GROWTH STAGES OF THE DISCIPLE # 3
(The Bridge Builder Evangelist )
Having
made the leap of faith into that big circle of salvation, and using your gifts
of praying and reading the word you are beginning to grow in the faith. There are so many aspects of Christian growth,
that one is probably not going to be able to take them all in immediately. You may be hearing people say things like,
“you must be baptized” or “you have to take communion”. Perhaps you will hear someone say you must
start tithing. These things will come in
time as you grow in the faith, but each believer will grow at a different rate
of speed, and much of it will depend on what type of Church culture he has been
around. One must be careful not to be
misled in thinking the Christian walk is a bunch of legalistic do’s and don’ts.
Some may be baptized and start tithing
immediately at the salvation experience.
This does not mean they have arrived at spiritual maturity. Some may feel pressure to dive right into
various doctrines they have heard about from friends or family, especially if
they have come from a legalistic background.
There are ordinances and
doctrines the new believer will grow into, but since sanctification is a
process it takes time, and that can be difficult for some new Christians to
understand. Sometimes the new believer
because of emotionalism and excitement from the joy he feels at the new birth
experience thinks those feelings will be there forever. He is sure what he has found will protect him
from all the evil forces of life that may fall in his path. What he has
received at the new birth truly is enough to carry him through life and any
potential setbacks. But how this all
fits together will probably not be understood in the beginning stages of his
Christian walk. The new believer has
been equipped with the Holy Spirit, and every thing he needs to carry him
through life, but this does not mean he is going to understand all this at the
inception of new birth.
Sanctification
is a process that continues until God in His timing calls us home. Some church
cultures teach there are separate actions one must go through to receive the
Holy Spirit. But when we make that leap
of faith into the salvation experience, we receive the Holy Spirit, and are
equipped with everything necessary to give us a peaceful victorious life in
this world, and the gift of eternal life in the world to come.
Since you
are now praying and reading the Word, one of the passages you will want to
study in depth is John Chapter 9.
Familiarize yourself with this chapter, and begin to think on the
disciplines that you believe Christ would have you follow. By now you are familiar with making
commitments that only come, as you are found faithful in daily reading and praying. You may want to start thinking about following
the Lord in baptism or other ordinances. But one thing that will stand out as you focus
on John 9 is what happened to the blind man.
A clear understanding of this passage will help you begin to understand
what sharing your faith is all about. Let us look to this story and see what happens.
Just as
you are obedient in praying and reading the Word, the blind man too, was
obedient. One day as Jesus was walking along the road he saw a man who was blind
from birth. He simply spit on the ground
and made some mud with the saliva and put it on the man’s eyes. He told him to go to the pool of Siloam and
wash his eyes. The blind man did not put
up any kind of defense. He just did what
he was told. He was obedient. He washed his eyes and came seeing. This is
equivalent of what happens to us when our spiritual blindness is healed and we
can see. But there is more to the
story. What followed caused an uproar as
the Jews and Pharisees and the neighbors in the community began to question
this man. Some asked, “is this really the man who was born blind that
we led to the gate every day?” Some
said. “No, this is not the same man. It
can’t be, even though it looks like him, this is not the man.” Others called him a phony or a fake. The Pharisees are becoming a little agitated
and they go to the parents of the blind man.
His parents could see the stir that was caused and they may even have
been a little fearful. “Is this really
the man that was born blind?” they asked.
“Is this really your son?” Of
course the answer was yes, but they did not answer when asked how it all took
place. They were fearful that they to
may be thrown out, or maybe they even feared for their lives. So their final response was, look, “we don’t
know what happened we can’t tell you how he was healed, or who healed
him.” “We can only tell you that this is
our son, and that he was born blind, and that now he sees.” “He is of age, go
and ask him yourself.”
So the Jews sought the man a
second time and began to question him.
Maybe he too is now a little fearful because he is being greatly
pressured. The Jews told him they
thought this man named Jesus was a sinner, because he had supposedly healed on
the Sabbath. The blind man stopped them hoping
to cut off the subject, and replied in this fashion. “I have told you already.” “I am the man who was born blind and laid
down by the gate.” “I don’t know if the man called Jesus is a sinner or not.”
“But I do know this.” “I am the man.” “I
once was blind, and this man named Jesus walked by. He told me what I could do to be able to
see. I believed him, I followed his
directions and now I see.” Again they
asked how he was healed, and he became vexed with annoyance and possibly
growing angry said. “I have told you
already and you would not listen.” At
this, the Jews threw him out of the city.
Later that day, Jesus came by to
talk with him. He explained the whole
story to Jesus and now he tells Jesus that he truly believes in Him. He can see.
And now being able to see he is able to point others to Jesus Christ of
Nazareth.
Let us create a scenario in which
this newly healed man can point others to Jesus. It goes like this. The man who was born blind, now being able to
see, is walking among friends and new acquaintances near the entrance of the
city. He is telling his story of how he was born blind.
They look at him in interest, yet
in doubt, and cannot understand what happened.
But he leads them through the same story. At the end, his new followers and those
listening begin to question and badger him about how all that has
happened. He stops them and looks them
in the eye and says look, I am not a physician, I cannot explain this to
you. I do not know how it all happened. But I do want to tell you. I was born blind, and now I see. And now that I can see, I want you to look
out there on the side of the mountain.
Do you see that man up there teaching all those around him? His name is Jesus. He healed me and gave me sight. I don’t know how he did it, but if you will
go with me, I will take you to this man and introduce him to you. He then can tell you what happened if you
really want to know. He is the healer of
blinded sight, and the healer of broken hearts.
He can give you what you need to be healed spiritually. At that point, the blind man became what we
call a bridge builder evangelist. He is
the bridge from the lost or blind man, to the healer of men.
This same thing can happen to
you. And you too, can be able to lead
others to Jesus simply by telling them what happened to you. By giving your story, or your testimony, you
can be a bridge builder evangelist. You
may not know how to lead someone to Christ, but you can certainly take him or
her to the Pastor, the elder, the teacher or evangelist in the Church who can
give them sound guidance in becoming a new believer. You can lead someone to Christ by being that
bridge builder.
By praying and reading the word
you have opened your eyes. You have been
healed by new birth. You are so happy
that you have new life in you that your desire is for the whole world to have
what you have. So you begin talking to
your friends and neighbors. You tell
them what happened in your life, and they start asking you questions. They will then ask you, “Is that really you
John Doe?” “Yes”, you will say, it’s really me.
And they will want to know what has happened to you. What is it that has changed you? When and how did it all happen? And your response may be. I don’t know, I can’t explain it all, I only
know that once I was blind, and now I see.
I was on a dark road all alone and without hope. And this friend came by and told me a story
about a blind man. It didn’t take long
for me to discover that I was that blind man.
I was born blind, but now I see.
Since you can clearly see now, you
too are able to go look for that person who led you to Christ, and bring them
back to help someone else. Although you
may not know exactly what took place in your life and probably are not able to
explain all the theological implications, you know a change has been made. And
now, as a BRIDGE BUILDER EVANGELIST, you can lead someone to Christ. You can lead them to the pastor, an elder,
evangelist, soul-winner or leader in the Church. This bridge building effort too will heal
them of their blindness. At that point,
you have just stepped into the next circle.
Using the analogy of reducing, this circle is about the size of a hula-hoop,
one that you could pick up and place easily over your body. Praying, reading the word, and witnessing by
sharing your life story are getting easier for you. But spiritual growth continues as you follow
in his footsteps. To be
continued.
Dock Caton 12/08/12
No comments:
Post a Comment