TITLE: You Are A Contagious Christian When…
TEXT: 1 Thess. 1:1-10
THEME: Evangelism
P.S. , Authentic Christian faith is contagious…God wants us to become contagious believers.
Introduction:
The message I want us to take home today is, Authentic Christian faith is contagious. God wants us to become contagious believers.
Remember when we were kids how our mom used to tell us that we could catch a cold if we went outside without our coats and hats and got too cold or especially if we got our heads wet?
Truth is, germs, not cold weather, cause colds. The reason we catch more colds in the cold winter weather is because we’re indoors more and in closer quarters with other people and their germs.
You don’t get sick from cold weather. You get sick from germs from other people who sneeze or cough in your face or transmit germs with their hands to objects that you touch.
Research shows that the most common way to get a cold is from someone who has a cold, sneezes on his hands, and then shakes yours. This is why so many public buildings such as hospitals and nursing homes, even many churches, have those little Purel sanitation bottles at the entrance to their buildings.
Germs are contagious. Germs are the agents that transmit colds and viruses.
Now why do I bring this up?
Last week someone said to me after the service, “If people could get more excited about church, then that would attract more people to come.” I have thought about that statement all week.
What would it take to attract people to our church? Is it friendly people? An awesomely exciting worship experience? Or maybe it is having a dynamic kids and youth ministry.
At the end of the day, we have to realize that it is not program, personality or even preaching that will attract people ( Although a few will choose a church based on some ofthese thngs)
We also need to get our priorities straight. If all we want to do is attract people to our building, then yes lets build the best facility with the most dynamic programs money will buy.
The bottom line is, do we want people to fill our building, or do we want to attract people to Christ? Is there a secret to attracting people to Christ?
Bill Hybels says, “God wants us to become contagious [believers] … who will first catch his love and then urgently and infectiously offer it to all who are willing to consider it. This is his primary plan, the one Jesus modeled powerfully: to spread God’s grace and truth person to person until there’s an epidemic of changed lives around the world” (Bill Hybels, Contagious Christians, 23).
What comes to your mind when you hear the word "evangelism"?( ask for response)
Many think of a slick-haired, shiny-shoed, smooth-talking television evangelist. Or maybe you think of a great soul-winner like Billy Graham. Whichever our perception is, it is dreadfully wrong. We need to understand that to reach people for Christ, we do not have to become something ODD or be someone that we are not. Nor do we have to become something great that is unreachable.
Evangelism is telling people they matter to the Father -- The love of Christ is so at work that it is contagious.
Do you know what’s great about this? We can be ourselves. God knew what He was doing when He made us. He gave you the exact personality He wanted you to have and He wants you to use it to impact those around you.
One of our major purposes as Christ followers is to infect others with the love of God that we have in our hearts and lives. We want to influence them in positive ways that will make them want to know Christ.
According to the Church Leaders Intelligence Report (1/24/07) ;
"A church is considered evangelistically effective if just 1 person in 20 in that church leads a person to Christ in a year. This would mean that a church of 100 people would see five people come to Christ in their ministry in one year if they were evangelistically effective. Based on this theory, only 3.5% of U.S. churches are evangelistically effective."
I am going to wager that the stats are not much different in Canada.
What makes a church contagious? What makes them evangelistically effective? What makes a church one of the "3 and a half out of one hundred?"
The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to a small congregation in an ancient Greek city that was making a worldwide impact for Jesus Christ. If there was ever a contagious congregation, it was that little church in Thessalonica. If ever there were contagious believers, it was them. Their love for Jesus was contagious, infectious, so much so that they were known throughout the Roman Empire. In every place, said Paul, their faith in God had sounded forth so that Paul had no need to tell about them!
They were contagious believers—they caught the love of Jesus and then urgently and infectiously offered it to anyone who was willing to consider it.
The Thessalonian church teaches us three things about being contagious believers: First, contagious believers are infected by Jesus; second, contagious believers are infectious for Jesus, and thirdly contagious believers are incurably devoted to Jesus.
Let’s read together, ( 1:1-10). First of all we learn that,
1. CONTAGIOUS BELIEVERS ARE INFECTED BY JESUS!( 1-4)
The apostle Paul describes the Christian believers in Thessalonica as CHOSEN in verse 4. The NKJV translates the same word as ELECTION. When I was in Bible College, I was taught that there were two schools of theology. One school was the Calvinist school. This taught that God has preordained all who will ever be saved. Salvation is all God, and nothing of man.
The second school, is the Arminian school. This teaches that salvation is man responding to God with his free will. The emphasis is on man’s choice. People ask me, Pastor what are you? I’m a Calminian!
The truth is, Theologians have been debating the virtues of these two schools of thought for hundreds of years, and we will still be debating it until Jesus returns.
Paul here is not concerned with debating all the implications of how or when God chooses. His purpose is to remind the believers that it is God who chose them. According to the Full Gospel Commentary, The OT provides the framework for understanding the concept of Divine election. God chose Abraham and his descendents in order ‘to make Himself known to the rest of mankind.” Isreal, God’s chosen people, was called to enjoy God’s favor and to be a light to the nations, revealing God’s merciful salvation to the world.
