Meeting Them Where They Are
Notes
Transcript
1
2
A LARGE FAMILY HAD GONE
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
• MOM TOOK SOME OF THE KIDS AND
WENT ONE WAY
• DAD TOOK SOME KIDS AND WENT
OFF ANOTHER DIRECTION
• AFTER THE SHOPPING WAS DONE
THEY CAME BACK TOGETHER
3
• IT WAS AT THIS POINT THAT THEY
NOTICED LITTLE MATTHEW WAS
MISSING
• DAD TOOK CHARGE, HE SENT THE
OTHER KIDS TO SEARCH
• HE CONTACTED THE MALL SECURITY,
• HE WENT LOOKING FOR MATTHEW
HIMSELF
4
• THEY COULD HAVE JUST SAT AND
WAITED FOR MATTHEW TO FIND
THEM
• BUT THEY DID NOT THEY ACTIVELY
WENT LOOKING FOR MATTHEW
• WHEN WE REALIZE SOMEONE IS LOST
• WE CAN EITHER SIT AND WAIT FOR
THEM TO FIND US
5
• OR WE CAN GO OUT LOOKING
FOR THEM (PAUSE)
• AS CHRISTIANS WE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORLD
• IS FILLED WITH LOST PEOPLE
• WE NEED TO MEET THEM
WHERE THEY ARE
• NOT JUST SIT AROUND AND SEE IF THEY
COME TO WHERE WE ARE
• THIS MEANS UNDERSTANDING THEIR
SITUATION, THEIR PERSPECTIVE
• AND HELPING THEM TO UNDERSTAND
WHO JESUS IS AND WHAT HE IS
OFFERING
• TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT
CHRIST MEETING SOMEONE
6
7
• WHERE THEY WERE AND HELPING
THEM UNDERSTAND WHO HE IS
• TURN WITH ME TO ACTS 9:1
• LUKE HAS JUST TOLD US ABOUT PHILIP
• MEETING THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH
WHERE HE WAS
• AND HELPING HIM TO UNDERSTAND
WHO JESUS IS
8
• LUKE IS NOW GOING TO TURN HIS
ATTENTION TO SAUL
• SAUL HAD SEEN STEPHEN EXECUTED
AND HAD BEGUN
• TO PERSECUTE CHRISTIANS IN
JERUSALEM
• NOW LUKE IS GOING TO TELL US HOW
JESUS MEET SAUL WHERE HE WAS
ACTS 9:1–2
9
NOW SAUL, STILL BREATHING
THREATS AND MURDER AGAINST
THE DISCIPLES OF THE LORD, WENT
TO THE HIGH PRIEST, AND ASKED
FOR LETTERS FROM HIM TO THE
SYNAGOGUES AT DAMASCUS,
10
SO THAT IF HE FOUND ANY
BELONGING TO THE WAY,
BOTH MEN AND WOMEN,
HE MIGHT BRING THEM
BOUND TO JERUSALEM.
