PEOPLE SERVING PEOPLE

PEOPLE SERVING PEOPLE Colossians 1:28-29, 4:1-6 January 6,  2002 Given by Pastor Rich Bersett [Index of Past Messages] Introductory Please turn in your Bible to Colossians 1:28-29. This morning we will be picking up on the teaching we began from this great text last week. The text reads this way: "We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." This passage demonstrates in no uncertain terms the mission of the apostle Paul-to present everyone perfect (mature, complete) in Christ. Behind this motivation is the assumption that PEOPLE MATTER. Ministry to people is what is important. Everything else, including property and programs, is secondary to ministering to people. G.K. Chesterton said, "All men matter. You matter. I matter. It's the hardest thing in theology to believe." Let's try to make it theologically and practically a little easier to believe, OK? Paul clarifies that when we are in people-helping ministry we must teach and model. When those we minister to are more "seasoned" believers, a little more mature in the faith, Paul said he used strong teaching and "admonishment". But, when it comes to the new believer or the Unbeliever, it's a different story. I want to bring our attention to Colossians 4:5-6. Here we encounter how we believers might serve and minister to those who are not yet believers. Around here we make it a habit to refer to those who are unbelievers as those who are "not yet" believers. You know, the way we look at people says a lot about the kind of Christians we are. Paul once spoke of every person as someone for whom Jesus died. The key to lovingly caring for people is seeing them as Jesus sees them. Colossians 4:5-6 "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer every one." I'd like for us to start with verse 6 and consider the three clear directives there on how to deal with "outsiders" (Paul's term for unbelievers). He gives us very helpful counsel on how to talk with people who are not yet Christians. 1. Let your conversation be always full of grace Have you considered the word "grace" lately? "God's Riches At Christ's Expense". God's undeserved favor. Grace is somewhat onomatopoetic: graaaaacccce. What is gracious speech like? • First of all, gracious conversation is…conversation. One of the most ungracious things you or I can do is not talk. When we're too busy or too moody or too worried about how we'll be received if we initiate conversation, we are being most ungracious. Grace moved God to initiate relationship with us. Our gracious conversation with others is our step toward extending the same grace to others. Be a risk-taker. • Gracious speech is also non-invasive. If we impose ourselves too strongly or aggressively on someone we will come off anything but gracious. At the risk of sounding contradictory here, because I just said we must initiate conversation with people, if we come off too pushy, we end up like rude telemarketers. Non-invasive speech is in stark contrast with what many wrongly refer to as evangelism. You know, you hear a strong teaching on how we ought all be sharing the gospel more, we get fired up and gung ho, and God help the next person who comes across our path who even looks like an unbeliever! It's then that we get pushy and ungracious. Let's be wise and gracious in our encounters with people on Christ's behalf. We must learn the art of entering the lives of those who invite us, and then going in only as far as their comfort will allow us. And we must trust the Holy Spirit to open the doors for us. That's His job. Imposing ourselves strongly or aggressively we have closed that person's hearing to the gospel through us. Remember the command at 1 Peter 3:15: "Always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks you concerning the hope that is in you. But do so with gentleness and respect." • Gracious speech also rises out of genuine love for the person. Sometimes I think Christians get into this trap-they feel they have to pretend to love people so they can get them saved. That has a rather hollow ring to it, doesn't it? Paul said "It is the love of Christ that compels us." (2 Cor 5:14) People have to see that we really care for them, and that we don't think of them as another "prospect" or another notch in our gospel belt. We must learn to love people like Jesus loves them. If you can't, PRAY that God would heal you of whatever is hindering His love shining through you, and that He would give you the capacity to love people. • Gracious speech is the way Jesus talked to people. Max Lucado wrote about the parable Jesus told of the Prodigal Son and the Loving Father: "I wonder if when Jesus told his story about the loving father, I wonder if Jesus used his hands? I wonder if when he got to the point in the story that makes the love of the Father clear, did He open His arms to illustrate the point that people could come home to a loving father. Did he perceive the thought of those in the audience who thought, 'I could never go home, not after my life.' Did he see that housewife looking at the ground, did he see a businessman shaking his head as if to say, 'I can't start over-I've made too big a mess in my life.' And when Jesus saw those people, did Jesus open his arms even wider as if to say, "Yes, yes, you can. You can come home." Whether Jesus opened his arms on that day or not I don't know. But I know that He did later. He later stretched his hands as open as he could. He forced his arms so wide apart that it hurt. And to prove that those arms would never fold, that those hands would never closed, he had them nailed open and they are still outstretched for people. It says to them, "You can always come home."     Does your speech welcome people home to God or repel them. • Like Jesus we must be careful to speak in such a way that we tear down barriers and not erect any. You see, Christian love in the way we speak to and treat others has disarming power. On April 6, 2000, Ricky and Toni Sexton were taken hostage inside their Wytheville, VA, home by a fugitive couple on a crime spree. Toni had taken her poodle outside when Dennis Lewis, 37, and Angela Tanner, 20, roared into her driveway, pointed pistols at her, and ordered he back into her home. There, inside the house with her husband Ricky, the story continued. The Sextons turned their hostage experience into an opportunity to demonstrate Christian love. The Sextons listened to their captors' troubles, fed them, showed them gospel videos, read to them from the Bible and prayed and cried with them. The police showed up at the house and surrounded it. During negotiations Ricky Sexton refused his own release when Lewis and Tanner suggested they might end the standoff by committing suicide. The standoff had an unusual ending. Before surrendering to the police, Angela Tanner left $135 and a note for the Sextons that read: "Thank you for your hospitality. We really appreciate it. Wish all luck and love. Please accept this. It really is all we have to offer. Love, Angela and Dennis. 