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By Pastor Brian Bestian
A few years ago, Bill Hybels and Mark Mittelberg wrote a popular book titled, Be-coming a Contagious Christian. They suggested that Christians should make Christianity so appealing that others would be drawn to Christ by our example. The book contains this formula: “High Potency + Close Proximity + Clear Communication = MAXIMUM IMPACT.”
In other words, if Christ has made a powerful difference in our lives, if we have a close relationship with unbelievers, and if we communicate the gospel plainly, we should be fairly effective in witnessing to a number of people. True, the gospel isn’t going to appeal to everyone no matter how contagious Christians are. Jesus warned that there would be those offended by the cross.
But the problem is that many followers of Christ make Christianity unattractive. They’re boring, joyless, hypocritical, and negative. Mark Twain once joked, “Go to heaven for the climate, but hell for the company.” He obviously didn’t enjoy being around Christians.
Jesus said the opposite should be the case. “You are the salt of the earth.” Salt adds flavor to food. He said, “You are the light of the world.” Light attracts out of darkness. The Bible says that we should “in every way . . . make the teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:10).
We come today to the fifth and final message of our series, “Being Confident in Un-certain Times.” Our text talks about being the most contagious representatives for Christ that we can possibly be. Verse 20 is our theme verse: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.” There are four words in our text that should help us make Christianity contagious in a world that is increasingly uncertain and eternally lost.
I. Be Transparent About Your Intentions to Witness
The first word is transparency. We should be transparent about our intentions to witness for Christ. Paul writes in verse 11, “Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.” Three times the Bible says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” As you come to know God’s love in Christ Jesus, that perfect love casts out fear.
Paul writes, “We know what it is to fear the Lord.” We value Jesus Christ as the Son of God who died for our sins. We honor the Bible as God’s Word—“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Ps. 119:105). We appreciate the difference His presence makes in our daily lives.
Since we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade people. The word “per-suade” doesn’t mean to “force,” it means to “convince or influence.” The world doesn’t understand that. “Why are you Christians always trying to proselyte people from other religions to believe the way you do?”
There are two good reasons why we try to persuade people to believe in Christ. The first is simply Jesus commanded us to do so. Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).
The second reason is that it’s normal to share good news if you really believe it’s helpful. Each spring, like many of you, I tend to battle some kind of allergy. Sometimes I get such a tickle in my throat. It makes it difficult to preach or speak. You wouldn’t believe the number of remedies I’m offered. People have given all kinds of sugges-tions—from hot tea with honey and molasses to Jack Daniels with lemon juice. I read somewhere that professional singers eat Lays? potato chips because the salt and grease cut through the phlegm. So they’re singing better . . . but they’re also starting to gain a lot more weight!
People come out of the woodwork to voluntarily share a remedy they believe will help a tickle in the throat. We know that the Lord has cured us of sin, conquered the grave, and given us new meaning to life. And we need to share it with others. If we don’t share it, then we either don’t believe it or we don’t care about people. That’s why Paul writes, “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died” (v. 14).
In Acts 26 the Apostle Paul is summoned before King Agrippa and asked to defend himself against the charge of insurrection. Paul stood on the witness stand and told how he never believed in Jesus until the risen Christ appeared to him in person on the Damascus Road. Paul looked straight at Agrippa and said, “The king is familiar with these things . . . because it was not done in a corner.” Then he asked, “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” Paul didn’t say, “I’m sorry, King Agrippa, you misunderstood me. I’m not trying to persuade you to be a Christian. Hey, if your religion works for you, that’s good enough.” 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.” Paul didn’t fake it. He was out to influence as many people as possible to believe in Christ.
So let’s not pretend. Let’s not see if we can slowly sneak up on people. Let’s not disguise the danger or sugarcoat the message. Let’s be very bold and courageous. We are definitely trying to win people to Christ.
II. Be Intense in Our Effort to Represent the Truth
The second word is intensity. If we want to make Christianity contagious, we must be intense in our effort to represent the truth. Verses 13-14 say, “If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson once observed, “Every great and commanding movement in the annals of the world is the triumph of enthusiasm.” Enthusiasm is contagious. It inspires and motivates others. Enthusiasm doesn’t necessarily mean loud and boisterous. It means intense, focused, and passionate.
Arnold Toynbee wrote, “Apathy can only be overcome by enthusiasm and enthu-siasm can only be aroused by an ideal which takes the imagination by storm.” That’s the kind of intensity we need in seeking to make a difference in our society. The word enthusiasm comes from two Greek words: en Theos—“dwelling in God.” You can’t be in Christ and not be enthusiastic. You can’t understand the gospel message and not be intense.
Paul was so intense in Acts 26 that Governor Festus thought Paul had lost his mind. “Your great learning is driving you insane,” he said. Paul responded, “I’m not insane, Festus, what I’m saying is true and reasonable” (Acts 26:24-25).
