Down the road there is a sign in someone’s yard that says, “As in the days of Noah—are you ready?” Every time I see it I wonder how many people have any clue what it’s referring to. Even Christians may not recognize it as a quote from Jesus: “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:26-27). In short, just as the flood came and killed many people who weren’t expecting it, one day Jesus will return and will judge everyone. True believers will be granted eternal life, while the unrighteous will face destruction.
Another sign that sometimes makes me wonder is the “John 3:16” board that shows up at many sporting events. While I’m glad that some people are trying to spread the Gospel, I wonder how many of the non-Christian viewers have any idea what John 3:16 says, much less what it means. Maybe some curious few will google it and eventually come to faith, though I wouldn’t exactly call that an effective tool for evangelism. The “He Gets Us” ad campaign is another “pre-evangelism” approach that seems to fall somewhat short.
We are living in an increasingly post-Christian world. Even those of us who live in the Bible belt should recognize that our culture is not what it used to be. Biblical illiteracy is climbing, not just in society, but even among those associated with the church. The statistics on Bible reading and church attendance keep declining. As such, we need to adjust our assumptions about what people know or understand about Scripture and faith. We can’t simply use churchy terminology or quote Scripture out of context and without explanation.
Many years around Lent and Easter I remember one of my junior high teachers who was Catholic, and on Ash Wednesday he came to school with ashes on his forehead. Students asked him about it, which allowed him to explain his beliefs. One student asked, “What does it mean to be saved? What are people saved from?” At the time (in the late 80s), I was a little bit surprised because I thought most people had at least some idea what the Gospel was about, even though I knew many of my classmates did not attend church. Imagine how that conversation might go these days!
As churches gather this Easter Sunday, we know there will be many “Christmas and Easter” visitors, along with others who perhaps have never been to church at all. It is an opportunity to present the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ in clear and simple terms, in ways that can spark the curiosity of those who need to hear more. I don’t want to downplay the celebratory aspects of our services, but think how much greater the celebration would be if many people heard and responded to the Gospel for the first time on Easter Sunday? After all, that is why Jesus came!
“I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).
© 2023 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture are ESV and all images copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.
