Muharram is a month in which it is unlawful to fight
The tenth day of Muharram (the day of Ashura) is a day of fasting for Sunni Muslims, who remember the victory that Musa (Moses) and his people obtained over the Egyptian Pharaoh.
But do you know what this victory signifies and means to us?
Shias too fast during Muharram in remembrance of the suffering of Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, who was killed during the Battle of Karbala.
But do you know that we need not suffer?
The Israelites under the leadership of Moses crossed from Egyptian bondage through the Red Sea into freedom.
The Bible says, “For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (1 Corinthians 10:2)
To better understand its significance we need to look at what Moses himself said.
This same Moses also said: “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you – from your fellow Israelites; you must listen to him.” (Deuteronomy 18:15)
Isa Al Masih (Jesus Christ) said in the Injil: “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” (Luke 24:44)
“Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them the things written about Himself in all the scriptures.” (Luke 24:27)
What does the scripture and the law says?
“Indeed according to the law almost everything was purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22)
“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4)
“But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8)
“the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:7-9)
“everyone who believes in Him (Jesus) will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)
The victory of Moses and the Israelites over the Egyptian Pharaoh signifies our victory over sin, by believing in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection.
As Quran and the Bible says Jesus is coming back to this earth to judge the world.
Isa says in the Injil, “I tell you the solemn truth, a time is coming – and is now here – when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, thus he has granted the Son to have life in himself,and he has granted the Son authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out – the ones who have done what is good to the resurrection resulting in life, and the ones who have done what is evil to the resurrection resulting in condemnation.” (John 5:25-29)
You need not suffer or mourn, because Isa Al Masih (Jesus Christ) has suffered for your sins. When Jesus was being take to be crucified, “A great number of the people followed him, among them women who were mourning and wailing for him.But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.”” (Luke 23:27, 28)
Cry (confess) for your sins to Christ.
This Muharram offers you a beautiful opportunity to receive this forgiveness from your sins that Isa Al Masih offers.
The Vedic Guru was in search of the Light that destroys the darkness, SIN. Another Guru points out to that Light that came into the world and gave His life to remove that darkness of sin from the lives of people, His creation.
Click to know about that Light (Hindi)
(This message was inspired by the tract Vedic Bridge)
This message is based on the verse Mark 2:21-23 and studies the context of the verse tracing it from Mark 1:16 –2:17 and studies the following 8 elements of ministry:
1. Mark 1:16,17 – Calling
2. Mark 1:28 – Popularity
- Preparation
3. Mark 1:28 – Popularity
- Power
4. Mark 1:35 – Prayer
5. Mark 1:36-38 – Purpose
6. Mark 1:40,41 – Pity
7. Mark 2:5-8 – Perception
8. Mark 2:14,17 – Persuasion
Listen to the message here: (in Hindi)
Shortly the transcript will be made available in English.
(I shared this message on 19th Nov to the staff of GIFT – GEMS Institute of Future Technology, the computer department of GEMS)
My father served the Indian Army as a soldier in the rank of a JCO (Junior Commissioned Officer) and as I was meditating upon the Great Commission it were the stories that he shared with me during my childhood days that came to my mind. He was in charge of supplies and transportation when he was posted in Jhansi, Dehradun, Sikkim and many other places. The army would send him to lead convoys of armoured vehicles to the borders and almost all of those moments were challenging and nothing less than impossible – having to go through a long and tough mountainous terrain owing to the breaking down of the only hanging bridge across a river near Sikkim and much more. He was not to come back without fulfilling his duty, as he was commissioned to do so!
Challenging though they were he was commissioned for a cause and that kept him going even though it wasn’t easy!
We, who are called to be an army of corporate missionaries, too are commissioned by the King of Kings to take the gospel to our colleagues at the workplace.
“And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” Mark 16:15 (ESV)
The message “You are the dynamite” has already laid forth the purpose and preeminence for God commissioning you and me at a time such as this. But still you might have several questions popping up in your head and fears lurking at your heart and you might say, “I am not qualified enough, intellectual enough, strong enough, disciplined enough or equipped enough to carry out this commission.”
But when we look at the context of the commission in the Bible and the people whom God commissioned, we would be convinced that we are the ones whom He has commissioned.
