Transitions: From Testimony to Invitation

Transitions: From Testimony to Invitation John   3:1-3; 4:7-19 October  10, 1999 Given by: Pastor Rich Bersett [Index of Past Messages] Introductory Recently I ran across an interesting list.  These are actual label instructions on consumer goods: • On Sears hairdryer: Do not use while sleeping.  (Gee, that's the only time I have to work on my hair!) • On a bag of Fritos: You could be a winner! No purchase necessary.   Details inside. (The shoplifter special!) • On a bar of Dove soap: Directions: Use like regular soap.  (and that would be how?) • On some Swann frozen dinners: Serving suggestion: Defrost.  (But it's *just* a suggestion!) • On a hotel provided shower cap in a box: Fits one head. • On Tesco's Tiramisu dessert: (printed on box bottom): Do not turn upside down. (Too late! You lose!) • On Marks & Spencer Bread Pudding: Product will be hot after heating. (Are you sure??? Let's experiment.) • On packaging for a Rowenta iron: Do not iron clothes on body. (But wouldn't that save more time?) (And whose body?) • On Boot's Children's cough medicine: Do not drive car or operate machinery. (But it's just so much fun to watch those 5 year olds drive cars and fork lifts.) • On Nytol sleep aid: Warning: may cause drowsiness.  (One would hope!) • On a Korean kitchen knife: Warning keep out of children. • On a string of Chinese-made Christmas lights:  For indoor or outdoor use only. • On Sainsbury's peanuts: Warning: contains nuts. • On an American Airlines packet of nuts: Instructions: open packet, eat nuts. • On a child's Superman costume: Wearing of this garment does not enable you to fly. (That's right, destroy a universal childhood fantasy!) As we wrap up our short series on personal evangelism - witnessing, it has occurred to me that this command that is so central to the church does not come with any instructions! So, I thought we might take a couple of minutes to look at the technique of Jesus, as he dealt with people, and learn something about how to move into spiritual conversations and effectively minister the word of salvation to them.   I believe technique is important because I've seen bad technique absolutely ruin a good opportunity for someone to come to faith in Jesus.  ("Not many survive the branding" story) "Nic at Night" There are two case studies in the gospel of John which are particularly telling as they illustrate Jesus' remarkable skill in dealing with people where they are. The first is a very distinguished religious scholar who, by all expectations would have it all together regarding his faith and his relationship with God.  His name is Nicodemus and he was not only a Pharisee, but a member of the Sanhedrin, a very elite group of Jewish nobles who served as a ruling council in Jerusalem.  He had evidently encountered Jesus in ministry settings, and probably had been part of the strong debates that had been raging over Jesus. Here in John 3:1-3, we find this prestigious Jewish religious leader coming to Jesus, not in public, not during daylight when he could be seen by the others--no, but during the evening hours, when it was dark.  He was the original "Nic at Night", come to see Jesus in secret to learn something important from the Messiah.  How will Jesus deal with him? John 3:1-3: Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.  he came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God.  for no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.  In reply (REPLY?  Was there a question? Not really, but Jesus knew this man's heart, why he had come, what he needed most to hear, and He wasn't going to play at any silly games.), Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no once can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." We won't be going through the entire dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus, but I want you to notice the very straightforward, blunt, no-beating-around-the-bush word that Jesus gave this man.  It was as if Jesus were saying to this man, "Hey, Nic, I know all about your theological discussions, your deep, esoteric knowledge of spiritual matters, and I'm not really interested in that scene.  But I think you're here for something more urgent, more important to you personally.  Well, here it is, Nic.  The bottom line on the whole religion thing--You've gotta' be born again!" There is a time, is there not, when we need not fool around with people about religion.  Our responsibility is not to win debates and intellectually out-maneuver other people.  We've just got to deliver the goods (or, the good news!).  As mentioned last week, we are called to live a life that raises questions in the minds of onlookers.  That is, we are called, first, to live as Christians.  Then, when others notice our good works, our lifestyle of integrity, we are to be ready to give an answer to them for the hope we have (1 Peter 3:15).  Blaise Pascal said, "The serene, silent beauty of a holy life is the most powerful influence in the world, next to the might of God."  What had gotten Nicodemus' attention were the miracles of Jesus.  But now he had some questions he wanted answered. Cardinal Suhard once said, "To be a witness...means to live in such a way that one's life would not make sense if God did not exist." As Peter promised, it won't be long before someone will ask you about the hope that is in you.  It is at that point where we are called to make the first all-important transition: FROM WORKS TO WORDS.  