Persuasive Sermons needed. The apostles method
On a recent trip to Estonia I was invited to attend a local church evangelistic event. The speaker was a visiting church minister. The talk was meant to be for thirty minutes. It went on for fifty five minutes. When the speaker began his first words to the chairman were,
“What was I meant to be speaking on?”
For the next fifty minutes he rambled on as he strutted round in circles in front of us. His talk similarly went round and round in circles as he told us about his family background. He carried a large black Bible in his left arm but never opened it. He used no notes.
It was only at the end of the talk that he even mentioned Jesus and referred to that text said by Jesus,
“Come follow me.”
At this point he became excited, speaking faster and louder. He told us that he felt that the Spirit was speaking to some people listening urging them to open their hearts to God. Then he kept repeating this same message. During his third appeal the pianist started to play soft music whilst the speaker was urging people to respond.
He then prayed but clearly this highly emotional prayer was not addressed to his heavenly Father but to his audience. The recurrent message was that we should turn to Jesus Christ.
When Paul was asked to defend himself against Jewish accusations before King Aggrippa II, it became clear to the king that Paul was trying to convince him and his sister Bernice about the truth of the Christian message. He repeatedly gave reasons why everyone should be followers of Jesus. He gave evidence to support Jesus’ claim to be God’s Messiah.
Today so few people understand the Christian message, even in churches. Such emotional appeals may satisfy the speaker but without content they can do little to convince their listeners why they should put their trust in Jesus and what it means to do so. The emotional appeal may warm the emotions of some but what God wants is for people to be convinced about who Jesus really was and convicted about their need for him. That long-lasting change as we become more like Jesus is the work of the Spirit. This Estonian speaker seemed to think that a short lasting emotional effect is evidence of the Spirit at work. Many inspired orators can stir people up. Hitler was able to stir up the people of Germany but this was not God’s spirit at work! Stimulant drugs can also stir up people’s emotions but this is not the work of God’s Spirit either
The Spirit Convinces and Persuades people about Jesus
The emphasis of Jesus’ apostles was always to teach people. In Peter’s first sermon at Pentecost he taught them about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. He showed how the Old Testament Scriptures had foretold these events. Many of his listeners consciences were awakened and three thousand accepted his message and made an open commitment to Christ. It is significant that the ir rulers had just had this same Christ crucified seven weeks earlier so Peter’s listeners must have been convinced as well as convicted to have made such a commitment.
It was what the apostles were teaching about the life, death and resurrection of Christ, and that all this was foretold in Scripture that upset the authorities. It was the content of their message, not the way it was delivered that concerned the priests and the ruling Saducees.
“They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. . . . but many who heard the message believed.” Acts 3:2-4
The apostles based their message on the evidence of what they had ‘seen and heard’ (Acts 4:20) supported by the Old Testament prophecies about the Christ
“Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” Acts 5:42
This remained Paul’s approach – he used rational arguments to persuade people about Jesus. When he arrived in Athens his approach remained that of trying to persuade people about who Jesus was.
“So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the market place day by day with those who happened to be there.” Acts 17:17
“Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.” Acts 17:18
When he went to Corinth on his Second Missionary journey he continued in trying to convince people that Jesus was the Christ.
“Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.” Acts 18:4
This appears to have been the approach of all the early Christians. Apollos was a scholar who had a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. When he visited Achaia, the region around Corinth in Greece,
“He vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.” Acts 18:28
.When Paul was defending himself before King Agrippa II against Jewish accusations it became clear to the king that Paul was trying to convince him and his sister Bernice about the truth of the Christian message. He gave his testimony, explaining how he had become convinced about Jesus having previously been violently opposed to him. Part of the evidence he used was that subjective knowledge that we are not what God made us to be, he then talked about the need for all people to repent and turn to God, proving their repentance by the new way they lived. His final argument was that of Scripture. The Old Testament prophets foretold that the Christ would die and then rise from the dead. They also teach that this good news would be preached to Gentiles as well as Jews. It was this last point that was the basis of the Jewish accusations against Paul.
“I am saying nothing beyond what the the prophets and Moses said would happen – that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles.” Acts 26:22-23
Doubtless this account in Acts 26 is a summary of what Paul actually said to the king. Agrippa was well acquainted with Jewish customs and controversies and would have known of the stories about Jesus that had been circulating. I fully suspect that Paul would have elaborated on and quoted some of the Old Testament Scriptures he was referring to as Paul’s great learning was then acknowledged by Agrippa,
“Your great learning is driving you insane.” Acts 2624
Paul continues to argue the validity of his case. His faith in Jesus was evidence based. His reply is striking,
“What I am saying is true and reasonable. The King is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.” Acts 26:25
It was only when he had given the reasons that he explains that a decision has to be made. The decision Paul wants Agrippa to make was not primarily about whether he had broken the law but about the validity of Jesus’ claims.
“King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.” Acts 26:27
Paul’s argument was obvious. He was basing his defence of the validity of Jesus Christ’s claims, which the Jewish Scriptures support. Agrippa understood this, saying to Paul.
“Do you think in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” Acts 26:28
Paul acknowledges that this is his purpose, he clearly thinks all people, including those present in the court that day, needed to be convinced about who Jesus was as their salvation before God depended on it.
“Paul replied, ‘Short time or long – I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.’” Acts 26:29
Clearly Paul wants all people to become as convinced about Jesus as he is and as a result to become followers of Jesus.
This apostolic method of evangelism never changed. When Paul arrived in Rome, after he had appealed to Caesar, he was allowed to rent his own house though still under a Roman guard. He quickly arranged to see the leaders of the Jewish community in Rome so he could explain to them why he had been arrested and why he had appealed to Caesar.
“They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying.. From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince themabout Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the prophets.. Some were convinced by what he said but others would not believe.” Acts 28:23-24
The sort of evidence Paul used and his approach differed depending on whom he was talking to, but he was always trying to convince people that Jesus was the one and only Son of God and this was proved by his life, death and resurrection as well as the Jewish Scriptures that prophesied many specific details about God’s Messiah’s birth, death, resurrection and the purpose of his coming – to be God’s final sacrifice for our sin so that we can be saved.
The message of the church can never change. Jesus is the one and only Son of God. The Bible makes clear that Jesus is God, the creator of our universe but that he has entered this world as a person. This is a staggering claim but it the key to making sense of life and giving our lives a certain purpose.
BVP