1. Doubts Dispelled and the Doubters Directed
“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” Matthew 28:18-19 (ESV)
Jesus was not commissioning great men or women of faith and clarity. But if we look at the one verse before the commission we find,
“And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.” Matthew 28:17 (ESV)
Why did they doubt? They got the reports of Jesus’s bodily resurrection from women, whose reports in the Jewish community those times were not considered as credible sources. And there were also rumours that were being spread by the soldiers that the body of Jesus was stolen by His disciples. (Matthew 28:15)
They were doubting the reports and were troubled at the rumours because they weren’t strong in the Scriptures. They didn’t understand much of the Scriptures they read and they still had lots of doubts!
Luke says a little more about these disciples who were doubting.
“That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?”And they stood still, looking sad.” Luke 24:13-17 (ESV)
The New King James Version says that “they conversed and reasoned” and were sad. The doubts in their minds had made them sad too! But it is these doubters whom Jesus commissioned to be His witnesses-
But He doesn’t commission us empty handed or just leave us with our doubts. Even as we obey the commission He gives us the PROMISE and SUPPLIES needed for fulfilling the commission!
“You are witnesses of these things.And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:48-49 (ESV) And even as the promise of the Holy Spirit is fulfilled in our lives, the Spirit’s indwelling in us enables us to be His witnesses.
“They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”” Luke 24:32 (ESV) “Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” Luke 24:45 (ESV) And as we take heed to the commission and venture forth in fulfilling it, He opens our mind to understand the Scriptures.
The Promise of Power through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the Supply of Scriptures as Jesus opens our understanding is sufficient enough to cast off all our doubts!
2. Fears flung and the fearful furthered
“So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.” Matthew 28:8 (ESV)
Does fear and joy go along? No. But, Yes! The women were filled with great joy because they received the news that Jesus is resurrected, but at the same time they were fearful too.
We are filled with joy when we worship the Lord and delight in His presence, but when it comes to the point of sharing the gospel at our workplace, we are fearful. What is the reason for the fear?
The testimony of women was not valid in Jewish culture and so they were fearful that they may not be heard and believed. People at our workplaces might have several opinion about us and that might stop us from relating with them and eventually stops us from sharing the gospel with them. Something that which has happened in the past might have created prejudices in the minds of our colleagues. We might be even despised by our colleagues and the boss. There is fear within us because of the prejudices and despises and opinion of others regarding us.
When the women too were troubled with the same fear Jesus met them,
“And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” And they came and held Him by the feet and worshipped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell….” (Matthew 28:9, 10)
Jesus says three things to them: “Rejoice” – “Do not be afraid” – “Go and tell”
When Jesus said “Rejoice” He was not only asking them to feel the joy but also to express that great joy. But we have misunderstood this Rejoice and have limited it to only ourselves!
Which is the book that comes to our mind when we think of the word “Rejoice” - the book which has atleast 14 references to the same word? Want a clue? It was written by an Apostle whose name starts with the letter ‘P’.
Yes, Paul and the book is his epistle to the Philippians.
What is the first reference that comes to our mind in the Epistle to the Philippians when we think of the word “Rejoice”?
Yes, it is Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say rejoice!”
But when we look at the very first reference in this epistle we understand the context in which Paul is saying “Rejoice”.
“What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.” Philippians 1:18 (ESV)
It is only in proclaiming Christ that we truly rejoice and our joy becomes permanent and purposeful!
Secondly, how often we quote “Do not be afraid” so that we might feel safe and secure. But Jesus says not to fear but to go and share the gospel. “…Do not be afraid. Go and tell…”
As soon as the women saw Jesus they came and held His feet. They wanted to feel His presence. Feeling of His presence and receiving the promise of His presence is given so that we might proclaim His Personhood!
3. Apprehensions abstracted and the scared sent
“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”” John 20:19-21 (ESV)
The disciples whom Jesus commissioned were fearing the majority, the Jews. In the same way, we might be fearful of the majority at our workplaces. We might be the only the believer at our office and we might be reluctant to share the gospel feeling insignificant or powerless, seeing the majority.
This fear of the majority not only makes us feel powerless, but also takes away the peace from within us – the majority is a disturbing factor in our heart and mind.
But Jesus who commissioned the disciples to be His witnesses even to the intimidating majority, gave them a promise – the promise of peace, “Peace be with you”.