THE LOST ARE ANGRY
• IT HAD BEEN SOME TIME SINCE
STEPHEN’S DEATH
• THE PERSECUTION OF THE
CHRISTIANS IN JERUSALEM HAD
INTENSIFIED
• SAUL HAD PLAYED HIS PART IN THIS
PERSECUTION
11
12
• LUKE DESCRIBES SAUL AS;
“BREATHING THREATS AND MURDER”
• THE WORD BREATHING IS LITERALLY
THE WORD FOR SNORTING
• LUKE WANTS US TO UNDERSTAND
WHO SAUL WAS BEFORE CHRIST
• SAUL IS ANGRY ABOUT CHRISTIANITY
13
• HE THINKS HE IS DOING A GOOD
THING BY PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS
• SAUL IS NOT REALLY THAT DIFFERENT
• FROM MANY PEOPLE WE
ENCOUNTER TODAY
• THE WORLD IS FULL OF PEOPLE
ANGRY AT CHRISTIANITY
• THEY THINK THEY HAVE GOOD REASON
TO BE ANGRY
• THEY BLAME RELIGION FOR EVERY WAR
THAT EVER HAPPENED
• THEY BLAME CHRISTIANS FOR THE
DIVISION IN OUR COUNTRY
• THEY BLAME FAITH FOR GLOBAL
WARMING, RACISM, INCOME
INEQUALITY
14
15
• IF SOMEONE HAS A PROBLEM
SOMEWHERE OUT THERE
SOMEONE IS BLAMING GOD
• WHEN THEY PERSECUTE
CHRISTIANS
• THEY THINK THEY ARE DOING A
GOOD THING
• IF WE ARE GOING TO TALK TO THE
LOST
• WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO
INTERACT WITH THEIR ANGER
• WE HAVE A FEW OPTIONS
• WE CAN IGNORE IT
• JUST PRETEND LIKE THEY ARE NOT
MAD
16
17
• WE CAN ARGUE WITH IT
• TRY TO TELL THEM WHY THEY
SHOULD NOT BE MAD
• OR WE LISTEN TO THEIR ANGER
• TRY TO UNDERSTAND THEIR
PERSPECTIVE
A MAN WAS DRIVING IN THE
COUNTRY ONE DAY
18
• HE SAW AN OLD MAN SITTING ON A
FENCE RAIL WATCHING THE CARS GO BY.
• STOPPING TO PASS THE TIME OF DAY,
THE TRAVELER SAID,
• "I NEVER COULD STAND LIVING OUT
HERE”
• YOU DON'T SEE ANYTHING, AND I'M
SURE YOU DON'T TRAVEL LIKE I DO.
• I'M ON THE GO ALL THE TIME."
• THE OLD MAN ON THE FENCE LOOKED
DOWN AT THE STRANGER AND
DRAWLED,
• "I CAN'T SEE MUCH DIFFERENCE IN
WHAT I'M DOING AND WHAT YOU'RE
DOING.
19
20
• I SIT ON THE FENCE AND WATCH THE
AUTOS GO BY
• AND YOU SIT IN YOUR AUTO AND
WATCH THE FENCES GO BY.
• IT'S JUST THE WAY YOU LOOK AT
THINGS."
• WHEN INTERACTING WITH THOSE
WHO DO NOT KNOW CHRIST
21
• IT CAN BE VERY HELPFUL TO
UNDERSTAND THEIR
PERSPECTIVE
• IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY TO SEE
THINGS THEIR WAY
• WE MIGHT NEED TO ASK THEM
WHY THEY ARE ANGRY AT GOD
22
• WE MIGHT HAVE TO LISTEN
WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN
THROUGH
• AND NOT JUDGE THEM IF WE
WANT TO UNDERSTAND THEM
• BUT THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO
MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE
• AND IF WE ARE GOING TO
BRING THEM THE GOSPEL
• WE NEED TO BE READY TO
MEET THEM WHERE THEY
ARE
23
24
THE LOST LOOK FOR VALIDATION
• BUT PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS IN
JERUSALEM WAS NOT ENOUGH FOR
SAUL
• SO, SAUL THE GOES TO THE HIGH
PRIEST
• AND ASKS FOR PERMISSION TO TAKE
HIS PERSECUTION ON THE ROAD
25
• HE REQUESTS LETTERS; “TO
THE SYNAGOGUES IN
DAMASCUS”
• THESE WERE LETTERS OF
EXTRADITION
• AND DAMASCUS WAS NOT THE
ONLY CITY SAUL WENT TO
ACTS 26:11
26
“AND AS I PUNISHED THEM OFTEN
IN ALL THE SYNAGOGUES, I TRIED
TO FORCE THEM TO BLASPHEME;
AND BEING FURIOUSLY ENRAGED
AT THEM, I KEPT PURSUING
THEM EVEN TO FOREIGN CITIES.
