Conversations for Conversions Sake 2

Back in the 80's I met a man named M.A. Thomas. He gave me a book about himself called, "M.A. Thomas A Man With A Heart As Big India." I was just a young teen. He preached quite mightily and passionately. He spoke of persecution. He spoke of his love for Jesus.

I read today about his son, Dr. Samuel Thomas, who "According to Hopegivers International,...was arrested March 16, 2006, in New Delhi, by about a dozen men claiming to be police officers from the provincial capital of Kota, Rajasthan. Hopegivers International was formed in the United States by friends wanting to support the many orphanages and schools founded by Dr. Thomas’ father M. A. Thomas as he began ministering to children in India. Local anti-Christian hate groups continue their siege against the 2,500 orphans and abandoned children protected at the Emmanual Hope Home in Kota, Rajasthan, by threatening to disrupt water and electric service to the facilities. Bishop M. A. Thomas is currently in hiding from the Hindu extremist groups that have offered large rewards for the capture and beheading of Dr. Samuel Thomas or his father M.A. Thomas. "

I read that and realize that the very light frustrations I have sharing the gospel are nothing compared to many trials of my brothers and sisters in other lands. I also think about the reactions of those I have been sharing the gospel with. God has been pleased to open dozens of conversations in the last few weeks of working at UPS. I listed descriptions in the last posts. What I have not talked about is the tension my conversations are creating. I have had varying feelings about this. I have thought how easy it would be "to just get along" and not say anything about Jesus. I had one young man literally sneering at me and cussing as I told him that Jesus was the only way to God the Father. He shouted that he didn't need a mediator and I was wrong about this. I gave him Pascal's wager and said, "Well, if I am wrong I don't lose anything. If you are wrong you lose everything." He responded, "Lose what?! You don't know what I'll lose. You've not died before. Have you died and know for sure what's happens?! You don't know anything!" He blasphemed the Lord, but I said to those who were listening, "You ought to be careful, we're going to be judged for everything we've said in this van tonight. Me and you, each one of us. Some to torment, some to life." He laughed and said, "No, I think God thinks what I said was funny!" He then held his hands like a phone, as thought speaking with God, and said, "Yeah, that was funny wasn't it!"

And my heart breaks for him. He simply doesn't get it. I have spoken to others who say his reaction is one of inner conviction. That is, the reason he reacts to vehemently is because he is under conviction from the Holy Spirit. That may be so, but he resists and blasphemes. God open his eyes.

Another woman on the van said that I was wrong about the New Testament and that after a lot of study she has concluded that the Bible, especially the New Testament is completely unreliable. She mentioned all of the books that were left out and how distorted and questionable that history is. I explained to her that by 100 AD the New Testament was basically complete. And thus, the councils which canonized the books were not doing so arbitrarily but rather simply codifying what was already seen as divinely inspired writings. I told her that there were over 5000 greek manuscripts and some of the fragments we have are dated within 200 years of the originals. Her response to these things was to get very angry and said, "Kelly, I don't care. You're not going to change my mind on this. I don't believe what you are saying. I don't want to argue about this. You believe what you believe and I believe what I believe." I tried to say as delicately as I could, so as not to rouse her more, "You made the statement that you had studied. You said that the documents are unreliable. I'm simply trying to demonstrate that the writings are reliable." She shook her head and walked off the van.

Is this persecution? No way. This is Mars Hill and the Athenians are sneering. That is all. Nonetheless, it is vexing.

The next day I was sitting in the waiting area of an office reading Calvin on these things. Here is what he said,

"For my part, although I do not excel either in great dexterity or eloquence, if I were struggling against the most crafty sort of despisers of God, who seek to appear shrewd and witty in disparaging Scripture, I am confident it would not be difficult for me to silence their clamorous voices. And if it were a useful labor to refute their cavils, I would with no great trouble shatter the boasts they mutter in their lurking places. But even if anyone clears God's Sacred Word from man's evil speaking, he will not at once imprint upon their hearts that certainty which piety requires. Since for unbelieving men religion seems to stand by opinion alone they in order not to believe anything foolishly or lightly, both wish and demand rational proof that Moses and the prophets spoke divinely. But I reply: the testimony of the Spirit is more excellent than all reason. For as God alone is a fit witness of himself in his Word, so also the Word will not find acceptance in men's hearts before it is sealed by the inward testimony of the Spirit. The same Spirit, therefore, who has spoken through the mouths of the prophets must penetrate into our hearts to persuade us that they faithfully proclaimed what had been divinely commanded." Calvin, Institutes vol.1 VII. 4

So again, I ask you, please pray for the conversations I have been having at UPS. I am not the only one having these conversations. My blogger friend Timmy works at UPS as well in another area. He has mentioned many fruitful conversations he has had as well. So I am not alone and God is working here and all over the world. In fact my brother Lee, has been out west sharing and living the gospel among the lost and needy there at the Yakama reservation.

Are you sharing the gospel at your workplace? Are you afraid of losing your job? Are you worried of losing credibility or your coworkers sneering at you? Are you afraid of being labled a "Jesus Freak" or a "Funamentalist Wacko"? Do others at work even know you are a Believer? Would others know to come to you if they wanted to know how to be saved?

I had a conversation with a friend who mentioned a certain lack of vitality in his knowledge of Christ. I said, "Put yourself out there where you have to risk something. Make yourself do those things which require faith and trust." I mentioned to him 2 Cor 3 and told him, "Man, I am not adequate for these things. I have to trust that God is the one who will open their eyes. He calls me to open my mouth. But it is scarey because I don't know what people are going to say, but I know it is Him who does it." I was overcome with joy for all of the conversations I have had lately, to be able to share the Gospel...and to be sneered at! God appointed for me to be sneered at and laughed at! And again I felt the confirmation of the Lord, He has made me to proclaim with joyful, loving intensity that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Maranatha!

Kelly