There are several ways to sharpen a knife. You could use a stone, a steel, a file, a diamond sharpener, or a leather strap with pumice applied. Used correctly, each will improve the knife’s use. A sharp knife will do a better job of cutting.

Transition

In 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6 I find six ways to sharpen our witness for Christ that I want to identify for you this morning.

We Must Offer Genuine Help (2:1)

  1. Shallow talk is useless
    1. Many conversations about religion are shallow and based on opinions. They are of no value.
    2. Sharing opinions about the Bible is useless. Paul warned of this in (Colossians 2:8) Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
  2. Solid Bible talk is helpful
    1. Paul reminded the Thessalonian believers that his entrance into their city was not in vain (a waste of time). He shared with them the saving message of the gospel.
    2. The Gospel is a solid biblical message of hope. It is the message that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again for our justification (1Co 15:3-4).
    3. Paul always preached the Word of God to people. (Acts 17:2) And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
      ☆ Your witness for the Lord will be much sharper if you clearly share the gospel and use the Bible to support your presentation. Memorizing key Bible verses is VERY helpful.

We Must Share the Gospel Boldly (2:2)

  1. Negative responses tend to quash our zeal.
    1. Paul had suffered for sharing the gospel. He was treated shamefully in Philippi. They beat him without mercy and put him in the dungeon stocks.
    2. Paul could have said, “This is not worth it. I quit!”
  2. We must boldly speak even when opposed.
    1. Though still healing from his beating, Paul preached boldly in Thessalonica, even when he was opposed.
    2. We must not keep quiet just because a few reject us or say bad things to us. Jesus said, “Dust off your shoes and move on to the next opportunity.” (Mt 10:14)
    3. When you are afraid, pray for boldness. That is what the N.T. saints did. (Acts 4:29) And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
      ☆ The world around us desperately needs to hear the gospel before it is too late. If we do not overcome our fear and boldly share the gospel, our gospel will be hid from the lost.

We Must Have Pure Motives (2:3)

  1. It is easy to have wrong motives.
    1. You may share the gospel to please your pastor or so others think well of you.
    2. God promises to reward faithful Christians, but if we witness JUST because we want a reward, that may not be a good motive.
  2. With God’s help we must have pure motives.
    1. Paul assured the believers that his exhortation (his gospel plea) had right motives.
      1. It was not of deceit – not because he had been led astray by false teaching.
      2. It was not of uncleanness – not motivated by lustful desires for money or fame.
      3. It was not in guile – he was not being deceitful and trying to trick anyone.
    2. Paul longed to see lost people come to Christ for salvation from hell. In Romans 9:3, Paul wrote, For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
    3. We too need a passion for souls. Hymn “A Passion for Souls”, Great Hymns, p. 306
      ☆ Our witness for Christ will be much sharper if we have pure motives.

We Must Seek to Please God (2:4)

  1. We all face a great temptation to please men.
    1. Scores of churches preach only pleasant and ego-building topics because they want people to like their services.
    2. We face a real temptation to soften our message in order to not offend anyone. Unfortunately, the good news of the gospel is incomplete without the bad news of hell.
  2. Pleasing God is all that matters in witnessing.
    1. Paul said they had been allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel. In other words, God had approved them and entrusted them to preach.
    2. Because of this commission, they were not seeking to please men BUT God, who was trying or testing their hearts (same word as allowed).
    3. God examines the motives and methods of our hearts. When our motives and methods in witnessing are to please Him, we will pass His test.
      ☆ We dare not soften the gospel message to please the listener. We are to be God’s ambassadors who deliver His message not ours. He will hold us accountable for what we say.

We Must be Truthful (2:5)

  1. We cannot trick anyone into getting saved.
    1. Flattering words are words that make people feel good. They are insincere complements to persuade. This is a wrong method of witnessing.
    2. We must not say persuasive things with a greedy desire to get a person to profess salvation.
    3. I have read well-meaning preachers who taught that you must positively word your gospel presentation and even shake your head “yes” when you ask them if they want to pray a sinner’s prayer. That is deceitful and wrong.
  2. Only the truth can set one free.
    1. No one has ever been tricked into getting saved.
    2. True salvation only takes place in the heart of a sinner who realizes his guilt before a holy God, repents (changes his mind about his sinful life, desiring God to make him a new person), and places his faith in Christ’s death and resurrection to save his soul from hell.
    3. Our job is to make the truth of the gospel clear and to pray that the Holy Spirit will use the Word spoken in their heart. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Note how Paul prayed for the lost in Romans 10:1, Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
      ☆ Your witness will be much sharper if you always speak the truth in love and pray for the listener’s soul.

We Must not Seek Men’s Praise (2:6)

  1. We are not to try to impress people.
    1. Paul did not seek the glory or praise of men when he spoke. He was not trying to impress the crowd with his intelligence.
    2. If the listener stops thinking about the gospel and starts thinking about us, we have failed. We must not use our Bible knowledge to impress them, but to convict them. Always keep the focus on Christ and their need of His salvation.
  2. It is impossible to force people by our authority.
    1. Along the same line, Paul did not use his apostle authority as a burden or weight to support his message.
    2. You could have a PhD in Biblical Studies, but to use that degree to impress and persuade a person is wrong.
      ☆ It is the gospel of Jesus Christ that saves. It has nothing to do with our impressive abilities. We are simply God’s speakers. We should not be sloppy, rude, or offensive, but being polished and impressive is not the answer either.

Conclusion

If your witness for Christ is not as sharp as it ought to be, apply the six truths we have learned this morning. (Review). You can be a witness for Christ. If you have been making excuses, stop! Ask the Lord to give you courage and then begin praying and looking for opportunities to witness. Someone has said, “The greatest ability is availability!” If you make yourself available to God, He will use you to share the gospel with others. With God’s help, witness to at least one person this coming week.

Song: Have I Done My Best – 368
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Sharpening Our Witness
31 January 2016 AM – 1Th 2:1-6 – 1Th2016 – Scott Childs