• ROME HAD GIVEN THE HIGH PRIEST
AUTHORITY TO GIVE SUCH LETTERS
• THE FACT THAT SAUL IS LOOKING
FOR CHRISTIANS IN SYNAGOGUES
• INDICATES THAT CHRISTIANITY WAS
STILL LINKED WITH JUDAISM
• THE CHRISTIANS WERE MEETING IN
THE SYNAGOGUES
27
28
• SAUL GOES TO THE HIGH PRIESTS TO
EXPAND HIS PERSECUTION
• THEY DID NOT COME TO HIM AND ASK
HIM TO GO TO DAMASCUS
• THOSE WHO ARE ANGRY WITH GOD
LOOK FOR VALIDATION
• THEY WANT OTHERS TO TELL THEM HOW
RIGHT THEY ARE TO BE MAD AT GOD
29
• SAUL WENT TO THE HIGH PRIESTS
FOR VALIDATION
• TODAY PEOPLE GO TO THE
INTERNET TO LOOK FOR
VALIDATION
• YOU CAN FIND ENDLESS VIDEOS OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE ANGRY AT GOD
30
• YOU CAN FIND COUNTLESS
ARTICLES WRITTEN BY PEOPLE
• WITH AN AXE TO GRIND
AGAINST CHRISTIANS
• BOOKS ARE SOLD WITH TITLES
LIKE; “THE GOD DELUSION”
31
• ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING
FOR SOMEONE TO TELL THEM
HOW RIGHT THEY ARE
• TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO GO
TO DAMASCUS
• AND BIND UP THE CHRISTIANS
AND DRAG OFF
32
THE LOST ENCOURAGED TO MISTREAT
CHRISTIANS
• THE HIGH PRIEST GIVES SAUL THE
LETTERS: NOTICE THE REASON
• “SO THAT IF HE FOUND ANY
BELONGING TO THE WAY, BOTH MEN
AND WOMEN, HE MIGHT BRING
THEM BOUND TO JERUSALEM.”
33
• SAUL IS BEING ENCOURAGED TO
BIND UP MEN AND WOMEN
• TO BRING THEM BACK TO JERUSALEM
FOR TRIAL AND EXECUTION
• HE WAS TO DO THIS TO ANYONE
WHO “BELONGED TO THE WAY”
• THE WAY WHAT CHRISTIANITY WAS
CALLED
• BEFORE IT WAS CALLED
CHRISTIANITY
• IT IS BELIEVED THAT MANY OF THE
CHRISTIANS
• IN DAMASCUS HAD ACTUALLY FLED
THERE FROM JERUSALEM
• SAUL IS BEING ENCOURAGE TO
TRACK DOWN
34
35
• THE CHRISTIANS WHO HAD FLED
HIS PERSECUTION IN JERUSALEM
• AND BRING THEM BACK TO FACE
TRIAL AND EXECUTION
• IN OUR WORLD TODAY WE HAVE
PEOPLE IN POSITIONS OF POWER
36
• ENCOURAGING THOSE WHO
ARE PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS
• SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN
QUESTIONING THE CHRISTIANS
• ABOUT THEIR FITNESS TO
SERVE THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE
OF THEIR BELIEFS
• CORPORATIONS, HIGHER
EDUCATION, CELEBRITIES,
NEWS ANCHORS
• ENCOURAGING THOSE WHO
PERSECUTE CHRISTIANS
• WE SHOULD NOT BE
SURPRISED BY THIS
37
JOHN 15:21
38
“BUT ALL THESE THINGS THEY
WILL DO TO YOU FOR MY
NAME’S SAKE, BECAUSE THEY
DO NOT KNOW THE ONE WHO
SENT ME.
39
• THEY ARE GONNA BE ANGRY
• WE NEED TO NOT TAKE IT
PERSONALLY
• THEY ARE REALLY ANGRY AT GOD
• EVEN THE ONES THAT DO NOT
THINK THERE IS A GOD ARE
ANGRY AT HIM
40
• WE NEED TO BE READY FOR
THEIR ANGER
• READY TO MEET THEM
WHERE THEY ARE
• IN THEIR ANGER
ACTS 9:3–6
41
AS HE WAS TRAVELING, IT HAPPENED
THAT HE WAS APPROACHING
DAMASCUS, AND SUDDENLY A LIGHT
FROM HEAVEN FLASHED AROUND HIM;
AND HE FELL TO THE GROUND AND
HEARD A VOICE SAYING TO HIM, “SAUL,
SAUL, WHY ARE YOU PERSECUTING
ME?”
