Sharing The Good News About God

<Exodus 18>

1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.

2 After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her 3 and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”; 4 and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, “My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”

5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, together with Moses’ sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God. 6 Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”

7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them.

9 Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 He said, “Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.” 12 Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.

Fulfilment of God’s promises:

1) For Moses and the Israelites.

• Moses met God before at the mountain of God <Ex 3:1>.
• At that place, Moses initially rejected God’s calling.
• But God promised Moses at Horeb, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” <Ex 3:12>
• Indeed, Moses was back to this mountain with the entire Israelite community.
• How about us? Have we been impressed by God’s awesome power to fulfil His promises?

2) For the Gentiles.

• <Ex 17> and <Ex 18>: Contrasting responses of two Gentile groups.
• Amalekites <Ex 17> in enmity with Israel; Jethro the Midianite <Ex 18> praised God.
• God had promised Abraham: “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great…all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” <Gen 12:2-3>
• And God had earlier said to Pharaoh,“But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” <Ex 9:16>
• <Ex 17> is a negative example while <Ex 18> is a positive example of God’s same zeal to let all nations know only He is God.
• God also wants to save the Gentiles and bless all other nations.
• Is Jethro converted?: Evangelism is our duty, but the outcome is up to God.
• What is amazing is Jethro’s response to God was far better than the Israelites’.
• Meal between Israelite leaders and Jethro the Gentile: Beautiful picture of unity.
• We too, are to be the bridge between people who know and those who don’t.

Share gospel with non-believers.

1) Talk about God, not ourselves.

2) Share both the good and the bad.

3) Core contents of gospel to share:

• God.
  • Who God is, His character, His plans, His standards of right and wrong, etc.
  • God’s relationship with man (Creator-created), origins of life.
• What went wrong?: Sin and its consequences.
  • Not merely actual, committed sins, but the nature of rebelling against and dishonoring God.
• The fix to the problem of sin: Christ.
• What should sinners do?: Repent and believe.
• What will happen in the future?: Christ will return to save His followers and punish those who reject Him.

Overcoming the inertia to evangelising.

• Why Christians struggle with evangelism?:
• Don’t know what to share.
• Can’t be bothered to share (indifference).
• Lack courage, fear of offending people.
• Besides seeking Spirit’s help, stay connected to strong church community.