The Cap (Or The Roof) (Cont.) The Purposeful Preparation Of God’s People Series

The Cap (or The Roof) (cont.)

The Purposeful Preparation of God’s People John 1:29-37

Part 5 in the Series

THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH

Last week we studied the principle of evangelization of the lost. I mentioned during the sermon that in its’ preparation I realized that there was another aspect of evangelization that I noticed in the passage of scripture just prior to my text. Let’s read this passage together.

John 1:29-37

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

30 This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'

31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

32 Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.

33 I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'

34 I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God." 35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.

36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.

I mentioned last week that it may seem a little fickle of the disciples of John the Baptist to up and leave John to follow Jesus. It may seem that way, but, what if…; What if John taught his disciples that, “I am here to teach you about the messiah, so that when you meet the Messiah, you will accept him and serve him.” What if John knew that we must have a Purposeful Preparation of God’s People?

The key verse today is that 37th verse in chapter one: “When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.”

We must understand something that the American Christian Church did not have to understand 30 and 40 years ago. We have to understand that the average non-church going individual is not necessarily failing to go to church because they hate church; it is because they don’t know anything about Jesus Christ.

I put on a pair of roller skates for the first time at the age of 27. Prior to that experience I knew nothing about roller skating. I lived in many towns including my home town of Guilderland and I could not tell you where a roller skating rink was in any of them until 1981. From 1981 until now I can tell you where a skating rink is in relation to every place I have lived. Why? I learned to skate and I loved it. I was good at it and when I put on a pair of skates it made me feel good. I have often wondered if I might not have been a pro if I had started as a young teen. I had a gift for it.

Blank Screen

If you have never heard the gospel, or all you know of the Christian religion is what you hear on regular television, you wouldn’t know anything about Jesus Christ and the wonderful promises he has given us.

When I was a teenager and in my early 20’s this was not the case. The reason we could stand on the proverbial soap box on the streets of Cincinnati and people would actually listen to what we were saying is that what we were saying to them resounded in their hearts. They had been taught when they were younger and what we were telling them was not new, it was something that they knew but had buried away. God would use individuals in their lives to cause there to be a remembrance of things they were taught as children.

This Rob Bell video shows what happens today. (Show Bull Horn) allow 12 minutes (Bill let it go to the end.) I will start talking before it ends that is ok. There is a part of me that identifies with Bull Horn Guy. He was doing something, but he failed to adapt and find a way to effectively reach others.

We need bull horn guys and gals in the church that have taken the time to learn an effective way to reach people in the name of God’s love. People today will just walk by someone preaching on a sidewalk. There is a saying “If it works don’t fix it.” But you can extrapolate from that saying, “If it doesn’t work, maybe you would be wise to find something that does work.” Go Back to Power point