29 Then his disciples said, “At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively. 30 Now we understand that you know everything, and there’s no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God.”
31 Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe?"
-John 16:29-31 (NLT)
Have you ever come across someone who spoke words you didn't understand? Sure, we all have. I remember as a young adult, I loved watching pro wrestling. I could remember staying up on Monday nights and watching Prime Time Wrestling on the USA network. That was a long time ago, when it was a family friendly show. Anyway, I loved listening to the banter between Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. It was hysterical. The thing I remember most was making fun of the words Gorilla Monsoon would say. Words that sounded funny, but I had no idea what he mean.
How about when you go to the doctor, and he or she is giving your diagnosis. You don't want them using words you don't understand, right? It should be the same when you're sharing your faith with someone who doesn't know anything about Jesus or about the church. We, as Christians, have our own jargon, have our own language. Many times, when we say things like: grace, sanctified, redeemed, salvation, and others, people don't understand what we're meaning. We need to use plain words.
In John 16, Jesus is teaching about the work of the Holy Spirit, and how sadness will be turned to joy. The disciples didn't understand His teaching. Jesus the explained what He was teaching them in plain words. They replied, in verse 29, "At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively." Jesus was speaking their language, they understood. It was like the light came on in the disciples mind. They understood and, according to verse 30, believed Jesus. It took plain words for them to understand what Jesus was teaching. As a result of those plain words, they believed.
Paul writes in First Corinthians 2:1-5, "1 When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. 2 For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God." Paul is reminding the church at Corinth that he didn't come to them using "lofty words and impressive wisdom." He taught them in words they understood. He trusted in the Holy Spirit to speak the words they understood. Look at verse 4, "And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit." May we be as dependent on the Holy Spirit as Paul was.
Friends, when sharing your faith, who are you trying to impress. Do you think you'll impress anyone by using words that an unbeliever or a seeker don't understand? Try speaking plain words, from your experience, and see what happens. Are you ready to share your faith today? Think About It.
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