Give Them Jesus! Series

TEXT: John 14:6-8

TITLE: “Give them something they can’t get anywhere else!”

SERIES: The Growing Church Part 2

TOPIC: Evangelism

OCCASION: Burnside Christian Church

PROP.: Jesus makes some exclusive claims…but He has the right to do so because He offers what NO ONE else can! In our efforts to reach the lost, let’s make sure we give them what they can’t get anywhere else…let’s give them Jesus!

INTRODUCTION: Good morning!

ILLUSTRATION: Growing up, one of my favorite sodas was Vernors! It is a ginger ale that was unique to Michigan.

Here’s the history of Vernors:

In 1862, James Vernor was called off to the American Civil War. According to legend, he left a mixture of ginger, vanilla and spices sitting in an oak cask in a pharmacy he had been working in. After returning from battle four years later, he opened the keg and found the drink inside had been changed by the aging process in the wood. It was like nothing else he had ever tasted, and he purportedly declared it "Deliciously different," which remains the drink’s motto to this day. Its current slogan is "Barrel Aged, Bold Taste!". The apostrophe in the name "Vernor’s" was dropped in the late 1950s.[1]

Vernors is a golden ginger ale with a pungent flavor, more like a ginger beer. This style was common before Prohibition when the less flavorful pale ginger ale became popular as an alcoholic mixer. While Michiganders who grew up with it tend to like it, many other Americans are suspicious of it, as it doesn’t taste like a "typical" ginger ale.

Vernors has a reputation of being highly carbonated and drinking Vernors from a glass can sometimes make one sneeze or cough from the bubbles it gives off. Some people consume Vernors hot as a remedy for stomachache, with ginger being the active ingredient.

Although both Hires Root Beer and Vernors claim the title of first American soft drink, some argue that while Hires Root Beer was just another root beer, Vernors was not just another ginger ale, due to its unique aging process and unusual sweetener. For many, Vernor’s Ginger Ale is, in fact, the first true American-born soft drink

Vernors was not mass distributed nationally until the late 1980s. Previously the drink was primarily distributed only within a few hundred miles of Detroit, with particular popularity in Michigan, Western New York, Ohio, Chicago, and Southern Ontario, It is also popular in Florida, which has large numbers of retired Metro Detroiters[citation needed], and was even sporadically seen for sale there in the early 1960s — again, due to the presence of northerners migrating to the state after the Second World War.

How many of you have ever heard of Vernors? Oh how I miss Vernors! I would love it if it would be available in county market at Carthage!!

This morning, I want to encourage you in regards to evangelism. And I want to encourage you to give the un-saved person you are praying for something that they can’t get anywhere else!

GIVE THEM JESUS!

Our main text is John 14:6. In this very familiar verse, Jesus makes some BOLD claims! But He can make those claims because Jesus and Jesus alone offers three things to us that we can get NO WHERE ELSE! This is what makes Jesus so precious and valuable!

Let’s read our scripture:

John 14:6

6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

T.S.: Let’s look at what only JESUS can offer our lost friends, family and neighbors.

First, Jesus alone is the way!

1. I am the WAY (BLIND-man) (Mark 8:22 - 25)

Who needs to know the way??? Those who are lost! Blinded by their own sin!

Mark 8:22-25

22They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.

A. The world is blind and BEGGING for Jesus‘ touch! (vs. 22)

Did you catch verse 22? The blind man was begging for Jesus to touch him!

--Here are a list of Friday’s headlines from CNN’s website:

Woman indicted in myspace suicide case

Ellen Degeneres and girlfriend plan to marry

Bus driver beating caught on tape

Shania Twain & Husband splitting up

Do you think the world is blind? Do you think the world is living life the way they want to live it? This world is sick, perverted and unhealthy!

--What does the world need? IT NEEDS DESPERATELY JESUS!

The touch of Jesus heals! It fixes problems. Right and wrong are clearly defined. The way to live life is pointed out!

You don’t have to read the national headlines to see that the world is blind. We live next to people who are oblivious to God; His will and his blessings!