Rand Hummel addresses the fear many Christians have of sharing their faith with friends, calling it "materia phobia" - the fear of witnessing. He challenges young people to overcome this fear and actively share the gospel with their unsaved friends, emphasizing that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and sound mind.
Scripture Texts
2 Timothy 1:7; Romans 1:16; 1 Peter 4:16; Psalm 118:6; 1 John 4:18; Colossians 1:16; 1 Peter 3:18; Romans 10:13; Acts 3:19; Romans 6:23
Main Points or Ideas
- God has not given us a spirit of fear - Christians cannot blame timidity or natural shyness for their failure to witness, as God provides power, love, and sound mind to share the gospel
- Perfect love casts out fear - When we truly love our unsaved friends, we will overcome our fear of rejection because we don't want them to spend eternity separated from God
- Many live in a "Christian bubble" - Too many young Christians only associate with other Christians and need to intentionally reach out to unsaved friends who are hurting and need Jesus
- There are only two religions in the world - Every religion except Christianity is based on "do" (earning salvation through works), while Christianity is "done" (salvation completed through Christ's work on the cross)
- Witnessing is about relationships - The most important relationship is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and teens respond best to their peers sharing this truth
- Some will reject, ignore, or postpone - Not everyone will accept the gospel, but our job is to share faithfully, not to save people
- Use simple tools - If you can read, you can witness using gospel tracts like "The Bridge" to clearly explain sin, salvation, and the need for personal faith in Christ
Conclusion
Hummel challenges each listener to think of three unsaved friends and commit to sharing the gospel with them individually before Christmas, emphasizing that our job is simply to share the truth about Jesus - God does the saving.