People are not going to be won to Jesus just because you behaved in a nice way around them.  (repeat)  They don't know if you're being nice because you won big on the lottery that week, or because you had a good meditation during your yoga on one of the teachings from the Upanishads that morning, or because you've had a genuine encounter with the living God and your life has been rearranged. How are they going to know unless you tell them?  This is precisely what we are called to do.  Matthew 28:18, in it's literal translation, says, "As you go about your business as a Christian, make disciples of all people groups..."  We need to learn whatever we can about transitioning smoothly from our demonstration of the gospel's power to our presentation of the gospel. YOU SURE ARE A NICE PERSON, RICH.  "I'm a lot nicer than I used to be, Sam. Can I share with you how God has made a difference in my life?"  OR "Thank you, Sam--you're kind to say that.  Ever since I came to know God personally, He' s been making a difference in my life." I REALLY APPRECIATE HOW HELPFUL - PATIENT - ENCOURAGING YOU'VE BEEN FOR ME.  "I wish I could take the credit for that, Sam--it's a great compliment.  But when God came into my life He changed me.  And He has made me more helpful -patient -encouraging than I ever was before I knew Him.  Would you be interested in learning how to have a personal relationship with God? The second transition is FROM SMALL TALK TO SALVATION TALK.  This is that always- difficult time of trying to find when and how to turn the conversation from the stock market to the Savior, from talking about the rain to talking about reconciliation with God.  Here again we must lean on the wisdom and timing of the Holy Spirit. Only the truly gifted evangelist does this perfectly naturally.  But, there is much to be learned about this transitioning from the Spirit of God and from experience.   One good way to improve your skills at this art form is to hang around people who do it well.  (You know, every time I turn around the Holy spirit seems to underscore the wisdom of hanging around people who are serious about their relationship with the Lord and their service to Him!) Early last week I was talking with an individual whose intellectual smoke screens were beginning to irritate me in such a way that I felt our conversation was way off track.  So I just interjected, "But you know, the bottom line is that God loves you and He wants you to be in a reconciled relationship with Him, and He's paid the price to make that happen.  He's waiting for your response."  That was an unusually blunt statement for me, but, I believe, Spirit-led, as I saw in the person's eyes that God had struck a chord much deeper than she expected.  And the entire conversation suddenly turned from the camouflage of issues that were going nowhere important to the real heart of how God was dealing with that person. Sometimes you've just got to take hold of the conversation and re-direct it, assertively, in the direction of God.  I have played conversational games with many an artful dodger who wanted anything but to talk about their relationship with the living, personal God through Jesus.   I've begun to hear (that is, listen more carefully to the Holy Spirit) in recent years and determined that my time and the time of the person in question is more wisely spent if I just take the lead.  Usually, our "transitions" in our witnessing encounters with unbelievers, are in this direction--to lead out in he conversation and make it more productive for God.  And, I find that this tactic is usually appropriate with the more religiously astute, like Nicodemus.  Some people have no business beating around the bush--they just need to confront God.  Our need, as responsible witnesses, is to lean in close to the Holy Spirit, get His take on the person we are talking to, then respond accordingly.  In some cases, we will learn from the Holy Spirit that it is time to move in with the heavy artillery, as was the case with Jesus' encounter with Nicodemus.  This is what I call the third transition phase FROM TESTIMONY TO GOSPEL, perhaps the second most difficult transition.  This is the point at which you have shared your own witness and you want to present the basic gospel to your partner. That's how I came to personal faith in Jesus, Sam.  Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus, Sam?  May I share the very simple plan God has for bringing people like you and me into a reconciled relationship with Him? Sam, the Bible teaches that a person can know with certainty that he is going to heaven.  Do you know for sure where you will spend eternity after this short life on earth, Sam?  Would you like to make sure that it is with God? Sam, I've been meaning to share with you how it is you can have a personal relationship with God through Jesus.  Let me illustrate with a simple drawing on the back of this envelope for you.  The basic message of the Bible, Sam, is that God loves you.... The last transition is what most people find to be the hardest--FROM GOSPEL TO CLOSURE.  You know, you've spent time going over the gospel  presentation, you feel like Sam understands all that you've shared, you've answered his questions, and now it's time to invite him to give his life to the Lord, and you just can't find the closure you want.  May I suggest that most of the time it is our fear of failure that keeps us from confronting our friend with the decision he has to make?  We must get free of this fear by reminding ourselves of two important truths:  1) It is God's work, not ours.  