42
AND HE SAID, “WHO ARE YOU,
LORD?” AND HE SAID, “I AM
JESUS WHOM YOU ARE
PERSECUTING, BUT GET UP
AND ENTER THE CITY, AND IT
WILL BE TOLD YOU WHAT YOU
MUST DO.”
43
HELP THE LOST WHERE THEY ARE
• NOTICE HOW JESUS CAME TO
SAUL RIGHT WHERE HE WAS
• NOT JUST WHERE HE WAS
PHYSICALLY, ON THE ROAD
• BUT WHERE HE WAS IN HIS
ANGER;
• “SAUL, SAUL, WHY ARE YOU
PERSECUTING ME?”
• THIS IS RIGHT WHERE SAUL IS
• IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS ANGER,
PERSECUTING CHRISTIANS
• SAUL DOES NOT KNOW HE IS
ANGRY AT GOD
44
• HE THINKS HE IS ANGRY AT
CHRISTIANS
• BUT JESUS SAYS; “WHY ARE YOU
PERSECUTING ME?”
• JESUS IS NOT THE MESSIAH SAUL
WAS EXPECTING
• HE WANTED A MESSIAH THAT
WOULD CRUSH ROME
45
• ONE THAT WOULD LEAD AN ARMY,
FREE THE JEWS FROM OPPRESSION
• HE CERTAINLY DID NOT WANT ONE
WHO DIED IN THE MOST
• INSULTING WAY POSSIBLE
CRUCIFIXION
• HE WAS OFFENDED BY THOSE WHO
SAID JESUS WAS THE MESSIAH
46
47
• BECAUSE HE COULD NOT IMAGINE A
MESSIAH WHO WOULD DIE
• BUT JESUS COMES TO HIM ANYWAY
• RIGHT WHERE HE IS, JESUS DOES NOT
WAIT FOR SAUL TO COME TO HIM
• HE DOES NOT WAIT FOR SAUL TO
CLEAN HIMSELF UP
48
• TO GET THIS THINKING RIGHT
• SEE JESUS DOES NOT EXPECT THE
LOST TO FIND HIM
• HE WANTS US TO BRING HIM TO THE
LOST
A YOUNG MAN WHO MANY PEOPLE
THOUGHT OF AS SIMPLE CAME TO
CHRIST
49
• AS THE PASTOR WAS ABOUT TO
BAPTIZE HIM HE ASKED THE
YOUNG MAN A QUESTION
• “HOW DID YOU COME TO FIND
CHRIST?”
• THE YOUNG MAN RESPONDED
WITH A SIMPLE ANSWER
50
• “I DID NOT FIND CHRIST, HE FOUND
ME.”
• WHEN A SHEEP IS LOST HE DOES
NOT FIND THE SHEPHERD
• THE SHEPHERD FINDS HIM
• WHEN WE ARE BLESSED TO BE PART
OF SOMEONE COMING TO FIND
CHRIST
• WE ARE NOT HELPING THEM
FIND JESUS
• WE ARE HELPING JESUS FIND
THEM
• TO DO THIS WE HAVE TO GO
TO WHERE THEY ARE
51
MATTHEW 28:19
52
“GO THEREFORE AND MAKE
DISCIPLES OF ALL THE NATIONS,
BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME
OF THE FATHER AND THE SON
AND THE HOLY SPIRIT,
53
• NOTICE IT DOES NOT SAY;
“STAY HERE AND MAKE”
• OR WAIT FOR THEM TO COME
TO YOU AND MAKE.
• IT SAYS GO THEREFORE AND
MAKE
• THE MAIN VERB IN THAT
SENTENCE IS GO
• TO WHERE THEY ARE
• WE GO TO WHERE THEY ARE
FOR A REASON
54
55
TO HELP THE LOST KNOW WHO
JESUS IS
• SAUL ASKS THE QUESTION;
• “WHO ARE YOU LORD?”
