Lively Stones

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, 

to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:5

Unlike today, in Old Testament times when the temple was built, the sound of a hammer, ax, or any tool of iron was not heard while the building was being constructed.

And the house, when it was in building , was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.  1 Kings 6:7   

The silence with which those great natural stones were put into place is a natural example of a great spiritual truth. A "greater than Solomon" is now building a greater spiritual temple. 

The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.  Luke 11:31

This spiritual temple is made up of "living stones" being laid by the Lord Jesus Christ. This temple also is being erected silently, with each stone perfectly fitted together. It is occurring through the silent but powerful process of "leaven-like evangelism."

And again He said, Whereunto shall I liken the Kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. (Luke 13:20-21)

This passage reveals that God's work does not proceed with a lot of clamor and publicity. You might expect the Kingdom to spread by external means like subduing armies and conquering continents. But the spreading of the Kingdom of God is as leaven in a lump of bread dough. The leaven may be small and hidden, but it has unlimited potential. Like leaven, the power of the Kingdom is not external but rather internal.

In another example, Jesus compared the spread of the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed: 

. . . Unto what is the Kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?  It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden, and it grew and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.   Luke 13:18-19

In another parable, Jesus compared faith to a mustard seed. 

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:  Matthew 13:31 

Jesus said nothing was impossible with even a small amount of faith. Similar to the way leaven spreads, a tiny mustard seed develops into a great tree. This example also illustrates the silent, yet powerfully effective way the Kingdom advances.

There are many new methods that can assist in spreading the Gospel. These are called "technology." They include things such as printing, computers, radios, televisions, audio and video tapes, satellites, social media, etc. New methods of transportation also help people travel rapidly to spread the Gospel. These new technologies are all useful but the real power of the Gospel is still internal; 

the power is in the Gospel itself. 

This is what the parables of the leaven and the mustard seed illustrate.

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God will multiply to spread throughout the whole "lump" of the world because of the internal power of the Kingdom which is like leaven in bread dough. This means that the extension of the Gospel is not limited where people do not have advanced technology. With even a small amount of faith, the Kingdom will advance. This is leaven-like evangelism.

Evangelism is not just a series of meetings or church services. Evangelism is not the same as revival. Revival is the Lord at work in the Church. In revival, the emphasis is on the presence of the Lord restoring life to His people.

Evangelism is the church at work for the Lord. 

In evangelism the emphasis is on the new birth experience, the beginning of spiritual life. The renewal resulting from revival, however, sets in motion the forces of evangelism which result in "new creatures in Christ" so the two are tightly linked together in terms of spiritual life.

Evangelism is defined as:  

"communicating the Gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit in such a way that men and women have valid opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and become responsible citizens of His kingdom."

The "Gospel" is the message to be communicated. The basic Gospel message is summarized by Apostle Paul:

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 1 Corinthians 15:1-5

But the "Gospel of the Kingdom" actually includes all that Jesus taught: 

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 

  Matthew 28:18-20 

Biblical conversion is brought about by truth. The Gospel is an encounter between truth and unrighteousness, Christ and sinners, and Heaven and Hell.

It is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God which is to be shared, 

not the traditions of man or denominational beliefs. 

The goal is not to attack political systems or religions. The goal is not to change society.  The goal is not to damn people to hell but to see people changed through the power of the Gospel.

The goal is not even the "good works" of educational, medical, or care and feeding programs. These things are beneficial in fulfilling the Great Commission only as they are done within the context of evangelism. The presentation of the Gospel must be the end goal or they become only social programs.

Jesus ministered to the physical needs of people in the feeding of the multitudes, healing, and deliverance. But these works were done within the context of evangelizing. They were accompanied by the teaching and preaching of the Gospel.

To "communicate the Gospel” means that it must be shared in a way that leads to people accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. When you share the Gospel in this way, you are evangelizing. If you are to evangelize, you must be in contact with those who are spiritually lost in sin, therefore, 

evangelism must take place where the sinners are.

‘Through the power of the Holy Spirit’ means that the message must be communicated not only verbally, but through the demonstration of power.  Apostle Paul said:  

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power; That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.   1 Corinthians 2:4-5

‘Through the power of the Holy Spirit’ also means that the anointing of the Holy Spirit must be upon the communication of the Gospel, for it takes the work of the Spirit to win converts:  

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him. . .  John 6:44

"Accepting" means that the hearer responds to the message. Information without invitation is instruction. It is exhortation, but it is not evangelism. 

In true evangelism, there must be an opportunity for response. 

Giving someone your testimony of conversion is a method of evangelism called witnessing, but it is not evangelism. Witnessing is not winning. Witnessing is important, but it does not assure salvation. 

True evangelism means introducing people to Christ in such a way 

that they will see the necessity of a personal decision. 

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?  Acts 2:37

Evangelism results in the born again experience which is also called "conversion" or "salvation."

"Accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord" means not only a response to receive salvation, but a process which leads to Jesus becoming Lord of a person's life. This implies that the new convert moves on into discipleship becoming a responsible member of the Church - that is "His Church," meaning the true Body of Christ, not just a specific denomination or organization.

A "valid opportunity" means the message must be sustained long enough in a way that can be understood by the average person. This means communication must be adapted to the language, educational, and cultural levels of an individual. This also means that we cannot conclude that a person or people have been evangelized simply because we shared the gospel there one time. The witness must be sustained long enough that understanding and opportunity for response results. Individuals, a family, or nation can be said to have been evangelized when they have come into contact with the Gospel enough to have had opportunity to respond to it by faith. This "valid opportunity" also implies a powerful message which provides opportunity for people to see the visible demonstration of the Gospel through healing and deliverance.

Be a living stone and evangelize!

(Biblical Studies)

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05/30/22