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When I was thirteen, a young lad only three years older than me said something that would change my life for ever. A single sentence of his is the reason I am a Christian today. What could you say in just ONE sentence that could switch someone from being an agnositic to being a passionately committed Christian? Now bear in mind that this wasn't a vicar or someone with a theology degree. This wasn't a professional evangelist who had years of experience of explaining doctrines. This was just a teenager, himself quite new to the faith - yet he managed to find the right single sentence to change my life for ever.
Any ideas what that sentence might have been? [take suggestions from congregation]
No - it was much simpler than that.... The single sentence that changed my life was "Why don't you come along to the Christian Union tonight?"
That young person happened to be my brother - I don't know if that made it easier or harder for him to say that. It can feel quite scary talking to your families about these things. Yet somehow he plucked up the courage and said the sentence and changed my life. And if anything I have ever preached or done has effected your life in any way - then he changed your life too. Through just one simple sentence. "Why don't you come along to the Christian Union tonight?"
You see, the hard work had been done for him. Once I got to the meeting there was a friendly lively environment that was attractive enough to make me want to come back and come back again. Once I got to the meeting there were preachers who would talk of a God who loved us enough to die for us on the cross, who would explain how each one of us matters and has value to God, and how whatever mess we may make of our lives we could have forgiveness through the cross and a fresh fresh start.
Of course I had to hear all that before I gave my life to Jesus and became a Christian. The people putting the sermons together had the HARD job. But you know - they could have preached their hearts out; they could have preached the best sermon that has ever been preached in history of Christianity ... and it would have made ... NO difference, unless someone had said the simple words "Why don't you come along to the Christian Union tonight?" It does not matter how good what went on in that Christian Union meeting was. Without the invitation I would never have heard it, never have experienced it, never have become a Christian.
Now something happened on 12th December last year. I don't know if you remember back to the Carols by Candlelight two years ago. There were about 80 people there ... which was lovely. Well this year there were 160 people there. How come that number doubled? Because you - yes I'm looking at you - you did something very very simple. The same thing my brother did that Friday evening in 1986. You invited them.
Apparently, according to surveys conducted by Christian Sociologist George Barna, 53% of Christians feel a sense of responsibility to tell others about their faith. Well you are clearly in that 53% ... because there is no way a service could go from 80 people to 160 people by accident. There were 160 people because you invited them.
Now you may not think of inviting a friend, a neighbour or a family service to a carol service as a particularly significant action. But if so, you are underestimating what you have done. This IS evangelism. And as you grow in confidence and just as you invited people to that so invite people to other services, it won't just be the carol service that doubles in size, it will be the church.
last year there was a speaker at a diocesan event at the Cathedral. His talk was entitled the secret to doubling your church overnight. And you can guess what that secret was. If every person in a church brings not twenty new people, not ten new people, not five new people, but just ONE new person, then the church would double in size. And indeed that was our experience at the carol service a month ago.
In our bible reading today, Jesus invites us to be "fishers of people" - not keepers of the aquarium, but "fishers of people". Thinking of real fishing - the stuff you do with rods and lines and maggots - I've only ever caught one single fish. It's not that I'm a bad fisherman. Nor is it that there were not waters teaming with fish waiting to be caught. I've only ever caught one fish ... because I've only ever been fishing once. That sounds so basic. The first and most important rule of catching fish, is that if you want to catch fish, you actually have to GO - go fishing. and it's exactly the same for us when we respond to Jesus's call to be fishers of people. We have to take our fishing rod, cast our line [mime it] .... and invite people.
Now even those of us who are not fishermen know that when you go fishing you attach bait to the hook. Usually people don't use truffles from the French forests or finest fillet stake. Usually they use ... worms. Fr Jerry Shirley [1] points out there is there is a good analogy for fishers of people. When we haven't evangelised, it's often been because we feel we need to offer fillet steak, and we haven't got that. We think we can't really say anything because we don't really know enough theology , or we're not senior enough in church, or our lives aren't exemplary enough. But we don't need to offer fillet steak. All we have to offer is the worm. However small and insignificant we feel, we can offer ourselves, and offer our invitation.
Today's Gospel reading shows we evangelise for a number of reasons. We evangelise because Jesus did it.vs 17 "from that time Jesus began to proclaim 'Repent for the kingdom of God is near'" vs23 "Jesus went throughout Gallilee proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom"
Secondly we evangelise because Jesus calls us to: vs 19 "follow me and I will make you fish for people".
But most importantly we evangelise because what we have to share is GOOD NEWS. vs16 "The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. For those who sat in the region and shaddow of death light has dawned"
vs 23 "proclaiming the GOOD NEWS of the kingdom and curing every disease and sickness.
The reason my brother invited me to that Christian Union meeting was because he thought it was worth going to. The reason you invited people to the carol service was because you thought it was worth going to. The reason we share our faith is because we know that not just us but so many people, have found it is something worth sharing. It's good news.
So why is it good news. Take a moment to think of ONE reason why the Christian message is good news for us and for our friends. I'm not asking for a right answer ... there are many answers. Just one reason why Christianity is good news
[take suggestions from the congregation]
[fill in from the list below any holes]
- forgiveness- whatever we've done the chance that our past can be put to death and we can have a fresh start
- Peace - that's what many people say they find when they come to church - even in churches like ours whose masses are accompanied by lively music. In our hectic world where no one has time to stop, people can find peace.
- that we matter - that we not just a few random insignificant molecules in an obscure corner of the universe, but we have value - we matter to God.
- that life is not aimless - but God has a unique plan and purpose for each one of us. Life is not planned to be boring, but an adventure
- that we (whatever our background) can be part of a community - the body of Christ that will accept us, welcome us and make us at home
- that prayers can and are answered
- that when society seems so confused about what the best way to live is, there is ancient guidance available for today in the pages of God's word
- That this life is not the end, but just the beginning. That every one of us here will be ALIVE in 50 years time. Maybe not here - not on earth - but ALIVE. because the few years we have here are just the beginning compared to the life that follows
- forgiveness - I know I mentioned that already. But isn't it wonderful we don't have to earn a fresh start- God freely gives us a second chance, a third chance - however chances we need, because he loves us so much.
You may have in your head some completely different reason. That's wonderful. That's wonderful - because what we have to share is worth sharing.
Now I'm going to ask you -take your hand. I'm going to ask a question with the answer a) b) c) d) or e) and I'm going to ask you to trace on your hand either {demonstrate} a), b), c) or d) e) depending on which answer you wish to give. No one else can see it - but just trace the answer on your hand so you know you've done it.
The question is - how many people are you going to commit to inviting to church this year. Not how many people are you going to explain the doctrines of the atonement to. Not how many people are you going to lead there and then to a personal commitment to Christ. Not even how many people are going to say yes to your invitation (because that's beyond your control). But simply how many people are you going to commit to inviting to church this year.
Will it be
a) one person each fortnight?
or
b) one person each month?
or
c) one person each quarter?
or
d)one person each six months?
or
e) to invite no on at all?
A,B.C.D or E. I'm going to pray - then I'm going invite you not to show anyone - but in a way no one can see except you and God: to trace that letter on your hand
a) one person each fortnight?
or
b) one person each month?
or
c) one person each quarter?
or
d)one person each six months?
or
e) to invite no on at all?
Which will it be?
Lets pray
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1) Jerry Shirley [sermon on this site]
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