Evangelism 3
Notes
Transcript
Church camp mud pit story
Mud is messy - and contagious!
How many of you remember your BC days?
Those were the days before you knew Christ...
How many remember the person that you used to be?
How about for those who have been follower of Christ for a while, how many can look back and see the growth that is only because of the work of the Holy Spirit in your life?
Many of us have seen the work of God mostly in our own lives, but likely in the lives of others as well!
And this is probably one of the reasons that we are here today!
We are all familiar with the great song Amazing Grace
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind but now I see
that saved a wretch like me...
many of us were that wretch, or we know someone who was...
Paul knows this first hand...
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.
14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Christ came into the world to save sinners...
The work of Jesus was to redeem that which was broken due to the fall...
Including, saving the lost!
Redeeming, healing, restoring the broken....
And to do that, He went to the broken, hurting, sick, and lost...
The ones that the world had written off, Jesus was in the midst of!
We read earlier that Jesus says:
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
Jesus had just called a tax collector...
In their eyes, Matthew was a traitor...
He sold out to the Roman government...
Yet, Jesus called him...
And, not only that, he eats with, his buddies, and other sinners!
This would be considered close to blaspheme!
You don’t dine with messy people....
Messy-ness is contagious you know...
If you hang out in the dirt, you get a little dirty...
But, that’s where Jesus is…eating with them!
Show Video
A pastor in need of God and a sick sinner in need of God!
Here’s the thing,
If we want to see the work of God, then we need to be where God is working!
We know the heart of Jesus is to hang out in the mess!
As I shared the story earlier about the mud pit at camp….mud is contagious!
But not for Jesus!
You see, He can touch the leper and not get leprosy!
He can touch the mud, and not get muddy!
We are the hands and feet of Jesus!
His Spirit is within us to empower us!
Everyone He has saved was broken, sick, lost and in need of a savior....
Jesus told us to
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
If you notice in Matthew 10, the first time Jesus sends them out, He says
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.
He tells them to not go to the samaritans
Theres some theological debate on why not
Some say, and probably are right, that Jesus did this intentionally to say go to the Jews first, then to the samaritans
But, maybe it’s possible there is another reason.
Maybe they weren’t ready to go to their enemies yet?
Maybe it wasn’t until they received the HS that they were ready!
So, where are we going?
Maybe we should ask the question: where are we afraid to go?
It seems like we are pretty good with hanging out with the “well,” but how good are we at hanging out with the “sick?”
You see, if we take the great commission and Jesus’ example seriously, then we will be with messy people..
And, we might get a little dirt on us too, but we know the great cleanser!
How many of us desire to see the things of God?
How many of us want to see people saved?
How many of us hang out with people who aren’t saved?
If we want to see the things of God, we need to be where God is working!
Kevin Harney shares a couple questions that he asks churches in his book “Organic Outreach”
“As followers of Jesus, what do we have that can never be taken away?” - Kevin Harney Organic Outreach
kingdom of heaven
family
Jesus!
He will then ask this question
“What do lost people have that will last forever?” - Kevin Harney Organic Outreach
I am going to wrap us pretty quickly here this morning.
I want us to think about a few things:
How has God changed my life?
Do I really want to see God working in others?
Am I in places where I can see God working?
Am I around the “sick” or only the “healthy?”
Who’s messy life can I get involved in?
Remember as we are with messy people, we should call them to repentance - turn towards Jesus!
The kingdom of heaven is at hand!
Jesus lived, died, rose, and ascended!
Maybe this morning, we are a little messy…