• THIS IS THE QUESTION WE WANT
THE LOST TO ASK WHO IS JESUS
• NOW JUST BECAUSE SAUL SAYS LORD
56
• DOES NOT MEAN HE IS CALLING
JESUS LORD
• THE WORD TRANSLATED LORD
CAN ALSO MEAN SIR
• IT IS HOW YOU ADDRESS
SOMEONE
• YOU KNOW IS YOUR SUPERIOR
• SAUL MAY UNDERSTAND BY
SUDDEN APPEARANCE
• OF THE LIGHT SINNING
BRIGHTER
• THAN THE NOON DAY SUN
• THAT THIS WAS SOMEONE
FROM GOD
57
58
• SO, HE RESPECTFULLY ASKS
WHO IT IS
• WHEN WE GO TO WHERE LOST
PEOPLE ARE
• THIS IS THE QUESTION WE
NEED TO BE LOOKING FOR
• IT COMES IN MANY FORMS
59
• “HOW COULD GOD LET MY
MOTHER DIE?”
• “HOW CAN THERE BE EVIL IN THE
WORLD?”
• “WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE?”
• “WHY IS THE WORLD SO UNFAIR?”
• ALL THESE QUESTIONS ARE
REALLY THE SAME QUESTION
• “WHO IS JESUS?”
• WE NEED TO BE READY TO
ANSWER
• THAT IS HOW WE
60
HELP THE LOST UNDERSTAND
JESUS
• JESUS ANSWERS SAUL’S QUESTION
VERY SIMPLY
• “I AM JESUS WHOM YOU ARE
PERSECUTING”
• THERE IS SUCH POWER IN THIS
ANSWER
61
62
• SAUL WOULD KNOW SOME VERY
IMPORTANT THINGS BY THIS ANSWER
• ONE, JESUS WHO WAS CRUCIFIED HAD
RISEN FROM THE DEAD
• TWO, JESUS HAD COME FROM GOD
• HIS SUDDEN APPEARANCE ON THE
ROAD IN A FLASH OF BLINDING LIGHT
• HIS MIRACULOUS RESURRECTION
FROM THE DEAD ALL CONFIRMED
THIS
• THREE, JESUS CHRIST AND HIS
CHURCH ARE ONE
• SAUL HAD THOUGHT HE WAS
PERSECUTING HERETICS
• FOLLOWING A FALSE MESSIAH
63
64
• BUT HE WAS HARMING THOSE
WHO WERE UNITED WITH GOD
• WHEN WE MEET THE LOST
WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR
ANGER
• OUR GOAL IS TO HELP THEM
UNDERSTAND WHO JESUS IS
65
• AND HELP THEM COME TO
KNOW HIM AND BELIEVE IN
HIM
• IT IS NOT OUR JOB TO
CONVICT THEM OF THEIR SIN
• THAT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT’S JOB
66
• IT IS NOT OUR JOB CLEAN THEM UP
• THAT IS BETWEEN THEM AND GOD
• IT IS NOT OUR JOB TO PICK AND
CHOOSE
• WHICH ONES ACCEPT AND TRUST
IN CHRIST
ACTS 9:7–9
67
THE MEN WHO TRAVELED WITH HIM
STOOD SPEECHLESS, HEARING THE
VOICE BUT SEEING NO ONE. SAUL
GOT UP FROM THE GROUND, AND
THOUGH HIS EYES WERE OPEN, HE
COULD SEE NOTHING;
68
AND LEADING HIM BY THE
HAND, THEY BROUGHT HIM
INTO DAMASCUS. AND HE
WAS THREE DAYS WITHOUT
SIGHT, AND NEITHER ATE NOR
DRANK.
69
• SOME OF THE LOST WILL NOT
HEAR
• IT IS AWESOME THAT SAUL
HEARD CHRIST AND BELIEVED
• BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER
GUYS WITH HIM
70
• DID YOU NOTICE THE MEN
WITH HIM IT SAYS HERE THEY
HEARD THE VOICE?
