Blessing and Friendship

Intro

Growing up in New Hope

Buying our first house (What we wanted it to have)

The evolution of Front Porch to Back Deck

Realization that I could have no interaction with my neighbors if I wasn’t intentional about it

We can’t love our neighbors if we don’t know them and desire the best for them.

Why is this Important?

Jesus says it is important

Matthew 22:37–39 NLT

37 Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

The love that is mentioned is agape

Transition

What does it look like to love your neighbor this way?

Set up series (Purpose)

We want to see people put their faith and trust in Jesus and follow Him

Evangelism Styles

Loving others with my words

When I was a young Christian, I was on fire and wanted to try to save everyone

In your face evangelism

Dare 2 Share example

Not 1 person out of hundreds of households we visited made a decision to follow Jesus

Loving others with just my life

Misquoted St. Francis of Assisi

If they could see me living out my faith, then they would come and ask questions and convert to followers of Jesus

After 17 years of ministry, there have been a couple of people that have decided to follow Jesus because of this.

A Better Way

Barna study entitled “What Your Neighbors Want Most”

1. Listen without judgment.

2. Allow them to draw their own conclusions.

3. Share your own perspective.

This is last for a reason.

You have to pay the “relational rent”

Someone who listens without judgment, offers wise counsel but lets you make your own decision, and loves you no matter what…is also called a friend.

Jesus was a friend

One of his greatest titles to me is “friend of sinners”

Matthew 11:19 NLT

19 The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.”

Jesus also blessed people

Everywhere he went

Mark 10:13–16 NLT

13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. 14 When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” 16 Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

The entire life and ministry of Jesus was a rhythm of befriending and blessing.

This was his evangelism style

God’s very first strategy for reaching the world was through blessing

Genesis 12:1–3 NLT

1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

We are blessed to be a blessing to others.

Blessers vs Converters

pg 17-18

You can’t convert anyone and it is not your job.

John 16:7–11 NLT

7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10 Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11 Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

This should bring freedom because many of us feel like we failed if we did not convict someone and convert them

Our role is to join the Holy Spirit in His work by blessing and befriending the people around us.

Challenge

Who is my neighbor map?

Who do you need to get to know?

Closing

Invite worship team up

We draw people to Christ not by loudly discrediting what they believe, not by telling them how wrong they are and how right we are; we draw them to Christ by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it. (L’Engle)

We can’t love our neighbors if we don’t know them and desire the best for them.

You are blessed to be a blessing