A Contagious Heart Series

INTRODUCTION

We begin week two of our “Becoming Contagious” series with a story from one of the authors of both of our One Another Group Classes, Lee Strobel. Lee tells of a Christian friend of his named John, who had taken a routine business trip to Atlanta. John said, “Everything was going according to schedule, and I decided I would stop into this little sunglass shop at the airport and buy some sunglasses. So I went into the shop, picked out some sunglasses, paid for them, and started to walk out of the store.

“As I was walking out the door, I had one of those nudgings from God. I just knew I had to turn around, go back into the store, and talk to the cashier about Jesus. I just knew I had to do it. But,” he said, “how could I? On what basis could I get into a spiritual conversation with this stranger? I’d already made the purchase. So I ended up using the worst transition into a spiritual conversation in the history of evangelism.”

John continued: “I went back into the store and picked up some sunglasses to try to buy some time while I figured out what to say. Finally, I said to the guy, ‘Sunglasses, huh?’”

“He was reading a newspaper at the cashier’s station. He looked at me and said, ‘Yeah.’”

I looked through the sunglasses and said, ‘Uh, isn’t it great that, uh, these sunglasses can, like, um, protect our eyes from the brightness of the flames of the sun?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’ Then I blurted out: ‘Well, wouldn’t it be great if we had something that could protect us from the flames of hell?’ As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I couldn’t believe I said that!

“The guy set down his newspaper, looked me in the eye, and said, ‘You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately.’ I was shocked! I said, ‘You have?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’”

So John started talking to him about Jesus. He talked about forgiveness and grace and eternal life, and tears started flowing down this cashier’s face. Then in a prayer of repentance and faith, right there at the counter of the sunglass shop, that man received Jesus Christ.

APPLICATION

That’s what the Christian life is like when you develop “a contagious heart”. When you yearn to let God use you to reach others, and you make yourself available to talk about Jesus as opportunities arise and as the Holy Spirit prompts you, words can’t describe it – But God Works! And through us!

I believe Jesus would look at our neighbors differently than we often do. He’d see them through heaven’s eyes. And if we could see them even a bit like Jesus does, that would not only change us, but the result would radically impact our neighbors.

TODAY’S MESSAGE is Part 2: “A CONTAGIOUS HEART”

We Must Develop 3 PRIORITIES:

1. A Consistent Prayer Life

2. Be Prepared to Help

3. Your Life Must Show Your Faith & not Preach It!

To help us in our understanding today, I want us to look at how Jesus enacted to others and at the same time, ASK ourselves how would He act if he lived in our house, or went to our school, or worked in our office.

I. CONSISTENTLY PRAY FOR OTHERS

The first thing we would see if Jesus was with us is Consistent Prayer for Others.

I began to think of Jesus’ life on earth…

A. Like the time of the Storm. MARK 6:45-50

(Summarize Story)

1. Jesus and disciples had just finished a Hard Day at Work

2. The Disciples began to cross the lake – Jesus withdrew to pray READ VS. 46

3. Disciples rowing most of night (John account said 3 ½ miles) & a Storm came.

4. READ VERSE 48 – “He saw” Jesus knew when they needed help

a. He was watching from the mountainside as they fought the storm

b. They were tired and worn out – Close to their end – as many of our friends

c. Jesus was praying for them (remember where Jesus was)

d. Jesus “climbed in the boat with them and the wind died” – READ 51

APPLICATION

1. What would happen if we really began to pray for a friend in a storm.

2. They may have been rowing all night long.

3. You also remember how God helped you through a similar storm.

4. You begin to pray “Lord use me to point them to you!”

5. I bet that is what Jesus would do if He were with you!

B. To Have a Contagious Heart – there must be Consistency in Prayer

Over & over in the life of Jesus, we see where he withdrew to pray. God was the link!