2.    Let your speech be seasoned with salt. The Greek word here for "seasoned with salt was often used in the first century to refer to sparkling conversation. But, be careful, because when we think of sparkling conversation, we usually think of someone who is charming and witty doing a monologue, keeping others entertained. But what the term means is not conversational charisma in the popular sense. Do you know what makes conversation sparkle for people? When they are the subject of the conversation. I know some people who can talk all night and keep me listening. And at the end of the evening I walk away thinking, "He's an interesting person." But I know a rare few others who can talk with me for even a short while, and I walk away thinking, "I'm an interesting person."     Here is the secret of seasoned speech-conversation that sparkles, in the sense of blessing and edifying the participants in the conversation with you-stay centered on their needs. Listen to just a few quotes from Jesus as He engaged in conversation with others: "Zaccheus, I'd like to come to your house today." "Do you want to be healed?" "What do you want me to do for you?" "But who do you say I am?" "Neither do I condemn you…go now, and leave your life of sin." It is so easy to be self-centered, and it takes spiritual discipline to be others-centered. One comedian is quoted in a conversation as saying, "But enough about me, what do you think of me?" Speech seasoned with salt is speech that is interesting and, for most people, nothing is more interesting than themselves! We must use that humbling, embarrassing truth to make deposits of love into other people's lives. Here's a challenge I think each of us ought to take seriously. Monitor your conversation for a day or two, and watch for how often you use the words "I" or "me" in your conversations with others. Develop the habit of asking others' opinions about things, then really listening, resisting your natural impulse to contribute your ideas. Someone who is really good at this here in this congregation is Tim B. When you talk with this guy he is forever asking you what you think, then probing just a little deeper, giving you the opportunity to share your thoughts in a comfortable, non-threatening setting. Paul's counsel reminds of this truth - "outsiders" want to share themselves with other people. They need to know that, in a world where nobody seems to be listening, Christians will take the time to get to know them and to listen to them. As you seek to "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders [and] make the most of every opportunity," be mindful of these things. By the way you act toward them, communicate they are important to you and to God. 3. Know how to answer everyone Before we look any closer at this phrase, please notice that little two-word transition from the first part of verse 6. "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer everyone." "So that" translates the intent of the infinitive "to know". Catch that very important idea: If you will use gracious speech, and if you will season your speech, THEN you will know what to say to people! How often we are hesitant to speak confidently with unbelievers because we are afraid we won't know what to say! Here is your answer! Be nice and listen to them! If you do you will, by the aid of the Holy Spirit, know what to say to them. Jesus promised the Spirit to his disciples for this purpose (among others) - "Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit." (Mk 13:11) This is good news for all of us-the Spirit of God, who is actually more interested in us doing a good job of conversing as we witness to people than we are, is there to help us in finding things to say! Trust Him to bring to your mind what to say as you carry on gracious conversation with outsiders. There it is - "how to win friends and influence people-for Christ". Specific Application for MECF We are beginning an effort to help equip one another in being better conversationalists for Christ. It is part of our new CARE ministry. An attempt to be better stewards of the people who visit these Sunday worship Celebrations and are our guests. We want to be good stewards of these treasured guests, mindful that every person God is pleased to bring to our acquaintance is another opportunity to share the love of Christ with someone. We are structuring some of the things we do in order to help us meet people in more friendly and edifying ways. We want to posture ourselves so that we have opportunity to enter more deeply into people's lives in order to minister to them, pray for them, show them the love of God in meaningful ways, and in every conceivable way, communicate to them that they matter to God. Conclusion Lance Armstrong has won the Tour de France three times. He is a bicyclist, but more importantly, he is a cancer survivor. He overcame testicular cancer that was so bad that a medical institute in Indiana gave him less than a 50% chance of surviving. No one wanted to take a chance on sponsoring his comeback, but somehow he went through a grueling regime and kept his chin up and continued to work out. He gained his weight back, went into training, got a spot on the team and the last couple years is history. He was featured not long ago on 60 Minutes and the reporter showed a fundraiser that Armstrong had helped to organize that raised over 1.5 million dollars for cancer research in Austin, TX. He talked to Armstrong about his desire to help out. Lance Armstrong said, "Well, you know what, I refer to it as the obligation of the cured." Brothers and sisters in Christ - we are among the cured. And we are under obligation to those who've not yet met Jesus, to love them, to be wise in the way that we act toward them, to converse with them graciously, to serve them with seasoned speech. Let's do whatever it takes to make deposits of love in their lives and help usher them into the Kingdom of God. Amen.     [Back to Top]