Friday, August 25, 2006

Shake off the dust...Law and Gospel Evangelism


Matthew 10:14
And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.

Mark 6:11
And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.

Luke 9:5
And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.

Evangelism is important. It is the comission to the Church to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Triune God. For some reason I was thinking about evangelism today, especially evangelism in light of the above mentioned verses.

Jesus tells His disciples in three of the gospels to “shake off the dust from their feet” as a testimony against anyone who will not receive them as servants of the Gospel or listen to their words of salvation.

But what does this mean for evangelism? How does this form our response to those who do not receive the Word of Eternal Life? Should we give up after one try? How do we apply the law in evangelism?
These are things I have never thought of before. I think we do need to apply the law to those who refuse the gospel, but how do we do that? I would appreciate any thoughts on these things.

4 comments:

Chaz said...

Wanted to mention that I love your blog and wish you were one of MY classmates. I'm beginning my 4th year at the Fort.

But since that ain't happenin, I heartily suggest you look up my good friend Matt Lorfeld this year. He's second year and the sacristan. I think he's your kind of scum.

Rev. Jim Roemke said...

Well Chaz, thank you for the compliment. I look forward to beginning my pastoral service with you and I have a very special place in my heart for the Fort (my hometown!) I'll have to look for you when I come back for a visit. Where have you done field work? I will certainly look up Brother Matt, as I am always on the look-out for more scum!

Chaz said...

I did my field work at Grace, Muncie but will be attending Redeemer down on Rudisill this year.

It's the next best thing to being in Hamel, or maybe it's Hamel is the next best thing to Redeemer... one of those. ;-)

Rev. Jim Roemke said...

Maybe a good evangelism module would be to just send the seminary a bottle of dust from your feet with a note, "Didn't have much luck!"