The C.I.A. agents who shared warnings about the possibility of terrorist attacks prior to September 11 were considered by some to be alarmists. But looking back after the attacks we realize now those people were right. We should have listened to them. In some respects, they should’ve been more intense.
The love of Christ compels us to share the message of Jesus with intensity, regardless of the reaction. But we shouldn’t be cavalier about it. The people who carry signs “Repent or Perish” or stand on the street corner and warn about hell, aren’t too effec-tive in persuading people to come to Christ. Perhaps we have to be more gentle, more tactful, more patient, more involved with people’s lives, but they should still sense an intensity about us that’s contagious.
When was the last time that you were so intense about winning someone to the Lord that you were moved to tears? Jesus did—He wept over Jerusalem’s rebellious spirit. Paul did—he told the Ephesian elders, “Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears” (Acts 20:31). “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthian 5:20).
III. Be Perceptive About the Potential in People
The third word is perceptivity. We can make Christianity contagious if we are per-ceptive about people. Paul writes in verses 16-17, “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
The world evaluates people by the externals. If you’re rich, good looking, or famous the world values you. Otherwise you aren’t worth much, and the world ignores you. Verse 12 says the world takes pride in what’s seen rather than what’s in the heart.
It’s important that we see people as the Lord sees them. The world sees the exter-nals; we are to see the heart. The world sees possessions; we are to see potential. That’s what was so wonderful about Jesus. He looked at people for what they could become rather than what they were or had been.
Who would ever have guessed that fickle Simon Peter would become a rock-solid leader?! Who would ever have guessed that the persecutor Saul would become the preacher Paul?! Who would ever have guessed that the demon possessed Mary Magdalene would be the first to see the resurrected Jesus on Easter morning?! Who would ever have guessed that the cheating tax collector Zaccheaus would host Jesus for dinner?!
The Pharisees saw only the externals. “He eats with tax collectors and sinners.” But Jesus saw them as forgiven disciples and transformed friends. How do you see the people you associate with regularly? Do you categorize them by externals or see the heart? The Bible says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
IV. Be Committed to a Ministry from God
The final word is the word ministry. We can make Christianity contagious if we are committed to a ministry from God. In verses 18-19 we read, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”
Let’s say you have close friends who are in deep financial trouble. They know they have made serious mistakes and are repentant. But they’re $50,000 in debt, and the bill collectors are hounding them, and they’re in danger of having their car repos-sessed. Let’s imagine that a generous, wealthy man says, “I know of your friends plight and I want to write out a check for $100,000 for them: $50,000 to pay their bills, $50,000 to put in their checking account to get them going forward for the fu-ture. Would you deliver the check to them for me?” You couldn’t wait to go to them and share the good news and deliver the check.
People are under a huge debt of sin. They can never pay it back. Satan is eager to collect what is due him. But God has paid the debt in full through the riches in Christ Jesus and His death on the cross. Not only will He pay the debt, but He imputes His righteousness to our account—we become the righteousness of Christ. “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21).
We are called to share the Gospel message. It’s not an obligation; it’s a privilege! It’s a joyous ministry; God communicates His message through us. That’s why it’s important that we communicate the gospel clearly and accurately. We are ambassadors, not negotiators. We represent the King of kings while living in a foreign country. Although some may not receive His Word, we must share it accurately—not edit it.
We won’t influence people by political power or intimidating boycotts. Christianity becomes contagious when we regard it as ministry. A ministry means to care for another or to serve another.
“Those who live should no longer live for themselves,” Paul writes in verse 15, “but for Him who died for them and was raised again.” When a Christian lives unselfishly, ge-nuinely cares for other people, there is an undeniable attraction.
Liberal New York Times columnist, Nicholas D. Kristof, published an editorial back on May 21, 2002, titled, “Following God Abroad.” Because of the past culture wars, he admits that he once regarded Christians as dangerous and destructive. But he has since been impressed with the humanitarian efforts of Christian people who are saving lives in the most forgotten parts of the world. He cites Christian relief efforts to feed the hungry and the organized attempt to battle Aids in Africa and slavery in the Sudan.
Kristof writes, “I’ve lost my cynicism about Christian groups partly because I’ve seen them at work abroad. Earlier this year I visited the Philippine island of Basilan, aid groups have mostly pulled out because of killings and kidnappings, but I found one still busy providing food and medicine even in the most dangerous areas. It’s the ‘Christian Children’s Fund,’—a ministry of service softened a hard heart.”
Martin Burnham, a missionary to the Philippines, once said, “All it takes is two hands to serve and one heart to give.” Maybe the Lord won’t lead us to the Philippines or Afghanistan, or even Washington D.C. But He calls us to be His ambassador to our world and be as contagious as possible. That’s so needed in our world which is so uncertain right now. We need the assurance and the hope that only Jesus Christ can bring. “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).
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