And very often when we are disturbed we want this Peace and seek to keep this feeling within us. But Jesus had already established the meaning and context of “Peace” in His sermon on the mount when He said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9 (ESV) ‘Peace’ is not a passive word but a proactive one. We are not called to be ‘peacefeelers’ or ‘peacekeepers’ but ‘peacemakers’.
“For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” Colossians 1:19-20 (ESV)
We ‘feel’ peace because of Christ’s death on the cross and we are called to ‘proclaim’ the same peace by sharing this Good News that all who are in enmity with God may be reconciled to Him by coming to the cross and receiving the forgiveness that Jesus offers.
The promise of peace is given for us to not just to feel peaceful, but to proclaim that peace that comes through the cross.
4. Timidity trampled and the timid tasked
In Mark 16:15 we see Jesus commissioning His disciples. But you know who were the ones whom Jesus was commissioning?
“And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”” Mark 16:3 (ESV)
They were the ones who were ‘timid’ and alarmed at the immensity of the task and were not ‘self-starters’; they needed someone to lead the way. Seeing the commission, the task at hand we might think it is huge and we cannot do it by ourselves. Seeing the challenges at our workplaces – the different sorts of people, we might think that “I cannot share the gospel to him” and “It is difficult for me to relate to her” or “He is a difficult and hard person, how can I talk about Jesus to him?”
But even as we receive the commission and resolve to obey, there is a promise from God to remove all barriers.
The angels sent by God to roll away the stone not only say “Do not be alarmed….” but also commission them saying, “…. go and tell….” (Mark 16:7). We don’t need to wait for God to commission us directly by speaking to us audibly, He sends His messengers to commission us too!
5. Denying discontinued and the denier made the defender
One person with whom the Lord individually dealt and gave the commission in the Bible is Peter. But His life represents that of a person like you and me with weaknesses.
Read Matthew 26: 69-75 and read I do not know the Man to get the whole perspective of this part of the message.
Peter was a person who was denying his allegiance with Jesus and the Christian faith when he faced a situation when his association and proclamation might cause him trouble. “But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.”” Matthew 26:70 (ESV)
It is to say “I am not a Christian”. Not willing to divulge to others that you are a Christian – at the workplace.
He was also denying the Person of Jesus Himself. “And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.”” Matthew 26:72 (ESV)
Here denying knowledge is denying the person of Jesus Christ and the exclusivity of the gospel.
Thirdly, he was also denying the influence of Christ in his life. “After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed.” Matthew 26:73-74 (ESV)
When I am appreciated for my good moral behaviour or gifting or good work or etiquette I may not acknowledge Christ and Christian influence. I may not use it as an opportunity to share Christ and His work in my life.
But this same Peter after receiving the Promise of Power and being empowered by the Holy Spirit,
“But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.” Acts 2:14 (ESV)
…. became a fearless proclaimer of the Good News.
The one who denied Christ became the foremost defender and also prescribes the same to all Christians:
“But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..” 1 Peter 3:14-15 (ESV)
How did this change happen in Peter? The prescription to defend from a denier? Peter’s conviction and persuasion to be prepared to “give an answer to everyone” originates from the question that Jesus asked Peter.
In John 21:15-17 three times Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love Me?” If we love Jesus we will not deny Him!
This “love” again is not meant to be a feeling for us to just have and keep it for ourselves. God defined the meaning of ‘love’ as:“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (ESV)
When Jesus was asking Peter whether he loved Him, He was making Peter understand the imperative – to proclaim that ‘love’, because Peter was answering the One who was the Personification of Love manifested in flesh, who being part of the Trinity could have remained satisfied with the love He enjoyed from the Father and that each Person of the Trinity shared with each other; but was sent to show that love in action, by coming down, living among and dying for those who did not deserve it!
Consecrated and Commissioned
We are the ones who have doubts, who are fearful of the prejudices & the despises, who are fearful of the majority, who are alarmed at the immensity of the task and are not self-starters when it comes to taking up the challenge and deny Christ with our words, thoughts and actions. But it is us whom God has commissioned to take the Gospel to the workplaces.
“whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11 (ESV)
…. And we with all our weaknesses and failures are called to preach the Gospel by “the strength that God supplies”.
