A Crazy Message

         Sharing a message isn't difficult these days. We can email, text, instant message, or use the phone to call people. We can use websites and blogs and Instagram and Tik Tok and Facebook and Twitter to send out a message to larger audiences— as long as you don't get banned or put in Facebook jail.

Sharing a message isn't difficult these days— but sharing the message of your faith still seems to be. I want us to look again at a passage I've used on many Sunday mornings, a foundational verse of our God given mission. Let's look at Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)...

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. (19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

I read of a preacher years back tell of his evangelistic outreach effort. He explained that when the milkman came— (yeah, it was a while ago...) when the milkman came, he simply asked "Are you a Christian?" To which the man sadly replied, "No, I am not— I am lost." They then immediately prayed together about the milkman's salvation.

I'm not sure it works quite like that anymore. If an Amazon delivery driver pulled up to your house tomorrow and you asked them if they were a Christian, they probably wouldn't offer up that they were lost. Today, I don't think those outside of Christ have any idea that they are lost. In fact, they'd probably argue with you if you even suggested that they were.

As Christians, we carry the best message in the world— salvation and eternal life in Jesus Christ— it's real! But if we're not gracious in our presentation of that message, we become just another person trying to argue how 'right' we are, or worse yet, we're perceived as just another condemning, judgmental voice. Since we are called by Jesus in the Great Commission to share that message, but today's modern person is extremely skeptical of our words; what do we do? I think the best start is to...

I. Live the message

I'm not saying 'don't use words'. You have to use words, at some point, or you're only promoting living a good life. You have to talk about Jesus— but if you only use words without living in a way that matches Jesus' message, your actions will speak louder than your words. And I'm not suggesting you have to live a perfect life in order to share the message. If that were the case, none of us could say anything. But we should at least shoot for consistent and authentic.

We need to show that God's message of hope is relevant to people's lives. If they don't believe they're lost— show them what it's like to be saved. Anyone can sit and tell you his or her thoughts about God, but people need to see a real person who has a genuine relationship with Jesus. How does your relationship with Jesus make a difference in your life? And if it doesn't make a difference — or — if people can't see that difference, why would they care about knowing Jesus?

We can listen to a preacher, we can sing our songs, we can even study our Bibles, which I wholeheartedly encourage you to do— but I had a professor in college who asked, quite bluntly, and I quote— "Who in Hell cares?" Now he wasn't swearing, he was literally asking, "Is there anyone in Hell who actually cares whether you did any of those things or not?" Does our relationship with Jesus make a difference in the life of anyone who is lost and going to Hell?

If you genuinely believe Jesus when He says, "No one comes to the Father but by me"— why wouldn't you want to share that with others? If you don't really believe that; if you don't act on that truth— coming to Church service here can really just become all about making you feel good about yourself.

'Prior to the Church's reformation— the masses didn't have access to the scripture, the Clergy were 'the experts', the crowds just showed up, got sprinkled, put money in the coffers and left the work of the Church to the ministers and priests. It was convenient, but the Church was Biblically ignorant and the clergy became corrupt and the Church lost sight of her purpose.

During the pandemic— Church services went online, people could just stay at home and watch— or not. Lots of things got put on hold, but many became very comfortable with their new passive role. But you can't serve one another from your sofa. You can't have a community of faith on your couch. You can't experience the power of a room full of believers worshipping together from your living room.

The Church isn't called to watch— we're called to engage. We give. We sacrifice. We encourage. We do life together. The church needs you, and the lost need the Church.'

A church that doesn't share the message of Jesus Christ is a contradiction in terms. Or more accurately said, a Church body that does not share the message of Jesus Christ isn't being the body. If we believe that Jesus is the Son of God and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we also have to take the call to share that Good News seriously. So...

II. How do we share our faith?

We know we are to live the message of Jesus— how do we move from that knowledge to action? I want us to look at what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 9:1-4 (NIV)...

I speak the truth in Christ — I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit — (2) I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. (3) For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, (4) the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.

Did you catch what Paul said there? If it was in his power, he would trade his life for the lost people of Israel. This is a guy who would give up his own salvation if it meant that others could go to Heaven in his place. Do we feel that strongly about the lost? Do I...?

It wasn't all of Paul's deep Biblical knowledge that drove his desire to reach out to the lost; it was his deep love and compassion for those outside of Christ. Why was Paul so effective as an 'evangelist'? Because it wasn't solely his doctrine that drove him— it was Christ's love for others in him.

I try to be extremely diligent in making sure my teaching is Biblically sound, to make sure my doctrine lines up with scripture and not the opinion of man. And that is vitally important— but none of that will ever matter to anyone outside of the Church if I don't learn to...

A. Love the lost

The last two weeks I reminded us that Jesus commanded us to love God with all our heart, soul and mind and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Let's be honest, it's relatively easy to get in the habit of intentionally showing love to God, here on a Sunday morning, and then forget about the other half of that command.

