How can we apply the lesson of Isaiah 36:11 in sharing the Gospel today? Setting Isaiah 36:11 in Its Moment “Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rab-shakeh, ‘Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; do not speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.’” Assyrian intimidation is aimed straight at Jerusalem’s citizens. Judah’s officials try to shift the conversation into a language the average listener will not grasp, hoping to shield hearts from fear. The Assyrian spokesman refuses, proving that whoever controls the language controls the listener. Timeless Communication Principle • The message that matters most must be delivered in words the audience readily understands. • Gatekeepers will always exist, but truth expressed in the people’s own “heart language” breaks through barriers. • God’s enemies often exploit plain speech for lies; God’s people ought to reclaim plain speech for truth. Why This Matters for Gospel Witness 1. The gospel is for every ear—no privileged code. 2. Clarity honors both God’s Word and the hearer’s dignity (1 Corinthians 14:8-9). 3. Faith comes by hearing Christ’s word (Romans 10:14-17); incomprehensible talk blocks faith. 4. When believers stay silent or jargon-laden, the enemy gladly fills the air with half-truths. Practical Gospel-Sharing Applications • Speak the “street language” of your listeners. – Explain redemption, sin, and grace in everyday vocabulary. – Illustrate with familiar stories, images, and testimonies. • Shed insider shorthand and theological clichés. – Swap “justification” for “God declares you forgiven and right with Him.” – Replace “sanctification” with “God keeps changing you from the inside out.” • Bypass cultural gatekeepers when necessary. – Social media, community gatherings, coffee shops, front porches—wherever ears are open. – Like Paul in Acts 17, step into public squares where people already converse. • Let Scripture speak for itself, aloud and unfiltered. – Read it in the translation your hearers grasp best. – “We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not distort the word of God” (2 Corinthians 4:2). • Equip believers to share, not just leaders. – Train small-group members, teens, and seniors in simple gospel outlines. – Encourage testimonies: “This is who I was, this is what Jesus did, this is who I am now.” • Counter misinformation with gentle, public truth. – When culture misrepresents Scripture, respond publicly and graciously, not only in private circles. – “Always be prepared to give a defense…but with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15-16). Supporting Passages • Acts 2:6—each one heard the apostles “in his own language.” • Colossians 4:5-6—speech seasoned with salt, answering everyone. • 1 Corinthians 14:19—“I would rather speak five instructive words…than ten thousand in a tongue.” • Matthew 10:27—“What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight.” Action Steps for This Week 1. Identify one non-believing friend and rewrite a gospel summary in language they already use. 2. Replace one Christianese phrase you often say with a vivid, real-life description. 3. Read the next gospel conversation passage aloud (John 3 or Acts 16) in a modern translation with someone unchurched. 4. Post or text a short Scripture—all nouns and verbs, no commentary—inviting honest response. Encouragement to Press On The Assyrian envoy tried to weaponize plain Hebrew to undermine faith, but God used the very same language—through Isaiah, Hezekiah, and eventually Jesus—to proclaim deliverance. When we speak Christ plainly today, truth outshines intimidation, and hearts on the wall become disciples in the kingdom. |
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