But the commission cannot be and is not forced upon anyone. Even as we come closer to God and understand Him and see Him as He is as was with Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-3), we see the weaknesses, the filth within us (Isaiah 6:5). Many a times we stop with this experience alone – the experience of being cleansed, being touched by God (Isaiah 6:6,7). But a person who has “seen the King” and whose “iniquity is taken away and sin purged”, will hear God’s voice too:
“And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”” Isaiah 6:8 (ESV)
Shall we commit ourselves to this commission and say:
Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord, By the power of grace divine; Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, And my will be lost in Thine.
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, To the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, To Thy precious, bleeding side.
And even as we draw near to Christ who has commissioned us, may the Lord remove all weaknesses and inabilities from us and make us “steadfast”!
And the commission is the same, “Go and tell” (Isaiah 6:9)
The popular song goes this way,
Go tell it on the mountain, Over the hills and everywhere, Go tell it on the mountain, Our Jesus Christ is born.
I modified it to fit into the context of workplace evangelism:
Go tell it at the fountain, Over the cabin and everywhere, Go tell it at the fountain, Our Jesus Christ is born.
So the next time when you meet your colleague at the fountain side or at the cafeteria or at the cabin, start the process of engaging with him with the Gospel, because “there is no one else” but you who is commissioned!
This message was shared at the PROFIT conference at Bangalore on the 6th Nov 2011. Shortly the video will also be made available to view/download. If you are a Christian professional, then PROFIT is for you. To know more about PROFIT visit www.profitconnect.net or write to profit@gemsbihar.org PROFIT or PROfessionals Fellowship of International Talents is a mission initiative of GEMS - Gospel Echoing Missionary Society, for professionals. PROFIT is a network of Christians who intentionally and actively use their professional identity to do-the-ACT of passing THE TRUTH in the workplace.
A Workshop was conducted by PROFIT Bangalore from 4th to 6th Nov and I led the session titled “Amar, Akbar, Anthony” which focused on worldviews. The session helped the participants to understand religious worldviews and encouraged them to understand the worldview of the person with whom they are engaged in sharing the gospel, especially in the context of workplace evangelism.
The session was not meant to answer all questions pertaining to worldviews, but to provoke the participants to get more serious in meaningfully engaging with their friends and colleagues at the workplace with the gospel.
The slides of the session for viewing/downloading:
PROFIT or PROfessionalsFellowship of International Talents is a mission initiative of GEMS - Gospel Echoing Missionary Society, for professionals. PROFIT is a network of Christians who intentionally and actively use their professional identity to do-the-ACT of passing THE TRUTH in the workplace. If you are a Christian professional, then PROFIT is for you. To know more about PROFIT visit www.profitconnect.net or write to profit@gemsbihar.org
I greet you all in the name of the Father who sent the first missionary to the world, the Son and in the name of Jesus Christ, who commissions all of us to be missionaries and in the name of the Holy Spirit whose indwelling in our lives makes us as missionaries!
Every one of us who has attended the interview process is acquainted with the two questions that every interviewer asks, irrespective of the company – Why Google? Or Why Wipro? Or Why Oracle? Or Why Infosys? Or Why IBM? Etc and the other question – Why You? You are always faced with a situation in an interview to convince the employer why you chose to apply for that particular company and why should they choose to select you for that company. Even though most of the times our answers are not out of convictions they are prepared & answered to convince the company.
In a job interview, employer while interviewing an applicant asked: "Young man, do you think you can handle a variety of work?" He answered: "I ought to be able to. I've had ten different jobs in four months."
In the same way another employer asked an applicant: "In this job we need someone who is responsible." And the applicant answered: "I'm the one you want. On my last job, every time anything went wrong, they said I was responsible."
Well, even now in this session we will seek to know the answers for three “why” questions –
Why workplace evangelism or why workplace witnessing?
Why me? and…
Why now?
Why workplace witnessing?
The Great Commission in Mark 16:15 to “Go into ALL the world and preach the gospel to every creature”, has predominantly come to be known as the call to full-timers, pastors, evangelists and missionaries. But when we look at the verse in our present settings, we come to terms with a greater reality of the commission, that which is binding on us who are at the workplace, at the corporates.
In order to drive home this truth I am borrowing the words that God simultaneously gave Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade and Loren Cunningham, founder of YWAM (Youth With A Mission) in the year 1975.
"The culture is shaped by seven mind-molders or mountains of society. If we can influence each of these areas for Christ, we will win the culture of our nation."
