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!
Mark 1:35 (NIV)
35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
If Jesus lived in my house, I know he’d pray consistently, specifically, and fervently for his neighbors, coworkers, family & friends.
Let me ask you this:
- Who have you stopped praying for?
- Who did you once pray for regularly, but lately you’ve given up on?
- Bring that person’s face to mind—and then consistently bring them back before the Lord in prayer.
II. BE PREPARED TO HELP
Second, if Jesus lived in my house, I believe he would assure his neighbors or coworkers that his door would always be open for questions. In other words, He Would Be Prepared to Help Others APPLYING God’s Word to their situation.
Again, let’s think of the Example of Jesus!
A. Tempted By Satan – MATT. 4:1-11 (Don’t Read – Just Summarize)
Before Jesus began His ministry, He was led by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil.
1. Satan tempted Jesus 3 times
Jesus responded 3 times with the Word of God:
4) “man doesn’t live on bread alone, but on every Word that comes from God”
7) “do not put the Lord your God to the test”
10) “worship the Lord your God and serve Him only”
2. Each time Jesus responded with Scripture
B. How Can You Help What You Don’t Know? – 1 PETER 3:15-16
Before Jesus began in His ministry, He stood this test. He set the record up front!
TURN TO 1 Peter 3:15-16
1. READ VERSE 15
a. “set apart Christ as Lord” – 15
Instead of looking to the world, we must 1st turn to Christ yourself. You must be grounded knowing what He offers and what He is able to do in one’s life.
b. “always be prepared” – 15
How can you offer what you do not know? I believe this points us back to the “role of the church” as we discussed last week.
c. BUT do this with “gentleness and respect” - 15
• Don’t lose your effectiveness because of the way you approach another.
• It’s not a finger point but a hug, cup of coffee, an ear, or YOUR testimony!
2. READ VERSE 16
a. “keep a clear conscience” -16
We need to be prepared so we don’t become an obstacle to another’s faith, but rather a conduit for the truth of God.
a. Know Christ as Lord
b. Able to Handle His Word with Integrity b/cause one is Prepared
c. Has developed Godly Love as Christ himself taught
III. UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF SHOWING YOUR FAITH NOT PREACHING IT
If people see your love and concern for them and others, they will be drawn to you because you LIVED YOUR FAITH RATHER THAN PREACHED IT!
Again, let’s think about the life Jesus lived while on the earth and how he treated others.
A. How About “Woman at the Well” – John 4:1-15 (Summarize)
1. Jesus knew her life of sin (Had 5 earlier husbands and was living with another)
2. Jesus instead reached out and carried out a conversation offering help to her
3. It was after she asked for the gift that Jesus described her life!
B. How About “Zacchaeus the Tax Collector” – TURN TO Luke 19:1-10
1. Summarize verses 1-6
a. Wealthy - he was unfair (Vs. 7 – people muttered “the guest of a ‘sinner’”) - Obviously had pretty bad character
b. Was Short – So short he climbed a Sycamore or Fig Tree
c. Why didn’t he go to the front of the line? People didn’t like him & stopped him
2. READ VERSE 5 – “I want to spend some time wi you!”
a. all throughout his ministry, Jesus spent his time with sinners
b. He wasn’t worried about what others would say – He had a Contagious Heart
c. To be effective for God, as we saw in SOM, we must develop a contagious heart!
3. READ Vs. 8-10
a. Look ‘Lord’ – Zacchaeus was ready to make a change. But suppose Jesus began by pointing his finger and judging him?
b. Can you imagine how many lives were touched in the future b/cause Zacchaeus found the Lord? (READ 10)
C. How About “The Woman Caught in Adultery” – John 8:1-11
1. Jesus at temple in order to teach all the crowd (those that wanted to learn)
2. The Pharisees bring in a woman caught in adultery
a. Trying to trick Jesus – Jealous and Over Righteous
b. The Law required “stoning” but Jesus had been teaching “forgiveness”
c. Jesus would be trapped either way in His answer.
d. Many Christians are simply PHARISEES! Caught another in sin!
3. READ vs. 6b-8
a. Wonder what he wrote!
b. Jesus, even after getting her alone had an opportunity of pointing his finger.
4. He never said a word about her actions. READ VERSE 10-11
APPLICATION
• If Jesus lived in my house, he wouldn’t just share his faith; he’d show his faith.
• He served the blind by restoring their sight, he served the lepers by restoring their health; He served sinners by showing love!
Jesus said in Matthew 5:16 (NIV): “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
GRK for “good” doesn’t merely refer to good as opposed to bad; it also has the connotation of “winsome” and “attractive.”
SUMMARY
Jesus had lived a life on this earth that, as Paul described in Romans 12, “practiced hospitality”. In otherwords, to Become Contagious, Jesus knew the importance of developing a “CONTAGIOUS HEART”.
We must continually develop Contagious Hearts. A heart that longs to be used; A heart that leads us respond as the Lord prompts.
• One that Consistently Prays for Others
• One that consistently works to Prepare to be Effective for God
• One that Shows a heart of love by the way in which the live and respond!
ILLUSTRATION: My Trip to McDonald’s
While standing at counter waiting on my food, I listened as the Cashier called out an order # for one to pick up a rather large order. No one came and she yelled it again. Finally, another cashier recognized the order belonging to some foreigners who did not speak English, yelled out to her, “It belongs to those Mexicans over there who can’t even speak English!”
Stunned, I looked at this colored gentleman standing next to me and smiled and then said; “It’s a shame how disrespectful of others we can be isn’t it?” He looked back at me and said, “yeah, when I left NY and came down here I expected it to be different but it’s not at all for people are just as rude”.
In my heart, I began to ask God to use me and as we talked, I simply made a side comment saying “yeah we talk often at church of the importance of being a ‘hospital’ to others and not a ‘judgment house’”.
Finally, both of our orders came (pretty much at the same time) and he walked out one door and me another. As I walked to my truck he came around the building and called to me and said, “sir are you a preacher?” I responded telling him that our church was across the street, small, but loving and he answered, “Don’t be surprised if you look up one Sunday and see me and my wife sitting there for I really enjoyed talking with you today.”
As I got in my truck, I began to tear up and stopped to say “Thanks Lord for using me to ‘be contagious’.
Work with me to Become Contagious. Let’s work together to Develop a Contagious Heart!