He's only asked us to bring people to the point of decision.  If they decide against God, that is a problem between them and God and God is big enough to handle it.  2) There is a natural resistance to the gospel by people in the world, and they will not take kindly to our gestures most of the time.  You're often not going to be received well as a Christian.  Jesus said, "If they treated me badly, they will treat you badly because of your faith in me." EXPECTING THE WORLD TO TREAT YOU FAIRLY BECAUSE YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN IS LIKE EXPECTING THE BULL NOT TO CHARGE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE A VEGETARIAN. Don't take it so personally.  Bravely go ahead and present the opportunity to respond to the gospel Does this make sense to you, Sam?  Is there any pat that you don't understand?  You understand God loves you and wants a relationship with you; you understand the your sin stands in the way of your relationship with a holy God; you understand that God has paid the debt of your sin for you through Jesus; you understand that you can receive that free gift of forgiveness and salvation through trusting Jesus.  Sam, is there any good reason for not receiving Christ as your Savior right now? Sam, millions of people have trusted Christ as their Savior through this simple presentation, and responded in faith by praying and asking Christ to come into their lives. Are you ready to pray that prayer, Sam? "The Water Lady" But Jesus was not stuck on one method.  He also heard the Holy Spirit leading Him in other ways.  In the next chapter of John's gospel we find Jesus led by the Spirit to meet a certain woman at a certain place who would be ready to receive His teaching. Let me park here just long enough to remind us that this is one of the "jobs" of the Holy Spirit.  His "business" (if you will) is to lead people who have the answers into encounters with those who have the questions and need the answers.  Sometimes the burden of this truth haunts me, as I think of all the times I am not tuned in to the Spirit's guidance. All those times He wanted to use me to share the gospel with someone who was ready to receive, and I was so busy about my own business that I did not hear.  Does that thought ever spook you? Well, now it will! Back to the story.  Jesus has pretty well worn out His welcome in Judea and He senses it is time to return to Galilee.  Furthermore, He understands the Spirit to be leading Him through Samaria, despite the fact that Jews always traveled around Samaria (for culturally bigoted reasons) to go to Galilee,  and they never walked through Samaria to get there.  Jesus senses He has an appointment, and He continues to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit into Samaria and all the way to a well just outside the town of Sychar.  Pick up the story at John 4:7... When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"  (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)  The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman.  How can you ask me for a drink?"  (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?  Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?" Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."  The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."  "I have no husband," she replied.  Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband.  The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."  "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet..." Notice the skilled use of transitions Jesus used to bring this woman from casual conversation to a confrontation with God.  First, He got her attention with a surprising request from a man culturally twice removed from her.  He then begins to use water, which is what the conversation is about, as a metaphor for spiritual satisfaction, which is what the woman was truly thirsty for.  She attempts to dodge this obvious redirection of the conversation by maintaining a literal interpretation of the water.  So Jesus turns to the prophetic to uncover her sin and her need.  Jesus was a master at the art of "transitions". By the way, as many of you know, the woman comes to faith in Jesus and as a direct result of her testimony, (verse 39): "Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman's testimony. Let me suggest at least four principles for good "transitioning" illustrated in this encounter: 1. PRAY for the Holy Spirit's leading.  Ask Him to take you places you need to go to be God's ambassador.  Ask Him to lead you to the people he wants you to witness to.  He led Philip out of town to a lonely road in order to meet an Ethiopian whose heart was open to the gospel.  As a result, this treasurer took the gospel to a new beachhead in eastern Africa.  Do you like adventure?  Wake up each morning and ask the Spirit of God what your marching orders for the day are. 2. OBEY the Spirit's leading. What good does it do to ask for direction if we're not going to follow it?  James 4 says that often when we ask something from God, we don't get it, because we ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.  When we ask God for His direction , but do not intend to be obedient to our calling once we go to where He directed us?!?!  I have a hunch God isn't real interested in leading someone with such insincerity.  May I ask, how many of us in this room this morning have dared to ask God, "What mission field would you like to send me to?" 3. LISTEN to the remarkable stories of the people you're sent to.  