Sermon Tone Analysis

MISSION POSSIBLE: DEALING WITH OPPOSITION

How do we deal with opposition?

Keep in mind:

Our goal is to give someone the Gospel.

It is “of first importance” as Paul said to the Corinthians.

Only it can convict a sinner of their need for Christ.

The Gospel is the best “apologetic” we have.

As I noted in our previous lesson, the Gospel contains the evidence of it’s truth: fulfilled prophecy, eyewitness testimony of the resurrection, confirming miracles, etc.

The Gospel is what Peter had in mind in when he says to give an answer to people regarding the reason why we have hope.

It’s all about the death and resurrection of Jesus.

There is not another argument or “silver bullet” to convicting someone that they need to come to Christ.

The Gospel is the power of God to salvation.

The Spirit uses His word to convict sinners.

It is interesting that, as you look through the New Testament, Jesus and the early Christians in the book of Acts never backed down from the authority of scripture and showing how the Gospel of the resurrected Messiah who was crucified fulfilled the scriptures.

This Gospel – in and of itself – has all of the necessary evidence to lead someone to Christ, and there is no reason to believe otherwise.

So don’t be afraid to quote scripture!

Once again, it is the Spirit’s sword!

It can pierce!

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We need to be Christ-like towards opposition.

Show love, patience, and gentleness (READ PASSAGES - ; ).

Don’t treat them like Jesus treated the hard-hearted and stubborn Pharisees.

We don’t know hearts, so lean towards showing mercy and gentleness.

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Be willing to say “I don’t know.”

At times, this is the honest and humble answer.

Giving this answer may open up the door for a time to get together with the lost person again

Emotional reasons: They don’t like something in the Bible or they have a bad experience with religious people, or They were taught something by someone they are close to (Grandma or mom & dad), or They have an emotional tie to false teaching (ex.

Mormons).

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Moral reasons (READ , , ).

Scripture does show us that these things can harden someone’s heart and lead them to reject the truth.

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Intellectual reasons:

Ignorance – Sometimes it may be the case that they just don’t have the information to come to a decision, or Maybe they have been taught wrong.

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There are ways to find out why someone is truly rejecting the Gospel message.

First, the question that I encouraged to ask at the end of sharing the Gospel with someone: “Is there anything that would keep you from giving your life to Jesus?” is a question that gets right to the heart of answering the question as to why they are not willing to accept the teaching of scripture.

Also, we have a few other questions we can ask to get to know why someone is rejecting the Gospel.

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Ask questions about their beliefs – This is a valuable tactic to develop no matter who you are talking to.

Asking questions shows that you care about what they think and that you desire to understand their views.

Asking questions helps keep you in the driver’s seat while the other person does all the work.

You are getting them to consider what they believe and why… and shifting the burden of proof to them to give reasons for their view that you can interact with.

Asking questions makes it very hard for anyone ever to think you are shoving things down their throats or bashing them over the head.

It is an inoffensive kind of way to talk to people.

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Jesus’ Example - This is something that Jesus did often when he was questioned by others or challenged.

He would answer questions often by asking questions.

Questions are used by the Lord Jesus in a variety of ways, including developing people’s faith and understanding, or dealing with opposition.

His use of questions provides lessons for ourselves, including the way questions can expose the real issues to be considered.

##### Examples:

For instance, Jesus was asked about whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not… Jesus answered their question by asking his own question.

After asking for a denarius, He asked whose inscription was on the coin… ()

When he was challenged by the chief priests about where he got His authority, he asked a question about where John’s baptism came from.

When He approached a group of Pharisees, He asked a question about the law… using a passage of scripture to try to lead them in a certain direction… ().

When challenged by the Jews regarding their accusations of breaking the Sabbath, He asked them questions:

Have you not read what David and his companions did when they were hungry?

" Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?

" ()

"He said to them, "Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out?

" ()

Which is lawful to do on the Sabbath, to do good or evil, or to save life or to kill? ()

When dealing with the sin of anxiety/worry, He asked questions:

Read

This is just a few examples.

There are so many more...

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I would encourage you, and I will probably say this again, but try to fight the urge to get into a debate.

Most of the time, it is not helpful.

It doesn’t usually help the person you are talking to to help them to see they are wrong by giving them your view.

They often need to see why they are not thinking or reasoning correctly about their own views first before they will be will be willing to consider an opposing view.

For me, in the times I have changed my views that were incorrect, it didn’t come about because someone put me in my place and gave me an opposing view to my own.

It came about because they showed me why my line of reasoning was not thought through well or they asked me questions that led me to see that I was missing something.

Don’t just get into a sword battle.

Try to understand someone else’s view first and what led them to their conclusions before you challenge them.

There are questions we can ask to deal with opposition and to get the person we are talking with to think about their beliefs.

With this said, I would like to give you some questions that we can ask people who disagree with us to help us in understanding their position so we can be best equipped to give them some things to think about.

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The first question is, “What do you mean by that.” or “Can you clarify what you mean when you say this.”

When we don’t understand someone’s view, we can often misrepresent it.

This is a serious misstep, even when it is done by accident.

Instead of discussing the real issue (the view of the person you are talking to), you set up a lifeless imitation (a straw-man) and easily knock it down.

This is not a logical response to someone, and it is not helpful either.

Just think of all the times you have been misrepresented and how you felt.

Did this make you more willing to talk to the person who misrepresented you, or less willing?

Did this show you that the person wanted to understand your view, or did this show they just wanted to “show you how you were wrong”?

Ask this question to make sure there is not a misunderstanding and to make sure there is no confusion regarding what the person believes.

This question will give you more time to collect your thoughts to ask more questions.

If someone says, “I believe Jesus is the Son of God” It may be helpful to ask, “what do you mean when you call Jesus this?”

A Christian, a Mormon, and a Jehovah’s witness would all answer this question differently.

Ask the question, let them clarify, and then move to the next question we will talk about…

If someone says, “all truth is relative,” it can be helpful to say, “what do you mean by “truth” and what do you mean when you say it is “relative.”

Their answers to questions like this will often reveal inconsistencies you can ask questions about later.

If someone says, “prove to me that God exists,” you are put on the spot and often by someone who is trying to bully you… Ask this question, “what do you mean by proof?

What kind of evidence are you asking for?” (Historical?

Scientific?

Philosophical arguments, revelation?)

What would you consider as evidence?

Or even, what do you mean when you say, “God”?

This puts the spotlight back on them immediately to clarify and gives you time to think.

Then as they are giving clarification, you can formulate the next question you are going to ask them.

Just don’t try to give reasons to them… Try to understand what they are looking for in an answer.

Try to understand if it is the case that they have stacked up the deck so much that they are unwilling to even consider opposing views… Don’t waste your breath and throw pearls to the swine if they are not going to be willing to listen.

This one is usually only given as a challenge by those who have an emotional or moral reason for rejecting the truth.

And one final example: “the Bible is full of contradictions.”

The response we give should not be to say, “no it isn’t” and give our reasons why.