CHARLO, New Brunswick, January 5, 2024 – When I was an unbeliever, I hated when people would corner me and start talking about Jesus. As a born-again believer, I hate it still. I have found that the people who do this are not graced with God’s Spirit and are only doing it because they’ve been told to do it. Most are in an outreach or evangelical program within their church, and cornering people to tell them about Jesus is part of what they have to do as members of that group. They’re told to say this or that, and so that’s what they say, verbatim, their eyes glazing over while they’re saying it, not reading the room at all. I have, on occasion, had to push past these people with a “thank you, no thank you”, as polite as I could muster. Force-feeding the Gospel to people who aren’t hungry does no-one any good.

Compare what Jesus did with what the glazed-over-eyes people do. First of all, Jesus never imposed himself on anyone. He let people know that he was available, and if they wanted to talk to him or attend his teaching or healing sessions, they did so on their own volition. He never cornered anyone or forced them to listen to him. People sought him out, not the other way around. The only time Jesus specifically went to this or that person was when he was asked to go, either by a loved one or by God himself.

Secondly, when Jesus was approached and asked questions about the Kingdom, he didn’t prattle off a memorized spiel. He read the room and responded accordingly. With the well-educated religious powers-that-be, he referenced points of law and passages in scripture, whereas with the general population he answered questions more generally, acknowledging the limits of their education. He didn’t talk down to anyone and didn’t show off his learning by quoting chapter and verse. He tailored his message to his audience.

Thirdly and most importantly, Jesus understood timing. People are receptive to the Gospel only when the time is right for them to hear it. God will let you know when the time is right. If you try to force-feed the Gospel message to someone when the time isn’t right for them to receive it, you’ll only be wasting your time and their time, and you definitely won’t make a friend in the process. In fact, that person will likely avoid you from thereon in.

How, then, should we preach the Gospel, because preach it we must. It’s part of our job description as born-again believers. The answer, of course, is that we should preach the Gospel like Jesus did, which is how we should be doing everything we do. We let people know we’re available if and when they want to hear about the Kingdom. We do this not directly but indirectly, showing through our words and actions that we’re Christian. People will know who and what we are just by being around us, and if they want to know about Jesus, God will lead them to ask us. When they ask, we can be certain they’re ready to hear.

Sometimes, though, we need to stand in a crowded place and shout from the rooftops, like Jesus did at the festival he attended incognito. One of the few genuine born-again believers I’ve met over the years was doing just that in a crowded transit terminal a few years ago, during the morning rush hour. He was a joy to behold, and I couldn’t help but hang on to his every word. Others also stopped to listen to him. He was telling anyone who wanted to hear how Jesus had healed him from alcoholism from one day to the next, no twelve-step program required. He was telling everyone how happy he was since he became a believer. He preached not just with his words but with the witness of his bright and shining eyes and glowing face. He radiated joy. The Spirit was so strong in him, it spilled over onto all those who stood to listen. This was preaching.

Without the involvement of God’s Holy Spirit, there is no genuine teaching or preaching of the Gospel, whether you’re doing it one-on-one or with a crowd. Yes, you need to take the initiative to make yourself available, but God will decide when the time is right for someone to hear his Word. That decision is not yours. The Gospel cannot be force-fed any more than the Holy Spirit can be forced to perform at will.

So, we let God know that we’re available, and then we wait, patiently, like Jesus waited and like all the prophets throughout the ages have waited, knowing that when the time is right, God will use us. It will likely not be a time and place of our choosing, but it will be the right time and the right place.

You’ll know it when it happens.

And then you’ll really be preaching, like Jesus.