People must know we care about them.  When Christians march into witnessing opportunities without any love for the person they want to witness to, that lack of real concern will show itself most boldly in an unwillingness to listen.   Have you noticed how few people really listen to you?  (In case you didn't hear me, I said, "Have you noticed how few people really listen to you?!) Once President Franklin Roosevelt got tired of smiling that big smile and saying the usual nice things at all those White House receptions.  He said no one ever listens to what you say anyway.  So one evening, he decided to have a little fun.  As each person came by with an extended hand, he flashed that big smile and said, "I murdered my grandmother this morning."  People would respond robotically with comments such as "How lovely!"  or "Keep up the great work--we're proud of you!"  One foreign diplomat, who barely could understand English, responded softly, "I'm sure she had it coming to her!" I had the occasion to spend some time with a man who is a Buddhist.  In fact, we spent several meetings together.  I took the time to ask questions about the sacred Vedas, and asked questions about the Hindu faith.  As we met for the fourth or fifth time, my friend said to me, "I'm very impressed with you.  Most Christians are in a hurry to convert me, but you genuinely listen to my story.  Thank you."    Good listeners are not only popular with everyone, but after a while they learn something. But good listening does, in fact, honor the person we are in conversation with.  Jesus modeled this art.   There was an attractive woman who was taken to a formal dinner one night by Sir William E. Galdstone, the distinguished English statesman.  The next evening she was at a dinner where she was seated next to Benjamin Disraeli, Gladstone's equally distinguished opponent.  When asked her opinion of the two men, she replied, "When I left the dining room after sitting with Mr. Gladstone, I thought he was the cleverest man in England.  But, after sitting next to Mr. Disraeli, I thought I was the cleverest woman in England." 4. BUILD BRIDGES into people's lives based on what they tell you.  As you listen, ask God to give you wisdom about what is important to the person you're talking to.  Listen to hear their deepest needs, and build a bridge for the gospel. I HAVE AN AWFUL TIME TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING DONE THAT I NEED TO DO.  "Sometimes it's just hard to know what's truly important, Sam.   I've found that a personal relationship with Jesus has helped me to sort out the important things in life and to let go of the things that just don't matter." I'M HAVING A HARD TIME AT HOME.  MY WIFE AND I ARE ALWAYS FIGHTING AND I FEEL DISTANT FROM MY KIDS.  "I understand, Sam.Relationships can be tough.  But God is very interested in you becoming all He intended you to be.  His plan is to make you healthy, then, through you, to make your relationships better." NOTHING SEEMS TO BE WORKING OUT FOR ME--I HAVE NOTHING BUT BAD LUCK.  "Life can be hard, Sam.  But did you know that God wants to help you? He really is on your side.  The Bible teaches that if we team up with Him, even though our problems don't go away, He gives us supernatural strength to get through them.  Would you be interested in knowing how to get on God's side?" OH, I'VE TRIED RELIGION--I WAS RAISED IN THE CHURCH, BUT IT JUST NEVER MEANT MUCH TO ME.  "You might be surprised to hear this, Sam, but God is also tired of religion, but He is very interested in a relationship with you." There are very real barriers that we believers face as we try to honestly share our witness with others.  And they are all barriers of FEAR.  What the Lord is calling His people to do is to crash through those barriers, relying on courageous faith, and to step into a lifestyle of witnessing that is unashamed of the gospel, unafraid of negative consequences and undeterred by barriers. At which transition point do you usually freeze up in your witness to others? WORKS TO WORDS SMALL TALK TO SALVATION TALK TESTIMONY TO GOSPEL GOSPEL TO CLOSURE God is not angry with you facing that challenge, but He wants you to move through it, and stand up for Him in your everyday relationships with people.  Remember, this is our calling! if we are not witnesses for Jesus.  Why?  He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. George Barna, the genius researcher of the modern church, reported that in the first years of this decade he took a national survey among unchurched adults.  the results indicated clearly that 25% of them would attend a church if a friend made the effort to invite them.  that's one out of four!  That means if the 80 million churched believers would ask four people each, 20 million more Americans, and their kids, would be in church next Sunday! How many are ready to hear and respond to the gospel?  I imagine there are millions today who, if they were meaningfully engaged by someone who had been praying for the Holy Spirit to lead them and who was ready to give an  answer for the hope that is in them, would say yes to Jesus today.  And, if you had to share your faith with 40 people in order to see one come to Christ--is that a problem? I'll never forget what my friend, Becky Byrd, once shared with us.  She had learned from a sales meeting in a renowned skin care and make-up company this phrase.  Some will, some won't, so what?  Ask them!                   [Back to Top]