December 11, 2011 How Do You Love God? (V)
12.11.11
John 20:1-23
At Christmas we celebrate Jesus coming.
he was sent to us for our salvation.
Jesus was sent by the Father,
but now Jesus sends us.
We don’t have missionaries that we send.
We are missionaries and we are sent.
You are a missionary.
Not you pay others to be missionaries.
a man works at a shop
owner tells him to open up the store, sweep up, unload the deliveries that came yesterday, and run the cash register
when the boss comes back he asks how did it go? I did the first three but I never had time to run the register
well nothing was sold that day
we have been told to
receive teaching and sacrament from our leaders, love one another in the church and family and neighbors, be a missionary to those outside the church
can we just say: I never did the third one
You think the mission field is overseas, but it is all around you everywhere you go everyday.
You are sent to cross the barrier from church to non-church to represent Jesus.
The church is not to simply to wait for them to show up here in a worship service.
We are to go to them.
NOT THE OLD WAY: accost a stranger, make a presentation, ask for an instant conversion, if we don’t get it, move one, if we do get it, tell them to go to church
verse 22
Jesus gives them the Spirit to help with the mission. How does the Spirit help?
1. the Spirit works in you love for Jesus
Jesus is Lord and has won the victory for us is the essence of our message
to present Jesus as a fact or object or belief
does not touch people
he must be presented as one you adore and love and worship, you have experienced his love for you– this is authentic and personal and experiential
2. the Spirit works in you happiness in Jesus
people must know that Jesus has transformed your life and given you real happiness and fulfillment
people are looking for happiness and spiritual fulfillment– they want to know if you have found that in Jesus
if you are not happy in Jesus
then people will smell a rat
they will not care what you have to say and see you as fake
your mission will be weak because
you yourself will doubt and mistrust that Jesus has life to give
3. the Spirit works in you love for those you are trying to reach
people do not listen to those they don’t have a relationship or connection with
you must first love them and establish a real relationship with them
people must know that you love them
4. the Spirit works in you membership in a community
if someone is not a Christian then his community is likely not Christian either.
Most people do not want to convert and be estranged from their old community and join a strange and scary new community.
you must be in a community of people loving each other and welcoming outsiders
loving community is part of our witness to the world — they must see better community in your life, your community should attract
John 13:35 “by this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
loving community draws others into it
many people are lacking loving community
do you have such community?
they need to be welcomed into community before they are Christians
as Jesus welcomed people into community before they were disciples and then challenged them to repent and follow
conversion is a long process 99% of the time (not instantaneous)
they can’t move through the conversion process with out being in a community
that guides them along
until they make a full commitment
*This is what the Spirit must do in you.
You must seek the Spirit from Christ to change your life
and then go on mission.
Who should you target?
1. people you already love
People to whom you are attached and have a relationship. People don’t convert who have no Christian friends.
2. people already like you — shared interests, lifestyle, background — easy to connect with people from your cultural circle. People do not often cross cultural barriers to join a community or convert.
3. people already near you — you see them every day at home, work, school — Many opportunities to connect and love them.
People do not listen to strangers.
4. people the church is already reaching — Join others in this church already reaching certain group of people.
Cara Childers is working with middle school children at ER Middle (in the building)
Ben P and David P are working with boy scouts
Heather Prettyman/ Terry Turner work with people struggling financially in East Ridge
Catherine and Susan want to start an ESL/tutoring ministry with kids
Also you could band together with others to reach a certain group that someone in the group already has a lead on
(don’t do it alone)
5. people a local ministry is already reaching
volunteer– there are hundreds of ministries in Chattanooga
6. people who are unloved
they may be very different from you
loving them will be the only connection
but if no one else loves them that may be enough to establish a bond
if they are lonely and without community, you can bring them into community, your family and small group
7. people who are unhappy
their emptiness and sadness may be enough to get them listen to you
if you have a real happiness in Jesus Christ offer them and show them what Jesus has done in your life
stay in relationship with them
bring them into the community of your brothers and sisters in Christ
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