There are a lot of people outside of these four walls who need us. I understand that some of us may feel a bit limited in what we can do based on our own circumstances— trust me, I do— I'm there frequently. I also know that many of us are still trying to get our footing after the last year. But as I was thinking about it— there are all sorts of things that have been extremely hard in my family— but we have faith in God. How are those who don't believe in Jesus dealing with all of this upheaval...?

They don't know it— but they need Christian people who are genuinely, actively, intentionally, repeatedly showing love to their friends, family and neighbors. Those outside the Church need genuine love, and one of the most loving things we can do is to speak to them about Jesus. We are called to live the message, as I stated in my first point— but we also need to find our voice. The Apostle Paul again Romans 1:16 (NIV)...

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Paul was excited about talking to people about Jesus, because he knew he was bringing Good News! His first priority wasn't to explain to people how they were such horrible sinners, but to tell them about the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ. To those who were lost— Paul didn't want to be known for what he was 'against'— but for what he was 'for'— Jesus Christ!

But here's the question— I'm telling you that in order to share your faith you have to 'love the lost' and care enough to speak to them about Jesus. But what if you don't feel that pull as strongly as maybe you should? What if you honestly don't have that emotional drive that pushed someone like the Apostle Paul to reach out to people in love?

Well, if you don't feel that burden, but would like to have your faith make an earthly difference for someone, start simple...

B. Pray for the lost

We need to pray for those outside of Christ until we do care. I need to pray more so I can be less focused on all the legitimate concerns in my life and more focused on others. If you do make it a point to pray for the lost on a regular basis— the emotion will follow. Praying regularly for those outside of Christ can change our whole perspective on sharing the message.

I want to go back to a part of that first passage again...

Matthew 28:19-20a (NIV)

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

When we change our perspective, it's we who are changed. I can't control how others respond but I can control how I respond. If my focus is on changing others— I have very little control over that and I'm probably going to be disappointed. But if I focus on what I can do— teach God's Word— and then let God's Holy Spirit do the changing on His timetable, that changes how I see people and how I pray.

Years ago I had a conversation with a minister who was just starting out. He was getting frustrated because many of the people with whom he was working were relatively 'un-churched'— they were a bit 'rough around the edges'. He kept saying, "Well they should be more spiritual." To which I replied, "But they're not..." "But they should be!", he responded. To which I again replied, "But they're not..." "But they should be more committed!" - "But they're not— and it's our job to graciously teach until they are."

When you read the stories about Jesus, he was constantly surrounded by 'sinners'. There were always crowds around Him and He was constantly invited to banquets and feasts. Why? He preached all the time and talked about the Kingdom of God continuously. Why didn't they run away from Him? People legitimately liked to be around Jesus— why?

I think the answer was His graciousness and compassion. Jesus honestly loved them and showed that love with a compassionate, welcoming heart instead of a condemning attitude. Jesus welcomed them as they were despite their sins and their faults before He asked them to change. He treated them as friends and not the enemy. Jesus had a welcoming attitude that 'lost people' were attracted to - do I always display that same attitude..?

For us as individuals, and as a church, to reach people we have to show that same welcoming attitude; that love and acceptance. We are to learn to love the lost, we are to pray for the lost and we have to...

C. Trust the message

One last time, let's go back to the very last part of that first passage— the very end of the great commission.

Matthew 28:20b (NIV)

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

We are not alone in sharing this message.

I think we can get intimidated about sharing Jesus with others because they might think it's weird or we think we don't have the right words. You're very possibly right on both accounts. We know the Apostle Paul influenced thousands for Christ. What was his secret?

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (NIV)

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. (2) For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (3) I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. (4) My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, (5) so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

It's our job to share Jesus with people and God's Holy Spirit will do the hard part. We are to go share God's message and then let people decide whether they want to follow Jesus or not. I suppose a big part of our job is getting out of the way of the message and letting God's Spirit take it from there. It says this in 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV)...

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Trust in God's message and share how God has saved your life.

So What?

People can argue with you about all sorts of things about the Bible and religion— but they can't argue with what Jesus has done for you! That's what you need to share. Yes, claims of eternal life and 'God in the flesh' dying on a cross does sound a bit crazy to the lost. But it probably sounded crazy to many of you, too, before you believed. And now it's a truth that you cling to with everything you've got.

Every week— and I know the repetitiveness bugs some people, but at the end of each service I ask you to 'bring a friend'. I do that so that we never forget that we as a Church exist in part for those outside of the Church. We have found a Savior that those outside of the Church don't even know they need. This life is not all there is and this matter of sharing the Gospel message with others is very literally a matter of life and death.

Don't spend time 'loving God' to the neglect of loving others. Wouldn't it be great to see all of our friends and neighbors and family members worshipping here with us each Sunday? If we believe that the Bible is true and that there is a Heaven and a Hell and that our eternal destination is determined by an acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ - we all have some work to do. Please go share Jesus with someone this week.