“ I Want Pizza! “
Father Peter Fitzgibbons
January 30 – 31, 2021
Gospel: Mark 1:21-28
How do we pass on the message of Christ? How do we bring Christ to people? Well, the answer is rather simple. It really is. You don’t need to learn anything new. You don’t have to sign up for a course. It doesn’t cost anything. You just tell people the good news – not your good news, but His. Saint Francis of Assisi said “Preach the gospel at all times and, if necessary, use words.” Preach the gospel, whether in season or out of season, convenient or inconvenient, and use words if necessary. If it’s necessary to use words, what words do we use? We use the words of Christ. We talk as He talked, and use the same words He used. So, what were the words He used? We have them, and they provide an air of authority, because they are true. They are the very Word of God.
The only time Jesus was angry or rebuked someone was when He was dealing with Satan. He didn’t run up and down aisles screaming and shouting. He didn’t do that. He never raised His voice. His sermons were not very long, and He didn’t use props except for children so that He could shame the apostles. The Sermon on the Mount is one of the greatest sermons ever given. Jesus went up on the mountain, sat down, and delivered an eight sentence sermon about the Beatitudes to over 5,000 people. His words carried and everyone heard Him. He didn’t speak long, but He spoke with words that everyone heard. On another occasion, our good Lord went out onto a lake in a boat and preached to a crowd gathered on the shore. That’s very difficult to do when you’re on the water. But, everyone heard Him.
In Acts, Peter preached at Pentecost to the Jews gathered in Jerusalem for the feast. Every heart heard him, even though the people there were from different countries and spoke different languages. Peter didn’t run up and down the aisles. That’s not preaching – that’s a performance. Preach as Jesus did. Paul thought he had a better idea when he went to Athens. He decided to jazz up the message and make it really hip. He changed the sermon to make it more meaningful. I love that word – meaningful – almost as much as I love the word “tasteful.” Well, everything has a taste. For example, horse manure has taste…you won’t like it, but it has taste. Oh, this is very tasty. That doesn’t mean it’s good or bad. Paul tried to develop a relationship by getting down on the same level as the Athenians. Instead of raising them up, he went down and taught on their level and in their language. What happened? He got only two disciples. When he left there, he did an after-action report and had one of those V-8 moments. I will only preach Christ and Him Crucified. And, then look what happened. He preached the way Christ preached…by actions and by words. The words he used were Christ’s words. We should not use our words or the words that we think Christ would say. “But, God is telling me to do this.” You need some medicine. Preach like Christ did. That’s what He told us to do. It doesn’t have to be long, and it doesn’t have to be loud. Christ sat and taught. He didn’t use props. Also, people were not fed their way to Jesus. “Give them pizza, and they will come.” Yeah…they eat the free pizza, and then they leave. We had a food ministry in the military called Bible study lunch. I went to one, because I wanted the free pizza. The soldiers ate the free pizza, and then they left. There was nothing the chaplains could do about it. Those were the rules, and the soldiers knew that. They weren’t stupid. They may have been paratroopers, but they weren’t stupid.
Teach as Jesus taught by using His exact words. Those words give us the authority, not for us, but so that every heart hears the words it was meant to hear. Now, in case someone is thinking, “Well, your life is not perfect.” Oh, heck no. My life is not perfect at all. The words are not my words. I’m just a conduit. I’m just passing along what our good Lord said. The focus must be on the message and not the messenger. I am trying to live like our good Lord said, and I’m having problems with that, so if you would pray for me, I’d really appreciate it. People are surprised when we don’t defend ourselves by saying something like, “Oh, I’m a great Christian.”
How do we tell people about Jesus? Do as Jesus did. Preach as Jesus preached. Use words if necessary.
How will you apply this message to your life? Will you tell others about the good news of Jesus Christ? Will you do as He did and preach as He preached?
Father’s Afterthoughts…
- Last night, I had to smile while reading the Old Testament. All I could think of was that God is Italian. You know why? He put out a contract for a hit on all the false prophets. Wow! He means business.
- I was at the hospital on Friday. You should see the working conditions I work under…it’s not just the smells and everything else. Anyway, I came out of a room and said something to the nurse who said, “You know, Father, you should have gone to medical school.” I said, “Really? How…as a student or cadaver?” Fair question.
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