And they charted them down which came to be known as the Seven Mind Molders:
These are the “ALL the world” in our present day context. Every one in this world are part of one or the other of these worlds and those of us in the corporates are no exception. Though in the early centuries cross cultural transition was very essential for the proclamation of the gospel, and greater importance was given to the commission to “Go", now the urgency lies in “preaching the gospel”, as transitions and migrations are very much part in the life of any corporate Christian – moving from one city to the other and moving from one company to the other. We went and always “Go” in the context of job search, but what is left out is “preach the gospel”.
Writing for The CALL, the English magazine of GEMS for the column on Tentmaking I wrote:
Birds and animals migrate from one habitat to another in search of food and water and to survive when extreme weather conditions prevail at their home land. People too migrate primarily for work and studies and ultimately to make a better living. When survival and balancing the eco system are the primary purposes of animals, their migration fulfils their purpose of existence. But is that so with man? Is existence the ultimate purpose of man and is that why he should be migrating?
What then is the missing element in his purpose? The Bible says, “whatever you do, do ALL to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31) And the greatest purpose in the life of a Christian that glorifies God is obeying the Great Commission, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)
Those who have migrated to another place have already come half through with the Great Commission. Putting it the other way, God has chosen you in the first place and has brought you to another culture so that you might fulfil His commission, as a Tentmaker. And for those planning to shift, Tentmaking should be part of your plan.
Hudson Taylor, the missionary to China rightly said: "The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed".
And that takes us to the question “Why me?”. You are already in the plan of God’s Great Commission. When sluggard Christians hesitated in obeying the great commission, God used globalization and the corporates to move, especially Indian Christians out of their comfortable Christian colonies to the corporates. Brother, Sister, you might be wondering how you got this job which you did not expect. I tell you, God had a cause in His mind, a plan for you in bringing you to this place and placing you in this company and that is to “preach the gospel”.
Someone rightly said: To some Christ calls: "Leave boat and bay, and white-haired Zebedee"; To some the call is harder: "Stay and mend the nets for me."
Jesus in His High Priestly prayer to the Father prayed, “ I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but that you keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to the world just as I do not belong to the world. Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth. Just as you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world.” (John 17:15-18)
If you are a saved Christian then you are already a sent Christian! Sent by Jesus to be His witness at the workplace.
Thirdly “Why now?”
John in his first epistle chapter five and verse nineteen says, “We know that we are of God , and the WHOLE WORLD lies under the sway of the wicked one”.
The times that you and I are living denotes the urgency to take the gospel message to every one who is living around us and working with us. Financial Express on 17th October of this year read - Financial express latest business and finance news: The dark side of Bangalore Shining: It's No.1 in suicides in country.
On May 19th of this year NDTV carried a rather very sad story: In a tragic incident, a 31-year-old software engineer, who recently resigned from Infosys, murdered his two-year-old daughter and committed suicide yesterday. According to the police, the deceased Santosh Sarade was living with his parents and wife and daughter in an apartment at Koodlu on Hosur road.
Police said that Sarade worked with two top IT companies earlier, and joined Infosys six months ago. He was facing some health problems and this was affecting his ability to work. The cops informed that he was being treated for depression at the Apollo hospital, but as his performance at work was being hampered, he was asked to resign on May 16.
After slipping deeper into depression following the loss of his job, Sarade contacted his company on Tuesday pleading to be reinstated, but his request was denied. During the night, his wife woke up and realized that her husband and daughter Riya were missing. She realised something was wrong when she found the door in the next room locked from the inside. She woke her in laws and peeped through the window only to find her husband and daughter hanging from the ceiling with curtains from a window.
This Garden City , India’s Silicon Valley has become the Suicide City and is termed as the Suicide capital of India and only you and I as Christians know that it is the same old Satan who was the reason for the fall of first mankind in the Garden of Eden is acting even now in this Garden City. It is not only true of Bangalore but of every city and every corporate in India and in other parts of the world.
To tie it ALL up I would like to turn your attention to three ALL’s from the Bible:
God’s great commission to ALL of us is: Go into ALL the world and preach the Gospel. Which definitely calls us to preach the gospel in the corporate world. Wherever I go, whichever company I work I am called to “preach the gospel”.
