Sharing is Caring

Scripture Reading

Hebrews 13:16 (ESV)

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Opening Hymn 245: More About Jesus

Closing Hymn 457: I Love to Tell the Story

Introduction - John Harper

A widower at 39

He had been invited to preach in the US

This young Scottish pastor shared God’s love wherever he went - including onboard the Titanic

In those last hours as the ship continued sinking, John shared the hope found in Jesus

Acts 16:31 – “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Even, when he plunged himself in the freezing waters, he continued to preach.

John Harper drowned in those icy waters

One young man stood and shared that he had heard the voice above the waters.  He too had been in the icy waters as John Harper floated close enough to him to share the Gospel not once, but twice. He became John Harper’s last convert.

Question: To what extent would you go in sharing the love of Jesus?

John 3:16

John 3:16 (ESV)

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

If there is one singular truth that we can take from the Bible and it is this - God shares because sharing is caring

The Psychology of Sharing

Researchers have found:

That people who habitually tend to talk to people they are close with about the good things that are happening to them also tend to feel happier and more satisfied with life.

The more people shared their happiness with someone on a given day, the happier and more satisfied they were on that particular day.

Those that shared a positive experience with their partner experienced a greater boost in well-being than those who did not share their experience with their partner or who shared a neutral experience with their partner.

Those who shared their grateful experiences with a partner reported greater satisfaction with life, happiness, and vitality (level of energy and zest for life).

The Unknown Boy

John 6:1–9 ESV

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”

Lessons About Sharing

The boy shared what he had, although it was very small - Nothing is too small in the hands of God, even faith the size of a mustard seed can be used mightily in the hands of God.

Andrew in sharing his faith saw the potential in that insignificant meal

Jesus turned that potential into substance

The beneficiaries of that simple act of sharing was beyond anything Andrew or the boy could imagine

A Word of Caution

You can't share what you don't have

Ask God to show you the potential in others

In sharing your faith like Andrew, ensure that Jesus is the answer

Conclusion

How helpful we may be to one another by receiving from Christ the divine blessing, and then sharing it with those in need. The true Christian will leave nothing undone that he can do to raise to newness of life those who are dead in trespasses and sins. He will work as Christ worked. PUR December 8, 1904, par. 10

Share…

The Greatest Love — John 15:13

John 15:13 (ESV)

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

The Greatest Hope — Micah 7:7

Micah 7:7 (ESV)

But as for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

The Greatest Power — Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 (ESV)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”