Are They Convinced?

The scene closes as the doctor hangs his head. He has said those words no one wants to hear, "We've done all we can do." In this context, those words seem to harbinger hopelessness and even, death. "There are no other weapons, no other techniques at my disposal. I know of no other solutions, and these seem woefully inadequate."

In John 17, Jesus is in the Upper Room with the men He has served and taught for the last three years. He has washed their feet, excused His betrayer, and in this chapter, He prays. He prays His friends would know God through His testimony, and they would remember everything He has taught them, walking in His instruction. He prays they would continue to be sanctified, and He prays for us (!), those who would believe in Jesus because of the word of the disciples. Verse 23 talks about the oneness our relationship with Jesus establishes, our adoption:

"I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."

"That the world may know."  Not that the world might be mildly intrigued by what they see. Not that the world might accept our testimony as an option. But, that the world may know. How can we be held accountable for what others believe or choose not to believe? 

Ezekiel 3:16-21, warns the prophet that if the people are headed for condemnation and he does nothing to warn them, he is responsible. Imagine someone preparing to step into oncoming traffic. They are on their phones, distracted. Are you not going to cry out or reach to pull them back?  You wouldn't merely whisper or turn away in horror until you had done all you could do to ensure their safety. If you grab hold of their coat and they shrug it off and lean into their peril, it's on them. What else could you have done? You did all you could. 

While the words of a TV doctor might reek of helplessness, in the case of Christian witness, giving our all, being brought to a point where we have done everything we could do -- no matter the choices of those to whom we have ministered -- is victory! God's words never return to Him void, without result. And though our intent may be the salvation of others (it's God's intent also), the victory just may be ours. We may experience all it means to obey the Great Commission and to be poured out for the sake of the Gospel. To speak where ears will not listen, to serve where help is unwanted, to love where love is disdained. But, all for Jesus.

If the world is to know, we have to be willing to do all we can. We have to boldly give it our best -- repeatedly -- as though they will know, as though they will choose Jesus with the same zeal of the Disciples who gave it their all, that we might know.