July is always an exciting month because it's Le Tour time! That is, Le Tour de France.
The Tour is the annual pinnacle of professional cycling and an elite international sporting event that is a 24-day race over 21 stages through the flats and mountains of France, covering a total distance of 3,351 km.
Every daily stage has winners for 4 different categories, and these winners have the privilege of racing the next stage in a respective coloured jersey:
The overall race leader wears a yellow jersey;
The best young rider wears a white jersey;
The leading sprinter wears a green jersey; and
The best climber wears a polka-dot jersey.
Other jerseys have significance in cycling too. Although not awarded in The Tour, the World Champion wears the rainbow jersey.The reigning World Champion and the crowd favourite, Slovakian Peter Sagan started this year's race in his World Champion rainbow-coloured jersey, but at the time of writing this article at the end of stage 3, he is wearing the green sprinter's jersey as he now leads the sprint category.
Sagan is well known for being an entertainer on his racing bicycle, and in this video interview, you can watch him teaching one of his special skills - controlled wheelie-popping... (video link here: "Peter Sagan Teaches us How to Wheelie" )
For the purpose of this blog though, it's not so much about Sagan's bicycle handling skills, but his attitude.
Sagan says, "It's not really hard if you are not afraid." He has a very good point, and I've been thinking about this. It's really like evangelism. Evangelism is not really hard if you're not afraid.
What do we have to fear?
The writer of Hebrews says, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (13:6)
Why don't we view evangelism as simply a lifestyle, stating fact? We know the facts:
- Man is lost (Gen. 3, Psalm 14:1-3)
- Man can not save himself (We all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Rom. 3:23)
- Jesus died for us (Romans 5:8)
- Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13)
It's easy to speak to people about other facts:
- Hi, it's cold today!
- Hi, I enjoyed that movie!
- That was a nice meal.
- There's hot weather coming this summer.
But for some reason we are often afraid to tell people the best news of all: that God gives us the free gift of salvation. Why are we afraid? It's simply fact-sharing.
What are we afraid of?
- Loss of friendship? "Greater love has no-one than this: that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)
- Persecution? "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness." (2 Cor. 11:30)
- Beatings? "Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned..." (v25)
- Danger? "I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger from the city, in danger from the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers." (2 Cor.11:26)
Yet Paul was not deterred and asks, "How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" (Rom. 10:14)
Jesus was in anguish about dying on the cross. He prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done." Despite his anguish, yet Jesus was obedient to die on the cross to take our punishment, and this is of eternal significance for people. Telling them this message is not really hard if you're not afraid!
In relation to his preaching tenacity, God reassured Paul, "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent." (Acts 18:9)
(You can read my 2016 Le Tour blogspot here)
References:
Peloton TV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK_bOOaR4e0 (10/7/18)