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By T.M. Moore|Published Date: October 31, 2011
Augustine, Sermon on John 7:12
“Whoever had any spark of grace said, ‘He is a good man.’ The rest said, ‘No, he seduces the people.’ That something like this was said of him who was God is a consolation to any Christian of whom the same may be said. If to seduce is to deceive, Christ was not a seducer, nor can any Christian be. But if by seduction you mean bringing a person by persuasion out of one way of thinking into another, then we must inquire what the way of thinking is that you are calling them from and to. If from good to evil, the seducer is an evil person; if from evil to good, he is a good one. If only we were all called, and really were, that sort of seducers!”
Monday: Read John 3:1-21
In what ways did Jesus challenge Nicodemus to “stretch” his thinking? How did He manage to keep him interested in the conversation? How did He position Himself as the key to knowing the love of God?
Tuesday: Read John 4:5-29
How did Jesus move this conversation from material to spiritual things? How would you describe His approach to leading this woman to conviction of sin? How did He keep the conversation on track? How did He make Himself the key to receiving God’s gift?
Wednesday: Read Matthew 12:22-29
What was the lie Jesus proceeded to expose? How did He catch His detractors in their lie? How would you describe His approach to persuading them of the truth of His claims?
Thursday: Read Matthew 23:1-36
How would you describe the tone of this conversation, compared with Jesus conversation with Nicodemus? Why the different approach? Are we only successful in spiritual conversations when we get others to agree with us?
Friday: Read Luke 24:13-35
Summarize Jesus’ approach to leading these disciples to a clear understanding of the Good News. What caused their hearts to “burn”?
Saturday: Read Acts 9:1-18
How would you summarize Jesus’ approach to “seducing” Saul of Tarsus? What was Ananias’ role in this?
Sunday: Read John 4:27-42
What steps led to the conversion of the Samaritans? Do you believe that the fields of your life are white unto the harvest? How would you assess your work as a “seducer” at this point?
Lesson for This Week
Jesus has called us all to work to persuade others to believe in Him – to seduce them, by our lives and words, from their old, dying way of life, to the new life we have in Jesus Christ. What are you planning to do different, from this point forward, in order to improve your witness for the Lord?
Next steps: Make a list of the people you see each week. Are any of them non-Christians? Begin praying for these people every day. Ask the Lord to give you opportunities to talk with them. Begin showing them the love of Christ in everyday ways, and pay attention to any opportunities to share a word of your testimony or the Gospel with them.
For more information on this topic, get the book, Tactics, by Greg Koukl, from our online store. You might also like to read the article, “Little by Little,” by T. M. Moore.
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