Preparing to Proclaim: An Introduction to Evangelism
Warning #1: Rejection
Course Outline
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Agree or disagree: The fear of being rejected if I verbally proclaim the gospel to others bothers me.
Rejection hurts. Nobody likes to be rejected.
There are a few people with the gift of evangelism that are so filled with the Spirit to reach the lost that the fear of rejection doesn’t enter their minds. That’s not me. The fear is real because the prospect of rejection is real.
When a person steps out in faith to proclaim their faith to others, there is a chance that they will be rejected.
Jesus provides sound instruction whenever we are confronted with rejection. He told his disciples that whenever they are turned away or people refuse to listen, they are leave their homes or go to the edge of town to shake the dust off their feet.
This act displays God’s judgement.
How could this be helpful for Jesus’ disciples?
Whenever Christians go and proclaim the gospel, there will always be a risk of rejection. There may be a few who will respond poorly. It can be rattling when that happens, because nobody likes to be rejected.
There is wisdom to Jesus’ suggestion. He tells us to go at the end of their driveways and shake the dust off our feet in judgement. Why is this helpful? When people respond poorly to hearing the Good News, they are rejecting God, not us. It doesn’t mean they are forever lost, but it does mean that we can move on to the next soul without fear of another rejection. Because it’s not about us.
Quick Survey
Jesus knew that proclaiming the Good News was going to be a difficult task for his disciples. He knew that he was going to send them as sheep among wolves. He knew that left on their own, it was going to be an unfair fight because sheep don’t have a chance against wolves. Jesus uses an important word that grabs our attention.
“Therefore.”
He gives a two-pronged answer.
- Be shrewd as snakes.
- Be innocent as doves.
If given a choice, I think we would rather be doves than snakes.
It is helpful to remember that Jesus is giving us a strategy on how to be sheep among wolves. We are entering an unfair fight. He is telling us how to respond.
The Greek word for “shrewd” means to be wise and intelligent. The Greek word for “innocent” means to be unmixed. It is an idea of purity – not mixed with evil but having the proper motivation of love.
We can say that in the face of rejection, we can be clever in approach and innocent in appearance.
How can we be shrewd and innocent to spread the Word in our community?
Take Action: Record your reactions and answer to the question above on page 3 of the study guide.