Sunday, August 2 · Vineyard Cincinnati Church
Everyday Evangelism | Week 1: Talk About What You Love
Sharing faith starts with actually loving Jesus, because people talk about what they love. Evan Griffin tells how a Little League coach's life drew him in, and the sermon holds up the pattern of experiencing the good news, being good news, and then sharing it.
The passages
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear, having a good conscience. Thus, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ.
1 Peter 3:15–16
Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified.
John 7:37–39
Go deeper
Why does Peter say to be ready to give a reason for the hope with gentleness and respect, rather than simply being kind to people?
Peter assumes people are already asking why. The readiness he describes comes after a life that has shown the hope and spoken of it, not instead of it. Evan's coach Jim Stone watched and answered over three years, and Evan kept coming back with questions before he prayed anything.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear, having a good conscience. Thus, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ.
1 Peter 3:15–16
…having good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good works and glorify God in the day of visitation.
1 Peter 2:12
Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
Colossians 4:5–6
“You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill can’t be hidden. Neither do you light a lamp and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house. Even so, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14–16
Why does Jesus say rivers of living water will flow out of the one who comes to him and drinks?
Jesus stands up at the Feast of Tabernacles, when the water was poured out, and offers himself as the drink. Evan tells it as a filling that spills: what is received in private comes out toward other people whether or not anyone planned it. He saw it happen the night his twin brother, the last person he expected, asked for what he had.
Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified.
John 7:37–39
Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”
John 4:13–14
…and has extended loving kindness to me before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. I was strengthened according to Yahweh my God’s hand on me, and I gathered together chief men out of Israel to go up with me.
Ezra 7:28
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over.
Psalms 23:5