This is the third part of a series that is hoping to help us share the story of Jesus’ bodily resurrection in a more effective and winsome way.
Tip 5 – Keep Well Clear of Dodgy Claims
When seeking to present the story of the resurrection of Jesus we need to be really careful we do not rely on suspicious evidence or try and make evidence say more than it really does. Sometimes in our enthusiasm we can claim more than we should … and this not only undermines our case but it also fails to recognise the greatness of God (his sovereign rule).
These dodgy claims can come from both sides so if the person you are discussing things with makes a claim, you are well within your right to ask the polite but simple question … “What caused you to think that” or “I do not think I have come across that claim in my research on the subject, on what evidence is that claim based”.
Tip 6 – Prepare with Prayer
Remember this is more a spiritual battle than it is an exercise in logic. (see Eph 6:12) So it makes sense to be people who pray. This reminds us that the role of changing hearts is not our business but God’s business… we cannot argue people into the kingdom of God but we needed to rely on the work of the Holy Spirit.
Tip 7 – Be Calm
If someone ridicules your beliefs or rips into God it might cause you to get a bit angry. But remember this… anger will only hurt your Christian testimony. Do not get offended when someone opposes your thinking. As we saw with the two sermons on the resurrection there are good answers for opposing theories. Remember Proverbs 1:15 – a gentle answer turns aside wrath.
The final tip 8 is simply this… Practice
The cricket season has shown us some remarkable shots that seem to be played with relative ease. The switch hit is a one of them, but the decision to play a switch hit comes after many hours of practice. So why not practice sharing the story. You could even ask your non Christian mates if they would mind engaging in a pretend discussion on the subject of the resurrection.
I hope you find these tips helpful.