Let's Examine the Scriptures Every Day 2022
Saturday July 2, 2022
We are preaching the good news to them so that they will abandon these useless things and turn to the living God (Acts 14:15).
The apostle Paul noticed what interested his listeners and tailored his presentation. For example, the crowd to whom he preached at Lystra knew little or nothing of the Scriptures. So Paul talked about things that were familiar to them, like bountiful harvests and joy of life. He used words and examples that were easy to understand. Let's try to find out what interests people in our territory and adapt our presentation. How can we find out what interests a person when we approach him or his house? Let's be observant. Perhaps you are gardening, reading a book, repairing a car, or doing something else. If we see it appropriate, we can start the conversation by talking about what he is doing (John 4:7). Even the person's clothes can tell us something about him: his nationality, what he does or his favorite sports team. w20.04 11 paras. 11, 12
What examples show that all kinds of people can become disciples of Christ?
In the first century, people from all walks of life became disciples of Jesus. When Paul wrote to the Christians living in the Greek city of Corinth, he said that some of them had been criminals and had led very immoral lives. And then he added: “But they have been washed” (1 Cor. 6:9-11). Would we have thought that those people could change and become disciples?
Many today are willing to make the changes necessary to become disciples of Jesus. For example, a special pioneer named Yukina in Australia found that anyone can accept the message of the Bible. One day, she was in a real estate agency and saw a young woman full of tattoos and wearing very baggy clothes. Yukina remembers, “I hesitated for a moment to talk to her. But, when I did, I discovered that she was so interested in the Bible that some of her tattoos were fragments of the Psalms”. The young woman began studying the Bible and attending meetings.*
Why shouldn't we judge people?
Did Jesus say that the fields were ripe for harvest because he expected most people to follow him? No not at all. The Scriptures had foretold that relatively few would put their faith in him (John 12:37, 38). And Jesus had the power to read hearts (Matt. 9:4). Still, he enthusiastically preached to everyone, but focused on the few who believed in him. In our case, since we cannot read hearts, let us fight against the tendency to judge a person or the territory. Rather, let us see people as future disciples. A missionary from Burkina Faso named Marc explains it this way: “People who I think will make progress often stop studying. But the ones that I think won't get very far are progressing very well. I have learned that it is better to let the spirit of Jehovah lead us.”
All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2020 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania JW.ORG.
Comments
Post a Comment