Paul is declaring to the Thessalonian Christians that, just as God chose Isreal, God has called each of them, and their lives confirmed their calling to be a light to the nations.
The important thing for you to know is that you are saved! Do you know that you are a Christian? Have you been truly born again? You might ask, how can I know? I prayed with Billy Graham once! I fell down at a Benny Hinn meeting once! What is the evidence to know that I am truly converted?
To be saved is to understand that salvation begins with God. Paul reaffirms this in 2 Thess. 2
13But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you[a] to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.( 2 Thess. 2:13).
The point is the entire plan of salvation was born in the heart of God long before man was created or the universe was formed. The cross was not developed on a whim. God planned your life and the plan for your salvation well in advance. WOW! Do you understand how much God cares for you?
That is why we also say that salvation involves God’s love. God’s love made Calvary possible. I hear people bemoan that they feel unworthy of God’s love. Welcome to the club. It s for that reason Jesus came to demonstrate the depth of God’s love for you.
8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.(Romans 5:8)
However, do not be mistaken. It is not God’s love that saved you! It is not God’s love that saves us from sin, it is His Grace through faith!
8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast.( Eph.2:8-9)
All of us deserve God’s wrath. For the wages of sin is death. But out of His mercy, HE doesn’t give us what we deserve.
All of us deserve punishment, but He grants us forgiverness and pardon of sin, “For the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. This is grace. Recieving what we do not deserve. furthermore, grace is a GIFT of God that we do not earn nor do we ever pay back.
What other evidence is there that we have been truly and genuinely saved? It is the deep witness and conviction of the Holy Spirit.
16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.(Romans 8:16)
6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba,[a] Father."(Gal.4:6)
24Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.( 1 John 3:24)
13We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.( 1 John 4:13)
You and I cannot be saved apart from the Holy Spirit. In fact, Paul makes it clear how each member of the Holy Trinity is involved in your salvation. (W.Wiersbe)
As far as God the Father is concerned, I was saved when He chose me in Christ before the world and time began. As far as God the Son is concerned, I was saved when He died for me on the Cross.. As far as God the Holy Spirit is concerned, I was saved in July 1970, at the altar of Shepherd Gospel temple, when I responded to the preaching of the word, and recognized as a young man of ten that I needed my sins forgiven and asked Jesus to come into my life and be my Lord and Savior. I did not understand all the theology, but I could tell you with assurance, that I knew, that I knew, that I knew I was a child of God.
Not only are contagious believers infected by Jesus,
2. CONTAGIOUS BELIEVERS ARE INFECTIOUS FOR JESUS!(5-8)
A. Contagious believers become more like Christ.
Contagious believers are infected with Jesus, and the truth is, contagious believers are infectious—they have an impact on an unbelieving world. So, how do contagious believers infect others with the love of Jesus? Paul told the Thessalonian Christians that their impact on the world was due to the fact that they, “6became imitators of …the Lord.” That is, they became more like Christ every day. Contagious believers become more like Christ, and that is bound to impact the world.
Eugenia Price says, “If Christ lives in us, controlling our personalities, we will leave glorious marks on the lives we touch. Not because of us but because of him.”
The Thessalonians made a glorious mark on the world because Christ lived in them and controlled them. Billy Graham said, “Our greatest need today is not more Christianity but more true Christians. The world can argue against Christianity as an institution, but there is no convincing argument against a person who, through the Spirit of God, has been made Christlike.”
Contagious believers infect the world with God’s love because they are becoming more like Jesus.
B. Contagious believers experience deeper levels of joy because of the Holy Spirit.
Not only are contagious believers infectious because they are becoming more like Jesus, but they are contagious because they experience deeper levels of joy because the Holy Spirit is in their hearts.
Paul speaks with admiration and wonder about the Thessalonian believers: “…In spite of persecution,” Paul said, “ you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit.”
Aren’t you attracted to joyful people? I know I am. “Joy,” said Leon Bloy, “is the most infallible sign of the presence of God.”
Samuel Gordon reminds us, “Joy is distinctly a Christian word and a Christian thing. It is the reverse of happiness. Happiness is the result of what happens of an agreeable sort. Joy has its springs deep down inside. And that spring never runs dry, no matter what happens. Only Jesus gives that joy. He had joy, singing its music within, even under the shadow of the cross.”
E. Stanley Jones amplifies Gordon’s thought: “The Stoic bears, the Epicurean seeks pleasure, the Buddhist and Hindu stand apart disillusioned, the Muslim submits, but only the Christian experiences joy.”
People want more than mere happiness, they want joy and the only place they’re going to see it is in contagious believers. And, only contagious believers know how others may come to experience it.
C. People notice the difference—and that makes a difference to people!
We do not fully appreciate the significance of being a contagious believer. People notice the difference Christ has made in the life of a Christian, and that makes a difference to people. Paul told the Thessalonia believers that they, “7became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8The word of the Lord has sounded forth from you …. In every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it.” That’s an amazing thing to say!