Devils great temptation that ALL of us face is summarised in the following verses: “Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him ALL the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “ALL this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.”” Never before have we had such phenomenal growth of economy in India and equal number of options to be lured into hunting for “Success” which is measured by the rise in position and wealth and the world has chosen to “Serve” the devil and it has not left many Christians as well. Jesus when faced with the same temptation answered: “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord Your God, and Him only You shall serve” (Luke 4:8) Are you hunting behind “Success” or submitting to “Serve” the Lord at the workplace? Those who answer the call to serve God at the workplace would invariably obey the commandment: “whatever you do, do ALL to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Someone said: A free flowing river purifies itself and is alive with life. So also is the Christian who becomes involved with others in sharing the Gospel. That Christian will discover the reason for his or her existence. Being involved in the ministry of a witness is essential to finding the fulfilment we desire as humans.
The greatest pursuit of most at the workplace is to enjoy the present and for the rest is to make ways for a better future. ALL that they do now is focused on to this – the profile or career that one builds, the company that one chooses, etc. But Paul says in Philippians 1:12, “But I want you to know, brethren that ALL that happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel”. Whenever and whatever I do, I am called to “preach the gospel”.
In Revelation 11:15, “the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
The arts word, the business world, the educational institutions, the governments, the corporates all become of our Lord and of His Christ. And this can happen only if you and I resolve like Paul saying, “yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16)…. at my workplace.
The slides of the session for viewing/downloading:
(This message was shared at the PROFIT conference at Bangalore on the 5th Nov 2011. Shortly the video will also be made available to view/download. If you are a Christian professional, then PROFIT is for you. To know more about PROFIT visit www.profitconnect.net or write to profit@gemsbihar.org PROFIT or PROfessionals Fellowship of International Talents is a mission initiative of GEMS - Gospel Echoing Missionary Society, for professionals. PROFIT is a network of Christians who intentionally and actively use their professional identity to do-the-ACT of passing THE TRUTH in the workplace.)
(This is a message that I shared on 15th Oct 2011, to a group of young professionals in Bangalore who are core members of PROFIT Bangalore. PROFIT or PROfessionals Fellowship of International Talents is a mission initiative of GEMS - Gospel Echoing Missionary Society, for professionals. PROFIT is a network of Christians who intentionally and actively use their professional identity to do-the-ACT of passing THE TRUTH in the workplace. To know more about PROFIT visit www.profitconnect.net)
Hi Friends,
We are here because we love the Lord Jesus Christ and want to pass Him on to our colleagues and friends at our workplaces. It is so good to see that you have gathered here with this purpose and to intercede in prayer for this cause, obeying the words of the Scripture in Ezekiel 22:30, “I looked for a man…… who would….. stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it..”
Standing @ the GAP is a column in The CALL, the English magazine of GEMS, which is based on the essence of this verse. When we constructed the magazine and the column, ‘Standing @ the GAP’ was meant to be a column that would create a strong Christian agenda regarding each issue dealt in the column and would motivate people towards prayer and meaningful action. Even as you have gathered corporately to pray for the corporates it would be appropriate to be motivated towards meaningful action at the workplace, realizing that the prayer for wisdom to win souls should be coupled with the act of doing so.
Having said this I would like to remind you the ACT that Jesus commissioned us to do in Mark 16:15,
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
And ALL the world definitely includes the corporates. Loren Cunningham, the founder of YWAM and Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade proposed the idea of Seven Mind Molders that influence the thoughts & values of any cultures and these are the WORLDs that we need to influence with the Gospel:
A – Arts & Entertainment
B – Business
C – Church / Religion
E – Education
F – Family
G – Government
M – Media
Whichever of the world we are part of, we are called to preach the gospel.
Many know that they are commissioned to proclaim Christ, but do not know how to do it at the corporate. This message is yet another prescription of PROFIT to do-the-ACT of evangelism at the workplace following Peter’s apologia in 1 Peter 3:15,
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” (NKJV)
Let us look at the important components of workplace evangelism based on this verse and to make it easy for us to remember the constituents I will propose them all with the use of the word PROFIT as an acronym, but not necessarily in the order of the alphabets of the word.
R – Revere
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (NIV)
The foremost thing in workplace evangelism is not preaching to others but about aligning one’s own life according to God’s will. A PROFITeer needs to revere God in his or her life, as part of the process of sanctification, that is to commit every area of one’s life under the Lordship of Christ, EVERYDAY. A PROFITeer’s proclamation should not be just philosophising but must be the product of practicing God’s presence in his or her own life. It is a prerequisite that a PROFITeer lives in continual commitment of his or her life to Christ every day and every moment.
