful home with a garage full of toys, a ’67 GT that he takes to car shows and a motorhome parked out back, he told me, “I know how to work hard. Always have. And I deserve everything I get.”

I answered, “Denton, I don’t have treasures like you, and I confess that your motorhome makes me envious. But I have treasures awaiting me in heaven, and I appreciate the treasures God gives me right now. My greatest treasure is the peace and confidence that I have knowing that my sins are fully forgiven right now, because of what Jesus Christ has already done for me. He is all I need. And, Denton, as a man of God, I wouldn’t feel right leaving a man I respect without telling you that.

With a sly smile and a hint of challenge, he replied, “I can respect that. But if you had told me that at the beginning, I would have kicked your butt off my property.”

I left Denton with a smile on my face and prayed for him while walking back to my car. A mustard seed was planted. His soul seemed like hard-packed soil, but God’s Word is a powerful plow. I thanked the Lord for the bridge that was built and the chance to squeeze in God’s Word. It’s now God’s business to bring Denton to faith and find the true treasures he could never earn on his own.

A Prayer for the Harvest:

“Lord, remind us to fix our eyes on you whenever we share the gospel. Help us to trust that you use every gospel word that comes out of our mouths and that to trust that you are working behind the scenes. Increase our faith so that a lack of evidence doesn’t sway us from carrying out what you have set us apart to do. We trust you. We trust the power of your Word. Amen.”