• WE DO NOT READ OF THEM
COMING TO FAITH IN CHRIST
ACTS 22:9
71
“AND THOSE WHO WERE WITH
ME SAW THE LIGHT, TO BE
SURE, BUT DID NOT
UNDERSTAND THE VOICE OF
THE ONE WHO WAS SPEAKING
TO ME.
• THIS VERSE MAKES IT CLEAR
• THEY HEARD THE SOUND OF
CHRIST’S VOICE
• BUT DID NOT UNDERSTAND
WHAT HE WAS SAYING
• THEY SAW THE LIGHT BE DID
NOT SEE CHRIST
72
73
• IF YOU SPEND MUCH TIME
TALKING WITH THE LOST
• YOU WILL RUN INTO A FEW OF
THESE PEOPLE
• THEY WILL HEAR THE SOUNDS
YOU MAKE WHEN YOU TALK
ABOUT GOD
74
• BUT THEY WILL NOT
UNDERSTAND THE WORDS
• THEY MAY EVEN SEE THE
LIGHT FROM CHRIST
• AS WE SERVE THEM AND HELP
THEM
75
• BUT THEY WILL NOT SEE CHRIST
• HONESTLY THIS IS THE TOUGHEST
THING ABOUT
• PRESENTING THE GOSPEL
• MOST OF THE PEOPLE YOU TALK
TO WILL NOT GET THE MESSAGE
MATTHEW 7:13
76
“ENTER THROUGH THE NARROW
GATE; FOR THE GATE IS WIDE
AND THE WAY IS BROAD THAT
LEADS TO DESTRUCTION, AND
THERE ARE MANY WHO ENTER
THROUGH IT.
77
• THIS IS WHY IT IS CRUCIAL THAT WE
UNDERSTAND SOMETHING
• WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
RESULTS OF OUR EVANGELISM
• WE ARE CALLED TO GO TO WHERE
THE LOST ARE AND PRESENT THE
MESSAGE
• GOD IS IN CHARGE OF THE RESULTS
78
• WHEN THE GOSPEL IS
REJECTED IT CAN BE HEART
BREAKING
• BUT WHEN IT IS ACCEPTED IT
IS THE MOST AMAZING THING
79
• WHEN THAT AMAZING THING
HAPPENS, WE NEED TO KNOW
• THOSE THAT COME TO KNOW
WHO CHRIST IS
• MAY NEED OUR HELP IN
GETTING STARTED
80
SOME OF THE LOST WILL NEED
HELP
• THERE IS THIS IDEA THAT WHEN
YOU COME TO CHRIST
• EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE WILL
BE FIXED
• BUT THE TRUTH IS MANY TIMES
81
• WHEN SOMEONE ACCEPTS CHRIST IT
BREAKS THEM
• THEY REALIZE HOW MESSED UP
THEIR LIFE HAS BEEN
• AND THEY FALL APART AND NEED TO
BE HELPED BACK UP
• SAUL WAS SERIOUSLY SHAKEN BY
HIS ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST
82
• THE MEN WITH HIM HAD TO LEAD
HIM THE REST OF THE WAY TO
DAMASCUS
• HE DID NOT EAT OR DRINK FOR THREE
DAYS
• THIS IS A BROKEN AND HELPLESS MAN
• HE WENT FROM “BREATHING THREATS
AND MURDER”
83
• TO BLIND AND BEING LED BY THE
HAND
• YA, JESUS CHRIST WILL CHANGE
YOUR LIFE
• IF WE ARE DEALING WITH SOMEONE
AS FAR FROM CHRIST AS SAUL WAS
• WE NEED TO BE READY FOR THEM TO
CRASH WHEN THEY TRUST IN CHRIST
84
• IT MAY NOT BE AS DRAMATIC AS
BLINDED AND NOT EATING FOR 3 DAYS
• BUT IT IS LIKELY THEY WILL NEED OUR
HELP IN SOME WAY
• DOING THIS GOSPEL THING IS ALOTTA
WORK
• WE MIGHT WONDER IF IT IS WORTH IS
85
A MAN DREAMED THAT HE WAS
SWEPT INTO HEAVEN,
• HE WAS SO DELIGHTED TO THINK
THAT HE HAD AT LAST GOT THERE.
