Contextualizing the Gospel

Once I was witnessing to a friend of my sister-in-law named Don (not his real name). We were having an engaging dialogue about spiritual things. After I asked Don about his spiritual orientation, he said he leaned toward Hinduism, as did his parents. 

I asked Don if he wanted to experience nirvana, and he responded in the affirmative. In Hinduism and Buddhism, nirvana is the highest state that someone can attain, a state of enlightenment, meaning a person’s individual desires and suffering go away. Nirvana is a place of perfect peace and happiness, like heaven, and the way you attain nirvana is through reincarnation.

As I was explaining the gospel to Don, I mentioned that adherents to most religions desire to experience heaven, paradise, or nirvana. I asked him if he agreed with that statement, and he did. Then I quoted Jesus’ words from John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Then I said to Don, “You know, most people want to experience nirvana, heaven or paradise. One difference between your belief and my belief is simply the vehicle by which we get there. You believe it’s through reincarnation, I believe it’s through faith in Jesus (The Incarnation). Would you agree with that statement?” Don agreed.

In very simple terms, I was attempting to contextualize the gospel in my conversation with Don.

In these next two lessons from the book of Acts, we’ll briefly touch upon the topic of contextualizing the gospel using the ministry of the Apostle Paul as our example.

There are certainly books written on contextualizing the gospel and much banter and thought associated with the subject. Let’s begin with Paul’s own words from 1 Corinthians 9:22:

“I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”

Paul desired to share the gospel in culturally relevant ways. In other words, he desired to share the gospel in ways his audience could understand. Paul contextualized without compromising the gospel. In one sense, to contextualize is to provide appropriate context for the audience.

The Jewish people were Paul’s primary audience in Acts 13:13-52 in this lesson. Take a few  minutes to read this passage in your bible, as it will provide context for our discussion.

In Acts 13:14 when Paul and his companions arrive in Pisidian Antioch, they went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. Now we pick it up in verses 15-16:

“And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, ‘Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.’ Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.”

Understand your audience

The first lesson in contextualization is to understand who it is you are speaking with. Whether you’re talking to a stranger or have a closer connection, it’s always helpful to understand their “God-paradigm.” This will inform your witness.

In this case, Paul obviously knew his audience well! For he had been a “Hebrew of the Hebrews and a Pharisee” (Philippians 3:5).

For you and me, leading questions are a crucial way to know you’re audience. Here are just a  few examples:

• Do you believe in God? If yes, a follow up can be, “What is your like?” If no, you might ask, “How did you arrive at that conclusion?”
• Why do you think the world is in such a mess?
• Is religion or God important to you? If yes, you can ask, “In what ways?” If not, “Is there any particular reason why not?”
• Do you think there is life after death? Explain. Or, What do you think happens after we die?
• What was you religious tradition, if any, growing up?
• Do you think you’re a good person? Why or why not?
• What do you think about the bible?

Asking Don about his spiritual orientation informed my witness and helped me share something about Jesus in a context he could grasp.

Find points of connection

In Acts 13:17-23 Paul began by sharing some of God’s relationship with Israel in the Old Testament, culminating with his testimony that Jesus was Savior and the promised Messiah of Israel (Acts 13:23).

In Acts 13:24-25 Paul referred to the testimony of John the Baptist, whom the Jewish people would have known about prior to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.

Paul made the connection by starting with the history of God’s dealings with Israel. He connected God’s promises regarding Messiah with the claim that Jesus was the fulfillment of those promises, using the Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament).

One of the ways I tried to find a point of connection with Don was to find consensus on both our desires to ultimately arrive at a place of complete happiness and peace. 

Communicate the Gospel

This may be stating the obvious, yet it must be stated. To communicate the gospel without compromise, we must clearly communicate the gospel.

This is exactly what Paul did in Acts 13:26-41.

He talked about the message of salvation (verse 26), the rejection and death of Messiah Jesus as foretold in the Scriptures (verses 27-29), the resurrection of Jesus (verses 30-37), and the exhortation to receive forgiveness of sins through faith in Him (verses 38-41).

Expect the Unexpected

Finally, be ready for any response! With this mindset, you’ll be prepared for complete acceptance or utter rejection of your witness, and everything in between. In this narrative, Paul witnessed both salvation and rejection in response to the message, as he and Barnabas were encouraged and persecuted.

In Acts 13:42-43, many of the Jewish people and God-fearing proselytes (gentile converts to Judaism) encouraged Paul and Barnabas to “continue in the grace of God” (Acts 13:43).

The next Sabbath we gaze upon the polarizing nature of the gospel, as Jewish people fought  against the gospel, while many gentiles embraced the message and believe (Acts 13:44-49).

As Paul and Barnabas were driven out of the district (Acts 13:50-51), they moved on to Iconium with joy in their hearts:

“And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:51).

As I ponder my Christian journey, I have experienced great joy in simply being a vessel of God’s grace in delivering the most important message, the gospel message. We can’t and don’t control the response, but we can and should be joyful in communicating the gospel and providing people the opportunity to respond, even if that response is rejection.

Contextualizing the gospel is important for the reasons stated. When you examine the ministry of Jesus, you will find that he was continually communicating in ways with which the audience could connect. One prime example is His use of agrarian illustrations in communicating truth, as in the Parable of the Soils (Luke 8:4-21). Ancient Israel was an agrarian economy, so Jesus often couched gospel truth in agrarian terms.

So, seek to know your audience and connect with your audience through contextualizing the gospel. Now, may you be filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit as you share the good news!