Paul said of the Thessalonians, “The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia – your faith in God has become known everywhere.” The Greek word for “rang out” or “sounded out” is where we get the English word “echo.” We echo God’s truth as we hear it from him. An echo only repeats what is originally spoken. God has put his voice in us to echo his love.
Let’s stop here for a moment and think this through. Is all this really practical? In my ministry I have had people say to me, “Pastor, I would be out to church more, but I am waiting for my life to get in order,.. I am having too many problems to be fully committed. When the situation in my life is right, then I will get right with God.”
You want to be real? The Thesalonians knew what real life was all about. Of all the churches that are mentioned by name in the N T, there are only two that receive commendations from Paul, and Jesus, with little or no criticism.
One church was the Philippians. Inspite of great poverty, Paul says they remained true and faithful to God. The Second is the Thessalonian Church. They had to endure intense persecution for their faith and were constanly being bombarded with the temptation to just go along with the world and it’s godless value system.
The Thessalonian Christians lived in a society that was devoid of any moral compass. Everyday, there was the overwhelming temptation to compromise their faith and testimony.
They were a poor church. Many of the believers were slaves, or had lost their livelihoods when they became Christians. Add to all this they had to endure intense persecution for their faith in Jesus.
You think you have problems? Our difficulties are a picnic compared to what these early believers had to endure.
Paul says that the Thessalonans, ‘suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered.’
In fact, Paul himself was worried that the intensity of the persecution would weaken even destroy the faith of this fledgling group of believers.. He says “I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.” (3:5)
In fact, Paul had sent Timothy to Thesolonica to gather a report on how the church was doing. Timothy’s report gave relief to Paul
‘But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought us good news about your faith and love…Therefore, dear brothers in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.” (3:6-7)
The lie of the Devil is that it is easy to be a Christian when life has no problems. The truth is, as long as we live we will face times of difficulty and stress.
The Thessalonian Christians were living under the gun of intense persecution and poverty. In spite of their problems, they persevered without compromising their purity nor holding back in their passion for Jesus.
Can the same be said of us? The Thessalonian believers are a model of persevering faith for every generation to follow.
You know that you are a contagious Christian when you let your light shine where you live especially when life is difficult. Finally,
3. CONTAGIOUS BELIEVERS ARE INCURABLY DEVOTED TO JESUS (9-10)
Contagious believers are infected with Jesus. Their faith—their very lives—are infectious. They have caught God’s love in Jesus Christ and then they urgently and infectiously offer it to all who are willing to consider it.
Finally, contagious believers rejoice in the fact that they are infected with God’s love in Jesus Christ. Contagious believers only desire more of Jesus, and we see this lived out in two related way.
A. Contagious believers entrust Jesus with today.
First, contagious believers entrust Jesus with their today—and it shows. Paul encouraged those contagious believers in Thessalonica with these words: “9The people of those regions report … how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God….”
Those believers lived lives of service to God. In other words, Jesus was agenda. We all have an agenda—we all have something we live for and it shows. Its shows in the way we use our time. It shows in how we spend our money. It shows in the way we treat families, friends, neighbors, classmates, and co-workers. Contagious believers have turned from serving themselves and instead are living lives today in service of Jesus. Jesus is their agenda! They have entrusted Jesus with their today.
B. Contagious believers entrust Jesus with their tomorrow.
Just as importantly, contagious believers have entrusted Jesus with their tomorrow. Paul said,“10[You] wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.”
In other words, those contagious Thessalonians were absolutely convinced that the only way to live was through Jesus, and equally convinced that the only way to die was in Jesus. They were absolutely convinced that when they died they would experience the joy of heaven because they had trusted in Jesus as their Savior. They were convinced of the reality of the gospel. They had been brought into a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Contagious believers do not entrust themselves with their eternity, because they know that no one can be good enough to enter heaven on his or her own—that happens only by trusting Jesus and giving him your life. Contagious believers place their eternity in Jesus’ hands.
CONCLUSION: What does this mean for me?
Jesus needs contagious congregations that live out his love so that Havelock will be changed by our influence
But before there can be contagious congregations, there must first be contagious believers. Being a contagious believer is not something you are automatically, it is something you become over time.
But listen, accepting Jesus as Savior is not enough. There are folks who have accepted Jesus, but stopped right there. Remember, Jesus wants you to become like him. Jesus wants you to experience deeper levels of joy. Jesus wants people to notice the difference he has made in your life.
The young salesman was disappointed about losing a big sale, and as he talked with his sales manager he lamented, "I guess it just proves you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink." The manager replied, "Son, take my advice: your job is not to make him drink. Your job is to make him thirsty." So it is with evangelism. Our lives should be so filled with Christ that they create a thirst for the Gospel.
The truth is, the only way for a non-Christian to know what it is like to be a Christian is to see one.
Bill Hybels says, “The attitudes and actions of each of Jesus’ followers would either draw people toward a relationship with God or push them further away. So Jesus was pleading with his people—then and now—to live in a way that would draw people toward the Father. How we conduct our daily lives has implications that reach all the way into eternity.”
Are you living your life in such a way as to cause people to want what you have in Jesus?
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