• AN ANGEL CAME AND SAID:
• “COME, I WANT TO SHOW YOU
SOMETHING.”
86
• HE TOOK HIM TO THE WALLS OF
HEAVEN, AND HE SAID,
• “LOOK DOWN YONDER; WHAT
DO YOU SEE?”
• “I SEE A VERY DARK WORLD.”
• “LOOK AND SEE IF YOU KNOW
IT.”
87
• “WHY, YES,” HE SAID, “THAT IS
THE WORLD I HAVE COME
FROM.”
• “WHAT DO YOU SEE?”
• “MEN ARE BLINDFOLDED THERE;
• MANY OF THEM ARE GOING
OVER A PRECIPICE.”
• “WELL, WILL YOU STAY HERE
AND ENJOY HEAVEN,
• OR WILL YOU GO BACK TO
EARTH AND SPEND A LITTLE
LONGER TIME,
• AND TELL THOSE MEN ABOUT
THIS WORLD?”
88
89
• THE MAN WAS A CHRISTIAN WORKER
WHO HAD BEEN DISCOURAGED.
• HE AWOKE FROM HIS SLEEP AND
LATER HE SAID:
• “I HAVE NEVER WISHED MYSELF TO
HEAVEN SINCE.”
• AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE IN THIS
WORLD FOR ONLY TWO THINGS
90
• ONE, GROW TO BE MORE LIKE
JESUS CHRIST
• TWO, HELP OTHERS COME TO
KNOW JESUS CHRIST
• ANYTHING ELSE WE DO IN
THIS WORLD IS INSIGNIFICANT
MATTHEW WAS FOUND
• THEIR HEARTS LEAPT FOR JOY.
• INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH,
MATTHEW WAS
UNTRAUMATIZED.
• HE HADN’T BEEN CRYING.
91
92
• TO HIM, THERE HAD BEEN NO
PROBLEM.
• SOME ASKED WHERE HE HAD
BEEN FOUND.
• “THE CANDY COUNTER,” THEY
REPLIED.
• “YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN HIM.
• HIS EYES CAME JUST ABOUT AS
HIGH AS THE CANDY.
• HE HELD HIS LITTLE HANDS BEHIND
HIS BACK
• AND MOVED HIS HEAD BACK AND
FORTH, SURVEYING ALL THE
LUSCIOUS OPTIONS.”
• MATTHEW DIDN’T LOOK LOST.
93
• HE DIDN’T KNOW HE WAS LOST.
• HE WAS OBLIVIOUS TO THE
PHENOMENAL DANGER HE WAS IN.
• LIVE IN A WE A CANDY-COUNTER
CULTURE
• FILLED WITH PEOPLE WHO DON’T
LOOK LOST AND DON’T KNOW
THEY’RE LOST
94
95
• THESE LOST PEOPLE ARE ANGRY
• AT GOD, RELIGION, CHRISTIANITY
• MANY ARE NOT EVEN AWARE THEY
ARE ANGRY
• WE NEED TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND
THEIR PERSPECTIVE
• MANY ARE LOOKING FOR
VALIDATION FOR THEIR ANGER
• THEIR ANGER IS ENCOURAGED BY
THE CULTURE
• THIS CAN LEAD THEM TO MISTREAT
CHRISTIANS
• WE NEED TO BE READY TO MEET
THEM IN THEIR ANGER
96
97
• AND HELP THEM TO KNOW WHO
JESUS CHRIST IS
• GOD COME IN THE FORM OF A MAN
• TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HE HAS
DONE
• DIED ON THE CROSS TO PAY FOR
OUR SINS
• TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS
REQUIRED
• TO ENTER INTO AN ETERNAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
98
99
• FAITH, TRUST, BELIEF IN
CHRIST’S WORK ON THE CROSS
• IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE
WHO HAS NOT TRUST….
100