A Tree, net fishing, Seafood lasagna and 8,000 Krispy Kreme donuts!
What does this have to do with today’s topic? What is today’s topic. Over the past 5 weeks we’ve been looking at what our purpose here on earth is. Our Mission on earth as a church and as individuals is 5 fold:
Worship
Community - Fellowship
Christ-likeness – Discipleship
Service – Ministry
…and today EVANGELISM.
What does this word mean?
How do you feel when you hear that word?
Scared or Excited?
Awkward or Confident?
Annoyed or joyful?
Undecided or Commited?
Uninterested or Enthusiastic?
If your answers were mostly positive please answer with brutal honesty this question. How have those whom you’ve tried to Evangelize feel when you start doing your thing?
Scared or Excited?
Awkward or Confident?
Annoyed or joyful?
Undecided or Commited?
Uninterested or Enthusiastic?
The photographer for a national magazine was assigned to get photos of a great forest fire. Smoke at the scene hampered him and he asked his home office to hire a plane. Arrangements were made and he was told to go at once to a nearby airport, where the plane would be waiting. When he arrived at the airport, a plane was warming up near the runway. He jumped in with his equipment and yelled, "Let’s go! Let’s go!" The pilot swung the plane into the wind and they soon were in the air. "Fly over the north side of the fire," yelled the photographer, "and make three or four low level passes." "Why?" asked the pilot. "Because I’m going to take pictures, I’m a photographer and photographers take pictures!" After a pause the pilot said, "You mean you’re not the instructor?"
Fact is sometimes we are so focused on having to accomplish our agenda, our task that we forget to stop and make sure we’re on the right plane. Friends, I’ve been taking a serious look at this topic for quite some time. I’ve researched it, I’ve practiced it, and I’m here to tell you I’ve blown it. I’ve missed the right plane, I’ve told people things they didn’t need to hear, I answered questions they weren’t even asking or interested in, I’ve corned them into uncomfortable situations. I’ve cause people to be scared, awkward, annoyed, undecided and uninterested with not only me but with Christianity too.
St. Francis Assisi, born in 1181 to a wealth merchant, beame a knight and then founder of a monastic order once said: Preach the Gospel everywhere you go, and if necessary, use words.
Listen to these real life comments by everyday normal people about their views on us Christians and Christianity:
"Many religious people look down on atheists. I do not appreciate being looked down upon as subhuman because of my beliefs."
"I have learned to not believe, because church has showed me the destructiveness of religion."
"People who can’t think for themselves follow the disease that is religion."
I’d like to see a little more interest in me as a person before Christians start talking about my soul. It comes across as very pushy and phony when Christians don’t take time to get to know me, and I mean know me really well, before they start spouting the gospel.
I think Christians are from another planet. I imagine churches full of people who can’t relate to my problems. It’s the impression I get from two guys I work with. They talk to me [about their religious faith] during our lunch break, but they make Christianity sound so simple. Just pray about it, they say. Oh, right, I think. They don’t have debt up to their eyeballs, a kid who’s out of control, a bunch of in-laws who are always on my case about one thing or another. If these Christians have normal, everyday problems, they sure don’t admit it to me. I get the impression everything is just great with them. It’s intimidating.
I have an impression that Christians are judgmental. When I was going through my divorce, I wanted to talk to someone from my parents’ church, but I was afraid to. I’d been raised there, had even met my husband there. But my memories of those people go like this: if you’re “good,” if your life turns out perfectly like theirs, they think you’re one of them. But if things go wrong, they look down on you. My sister says that’s how things seemed when I was young and immature. I wonder if she’s right. If I’d gone to them when my husband walked out, they might have helped me through the pain. But it was such a bad time I didn’t have the energy. I needed a relationship with the church before the bottom dropped out of my life, not while it was happening. If someone could convince me that the church has other people who’ve failed in their marriages, I’d be willing to go back.
A California-based Christian marketing research company says non-Christians in the United States view evangelical Christians "somewhat more kindly than prostitutes, but with less affection than lawyers." http://www.crosswalk.com/news/1176363.html
Why are we surprised with such comments? We call them lost, pagans, heathens, sinners, non-christians. We tell them their going to hell, that they are wrong, we over look the good in them, we devalue them, we neglect to love them.
A Christian once made this confession:
“Lord, I have prayed for the "lost" but I have not loved them, lived with them or invited them. Lord forgive me. I am lost!”
What has caused this “Lostness” on our part? There’s too much to mention in just one sermon.
1. For starters We use the wrong verses for evangelism
We pick verses like II Timothy 4:1-5
I solemnly urge you before God and before Christ Jesus—who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom: 2 Preach the word of God. Be persistent, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
This passage pertains to the church, to Christians and not normal everyday people. And when this passage is lived out before the correct audience we still need to heed the words of Paul in Galatians 6:1 Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path.
2. The verses we should be using are those which take into account Jesus or a N.T. figure addressing those God is drawing and seeking however we misunderstand them at times. So let’s get them right.
Let me read for you one of the more famous encounters Jesus had with a non-religious person. His name…Zaccheus. We find this account in Luke 19.
Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business, and he had become very rich. 3He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowds. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree beside the road, so he could watch from there.
5When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! For I must be a guest in your home today.”
6Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.