“I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27)
“…bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5)
What areas of my life are not under the Lordship of Christ?
P – Preparedness
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (NIV)
This part of the verse talks about the preparedness in the lives of the PROFITeer before engaging in any sorts of meaningful conversation. It is the factor that includes time and training. We are called to be prepared ‘always’ and are always called to be ‘prepared’. Paul exhorts Timothy to, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season…” (2 Timothy 4:2). We are called to witness at all times.
Prior to this Paul teaches Timothy about the importance of training:
“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.” 1 Timothy 4:13-15 (ESV)
In other words Paul emphasises continual training. As PROFITeers we need to train ourselves by learning the Scriptures, the cultures at the workplace, their worldviews, etc. so that we may be able to present the gospel meaningfully. Make it a point to read books and listen to tapes that could equip you in sharing the gospel, to know about different worldviews, resources that could help in overcoming challenges faced while sharing the gospel, etc.
Another very important portion in preparation is prayer. It is through prayer that we can overcome the challenges that within and without. Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing”; we need to be in a constant mood & state of prayer, so that we may be able identity the schemes of the devil and overcome them and to use every opportunity to influence others with the gospel and Biblical values.
T – Testify
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (NIV)
The NIV, KJV, ASV, ERV & many other versions use the word ‘answer’ while some other version of the Bible like NKJV, NLT, ESV, NASB use the word ‘defense’. Though ‘testify’ is not used in any of the versions, I am using it here to explain what these words imply. Peter uses the analogy of a courtroom in these verses. It is like being called to give a defense or answer that is to testify in a court of law. In the sharing of the gospel we are called to do the same. We are sometimes called to play the role of the Witness and sometimes as the Lawyer. But many a times we take the place of the Judge! That is we pass judgments on others and based on those judgments and prejudices we work out the gospel message in our minds and “preach” it to our friends at the workplace.
It only means that we have misunderstood the Gospel message itself.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16, 17)
The basis of our evangelism is love and the gospel message is not to condemn others! We need to come out of the “preaching down” attitude and need to build relationship with people and should care for them. It is easy to preach than to help someone who is in need, which might mean sacrificing our time, money, etc.
But there is also another danger. We might do all the help and never testify or we might testify all the time but never even bother to help the colleague who sits besides us. C.S. Lewis says that “the devil always sends confusion in pairs.” These two are like two ends of the spectrum, that is extremes that are to be avoided. As a Christian at the workplace we should be balanced.
O – One
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”
This is the core of workplace evangelism prescribed by PROFIT. The verse doesn’t say “to some who ask you” or “to those whom you like” or “to those who favour you” or “to those who seem good to you”, but the verse says “to everyone”. It is about not neglecting anyone and also most importantly to value the INDIVIDUAL. Workplace evangelism is not about conducting mass events daily, but about engaging with ONE person with the gospel diligently.
Ravi Zacharias in one of his messages presents the illustration of a leader who is fighting for the cause of a community – writing slogans and giving speeches. One day a man belonging to the same community comes to meet this leader and asks for an appointment to meet him. The leaders says to his secretary that “I am so busy fighting for the cause of his community that no longer have I time for the individual.” Ravi goes on to say that even God has not come to that point yet!
While involving in workplace evangelism never ignore the individual. This also requires that we need to identify areas of struggles in us that do not allow us to build Christ-centred relationship with others. We need to remove all prejudices and biases against others and need to exhibit Christian love towards all.
R – Reason
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”
(Here I am meaning ‘Reason’ as the ‘Cause’ for the purpose of this message. Because Reason could also be seen in the perspective of the Power of Reasoning / Rationality which is too vast a subject to deal here.)
What do others ask? The reason for the hope. Many would say, no one asks me the reason for the hope that I have. Why is it so? Is it because people don’t ask questions at the workplace? No. They do ask questions. They ask questions like – Where did you buy this shirt or shoe? How do you get a car or a home loan? Which is the best mall or online store to buy the latest electronic gadgets? What is the reason for your hike or pay cut?
Why isn’t that they don’t ask us the reason for the hope that we have? Is it that the hope that we have is so hopeless or less attractive than the cloth that we wear, that no one is attracted to it?
