“Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” Mark 13:11 NIV
The verse above comes from a picnic that occurred on the Mount of Olives between Jesus, Peter, James, John and Andrew. The disciples asked Jesus when the end times are going to happen. This verse is part of Jesus’s answer because during the end times, Christ followers will be arrested and persecuted. All of the disciples were persecuted and arrested during their ministries. John is the only disciple that lived to an old age, all the others died because of their ministries. The disciples thought they were living in the end times just like people today think we’re living in the end times. Jesus never gave a date for the end of the world. Many scholars spend their lives debating this topic, but there is no answer. Only God knows when the end of the world will be, could be tomorrow, could be a 1000 years from now. Jesus is telling us this when we eavesdrop on His conversation with the disciples. I want us to look at His command to not worry about what you’re going to say, trust the Holy Spirit.
Glossophobia is the fear of public speaking, a fear shared between 75% of the population. I think there is a fear even bigger than glossophobia, we all share. I think we all share a fear of talking about Jesus with others. This fear can hinder us from sharing the greatest gift the world has ever received with those God loves. I have had many conversations with people who are afraid if they talk about Jesus, people will ask them questions and they won’t know the answer. Jesus never said you had to have all the answers. In fact, Jesus didn’t say you had to talk about HIm all the time. Our greatest commandment according to Jesus, is to love God and love others (Mark 12:30-31 NIV). We don’t have to be afraid to talk to others about Jesus, we just have to love them and Jesus will naturally come out. You cannot truly love others without first receiving Christ’s love. We are too imperfect, we need His perfection. The Holy Spirit does the talking.
In November of this year it will be 10 years since my friend Denny died. He was a transplant patient. His death was very long and grueling. When his wife asked me to speak at his memorial, I had no idea what I was going to say. I remember sitting in the pew, waiting to be called up to the pulpit, having no clue how I was going to start my talk. Just a few minutes before I was to speak I received a text with Philipians 4:8 in it. I had just found my beginning. Philipians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (NIV). My talk began with how Denny represented this verse to me. The Holy Spirit gave me the words in my time of need. He’ll do the same for you. Jesus tells us so.