You’re wandering back from a coffee with your colleague. You had a good chat about life and values. As you step into the foyer of your building, your friend turns to you and says, “So why is Jesus so important to you anyway?”
You’ve got the lift ride up and the walk to the desk – maybe 2 minutes – until this conversation is over. What do you say?
“Umm...“
“Ahh...”
Where do you start? You’ve got to say something. But what?
Unless you’re prepared, the temptation is to say everything about Jesus, but in 2 minutes, it’s going to come out as mush!
So, let’s think about how we might be able to share Jesus in 2 minutes in a way that’s clear and helpful.
First, let’s think about what you want out of this conversation?
I suggest three things:
- You want to answer the question.
You know when you ask a question, the most annoying thing is not getting an answer. So you need to actually explain why Jesus is important to you. You need to be personal. Why is Jesus personally compelling? And you need to talk about Jesus, not your personal experience.
2. You want another hearing.
Your friend is unlikely to fall to their knees in repentance in the lift. So you’re hoping to raise interest to help them explore Jesus at a later date.
3. You want to reveal the challenge.
Jesus isn’t just a nice idea – Jesus is your rightful ruler! What is it about Jesus that challenges you? Chances are what challenges you is also a challenge to your friend.
How can you do this? Here’s one way:
- Pick a passage
What is it that you find compelling about Jesus?
Is there an episode of Jesus’ life, or a parable, or a saying of Jesus that grabs you?
Can you retell it? (if it’s too complex, chances are it’ll be hard to hear)
What is the main point? What impacts you?
2. Find the dilemma that Jesus answers
What is the main point of your passage?
The main point is the ‘answer’ to a life dilemma we all have.
So what is that dilemma?
Stating the ‘dilemma’ give context to your passage – the ‘answer’.
For example, John 3:16 – believing in Jesus results in eternal life – the answer. What is the dilemma? How about ‘How can we live forever?’
3. Find the challenge
Jesus never leaves us comfortable. Once you have the ‘question’ and can show how Jesus is the ‘answer’, how does this passage challenge you? Chances are it also challenges your friend. You can either leave that challenge implicit, or you can present that challenge to them also – but remember you want to get that second, longer hearing; you’ve only got 2 minutes.
Here’s one I prepared earlier...
1. The Passage
Let’s take Mark 4:36-41 – Jesus calming the storm. What happens here?
The simple facts are – the disciples and Jesus are on the sea. A storm comes up and threatens to drown them. Jesus is asleep, the disciples wake him. “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” Jesus rebukes the wind and waves – “Quiet!” Be still!” The wind and waves die down – completely calm. Jesus rebukes the disciples – “where is your faith?” The disciples are terrified and ask “Who is this that even the wind and waves obey him?”
What is the main point? Jesus is master over the wind and the waves; he is God.
This is a conclusion that Mark wants us to come to by putting the evidence before us, and asking our question for us – “Who is this that even the wind and waves obey him?” Our conclusion must be –he is God.
2. The Dilemma
But what’s the context in which this question is asked?
It’s a storm. A messy, chaotic, natural event – and Jesus brings order out of that chaos. Many of us try to organise ourselves out of chaos, but life still knocks us about.
So what’s the question? How can we deal with chaos in life?
What’s the answer? Jesus brings order out of chaos, because he is God.
3. The challenge
Jesus alone orders the chaos of our life, but more than that, because he is God. And because he is God – he demands our attention. If Jesus really brings order out of the chaos of life, we need to deal with him.
Jesus in 2 minutes
So now we have the passage with the answer, the dilemma, and the challenge – what could this sound like in 2 minutes?
The thing about life is no matter how organised we are – life still knocks us about. Illness, accidents, redundancies can hit us – hard.
The disciples of Jesus knew this...
One day they were sailing with Jesus on the sea
And a storm came up – waves were crashing over the boat.
They tried to bail but more water was coming in than going out – they were going to drown.
But the crazy thing was, Jesus was asleep in the stern
One of the disciples woke him up – Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?
Jesus stood up and said ‘Quiet! Be Still!’
The wind died down, and the waves stopped.
When there’s a storm, the sea is huge for days – crazy people get towed into the surf after storms – they close the beach
But Jesus stopped them with a word.
My question is the same as the disciples – “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him.”
If Jesus can command the wind and the waves, we need to deal with him. We need to find out the truth about him. My investigation has led me to follow him. Have you looked into Jesus seriously?
Now over to you
Now it’s your turn, wouldn't it great to have something like this in your back pocket, ready to go when you’re asked?
It only takes 10 minutes – as you sit on the bus going home, why not pick a passage and start working out a 2 minute response?
And pray for an opportunity to share it.