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 2:14, 15)
This is a self-introspective question that each one of us need to ask ourselves – What aroma/fragrance that I am spreading and to what in me that am I attracting others to?
I – In
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”
I cannot talk about the hope if it is not internalized in my life. The hope in Christ and the truth of the gospel must be internalized. It is not about having all the answers, but about personalizing the answers and the truths of the Scripture. There needs to be a coherence between what I say and what I do. It has to reflect in every decision that I take, the choices that I make and my priorities. That is my life style. We are not called to proclaim or testify something that which is in someone or something, but that which is in us.
“To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)
Not only the logical consistency of the reasons and arguments for the gospel matters, but above all the experiential relevancy.
F – Fear
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”
The other versions of the Bible translate this portion of the verse as “with gentleness and respect”. Our sharing and witnessing should not be out of pride or contempt, but out of love. Some take pride at the realization that they are God’s children destined for heaven, while others are doomed. Some others feel that they have ALL the truth considering others as unwise or pagans. Never ever we can see this attitude in Christ’s ministry or in that of the early apostles.
“and a sound message that cannot be criticized, so that any opponent will be at a loss, because he has nothing evil to say about us.” Titus 2:8 (NET)
“and maintain good conduct among the non-Christians, so that though they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears.” 1 Peter 2:12 (NET)
To summarise,
P – Prepare
R – Revere / Reason
O – One
F – Fear
I – In
T – Testify
Let this PROFIT prescription of PROFIT help us to be powerful witnesses for Christ at our workplaces.
"It is not in our choice to spread the gospel or not. It is our death if we do not." — Peter Taylor Forsyth
“And Jesus came and said to them, 
“So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.” 
“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, 
One person with whom the Lord individually dealt and gave the commission in the Bible is Peter. But His life represents that of a person like you and me with weaknesses.
We are the ones who have doubts, who are fearful of the prejudices & the despises, who are fearful of the majority, who are alarmed at the immensity of the task and are not self-starters when it comes to taking up the challenge and deny Christ with our words, thoughts and actions. But it is us whom God has commissioned to take the Gospel to the workplaces.
The Great Commission in Mark 16:15 to “Go into ALL the world and preach the gospel to every creature”, has predominantly come to be known as the call to full-timers, pastors, evangelists and missionaries. But when we look at the verse in our present settings, we come to terms with a greater reality of the commission, that which is binding on us who are at the workplace, at the corporates. 
In order to drive home this truth I am borrowing the words that God simultaneously gave Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade and Loren Cunningham, founder of YWAM (Youth With A Mission) in the year 1975. 
What then is the missing element in his purpose? The Bible says, “whatever you do, do ALL to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31) And the greatest purpose in the life of a Christian that glorifies God is obeying the Great Commission, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) 
On May 19th of this year NDTV carried a rather very sad story: In a tragic incident, a 31-year-old software engineer, who recently resigned from Infosys, murdered his two-year-old daughter and committed suicide yesterday. According to the police, the deceased Santosh Sarade was living with his parents and wife and daughter in an apartment at Koodlu on Hosur road. 
And ALL the world definitely includes the corporates. Loren Cunningham, the founder of YWAM and Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade proposed the idea of Seven Mind Molders that influence the thoughts & values of any cultures and these are the WORLDs that we need to influence with the Gospel:
This part of the verse talks about the preparedness in the lives of the PROFITeer before engaging in any sorts of meaningful conversation. It is the factor that includes time and training. We are called to be prepared ‘always’ and are always called to be ‘prepared’. Paul exhorts Timothy to, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season…” (2 Timothy 4:2). We are called to witness at all times. 
This is the core of workplace evangelism prescribed by PROFIT. The verse doesn’t say “to some who ask you” or “to those whom you like” or “to those who favour you” or “to those who seem good to you”, but the verse says “to everyone”. It is about not neglecting anyone and also most importantly to value the INDIVIDUAL. Workplace evangelism is not about conducting mass events daily, but about engaging with ONE person with the gospel diligently.
gentleness and respect”. Our sharing and witnessing should not be out of pride or contempt, but out of love. Some take pride at the realization that they are God’s children destined for heaven, while others are doomed. Some others feel that they have ALL the truth considering others as unwise or pagans. Never ever we can see this attitude in Christ’s ministry or in that of the early apostles.