Do you know what I learned this week about this passage? Do you know what the best lesson there is to learn about this encounter? Each one of us who know Jesus already are to be like the tree! Often times we forget and think we are to be Jesus. One of the most critical things each of us needs to learn is that it is not our responsibility to convert, change, or correct the one we are called to love and respect. That’s Jesus’ job, the Holy Spirit does that. Our calling is to aid people, to do everything we can to help them see Jesus. We are called to lift up those God calls us love. We are to be like the Sycamore tree – simply offering those we come in contact with a clearer point of view. To offer them a perspective which will help them see Jesus not prevent them from seeing Jesus. Our words, our actions, our intentions, our attitude should help them see Jesus. Your calling in life is to be like that Sycamore tree that helped Zaccheus see Jesus.
Next item in our sermon title – a fishing net.
Remember the story of Jesus by the sea of Galilee and calling out to some of his friends, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men?” or fishers of people?
This is another passage we get mixed up with. We’ve heard all sorts of sermons and lessons on this one. Tell me something. When you go out fishing what’s your purpose? To catch fish! Therefore the fish become our prey, our target, they become valuable because of what they can do for us, not because of their own value, what I mean is we don’t catch a fish because we value a fish, better put, because we intimately care for the fish. We catch the fish to make us feel good not the fish. If you don’t believe that then try putting one of those hooks in your mouth. We catch the fish for our reward not for their benefit. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not putting down fishing. I’m just demonstrating how sometimes we go to far with the Analogy and mess up the intent of the story.
I just have to share with you this really bad Bumpersticker. It reads
"My wife says that if I go fishing again she will leave me - I will miss her"
What does Evangelism have to do with fishing? Don’t miss the point – it’s not about technique, it’s not about better boats, bigger nets, new tackle, new technology, that makes the whole thing impersonal. The fish becomes an unsuspecting target, it becomes a tropy, a means to an end $ in your pocket if this is your living, food on the plate if this is how you complement your diet.
God isn’t looking for us to act that way. Jesus’ calling isn’t about improving our techniques or tactics. When we take this illustration too far mistreat those whom we are called to care about! Some of our means of “EVANGELISM” have been extremely disrespectful to our fellow human beings. We’ve been dangling tackle, and bad tackle at that, thinking we’re going to fool them. We have conferences and workshops that teach us how to get the trophy, how to win the fishing derby and you know what, we’ve been horrible at it, and worse of all we’ve offended many people and we’ve insulted our own intelegence because deep down, most of us felt some apprehension about those pitiful techniques. Do you know why our methods haven’t worked? Because we’ve failed to understand the meaning of the passage. We’ve focused on technique and skill and all along the “fish”, human beings created in the image of God, haven’t been biting because they see the hook. They perceive our intentions as wanting to snag them. Here’s the good news … are you ready? We can stop it! We can reel in our lines…put away our lures, our bait, our depth finders, our sprays, we can even put the boat in storage. When Jesus talked about becoming fisher’s of people he was calling us to be his followers. He was calling us to care for those around us. He was calling us to be obedient to God. Jesus never treated anyone as an unsuspecting victim. He cared about people. Jesus wanted us to understand the principles behind fishing which are:
1. Be obedient to God – there will be days when you don’t want to go fishing. Days when you don’t think you’re going to catch anything, days when you want to give up – God says follow him, love others and trust in Him.
2. Be ready, be prepared, understand what its all about – in Jesus’ day they didn’t fish with fishing rods, they used nets. If you were going to catch fish you had to make sure those nets were looked after, they had to be free of tangles, they had to be washed regularly and dried, they had to be folded properly and stored in a safe place. If we are going to effectively reach those whom God is drawing to himself, those who are looking for something they still haven’t found, then we must be intentional about creating such a place, environment, and relationship that will attract them and bless them and not repell them and embarrass them.
3. To be a fisherman, not a hobby fisherman, but a real fisherman requires a new way of living. Fishing isn’t an activity but a way of life. Everything revolves around fishing. If that’s not your focus then guess what? NO FISH! What seperates the good fisherman from the not so good? Experience! How do you get experience? There are some things that are learned. No doubt about this necessity. But there’s something else.
Passion! Fishing isn’t my cup of tea but I know some people who get so excited about lures, and bait, and boats, and derbies. They are passionate about it. They eat, sleep, and breath. When it’s a sunny day and they are on their way to work they’re thinking, “Man, this would be a great day to be out on the lake.” When it’s raining they’re thinking, “This would be a great day to be home getting my tackle ready or a great day to be at the sportsman show.” When they are with their friends, that’s all they talk about – the one that got away, that bigone they landed, the time when so and so’s boat was submerged, the weekend we didn’t find a room, the storm we were caught in, and on and on and on. Fishing is an all consuming thing for some people and if that’s your profession then you better give it all you have. Question. How do you get passionate about reaching others? Recognize how import those around you are to God. Recognize the awesome privilege that is yours to be God’s instrument of blessing in the lives of those you come in contact with each day. When Jesus called us to be fishers of people he called us to a new lifestyle, one that is passionate about loving and caring for those whom God has created and is longing to embrace.
4. To be a fisher of people you have to go where the fish are – it’s not about luring them to you! We need to go where they are, we need to reach them at their point of being. It means we have to leave our places of comfort.
5. To be a fisher of people means you are not in total control – there will be days when you do everything right and nothing happens and there will be other days when you don’t do what needs to be done and you hit a huge catch. The fisherman realizes there are certain things beyond their control and they respect and accept those unkown elements. As God’s fishing people we must remember that ultimately it’s the Holy Spirit who is drawing people to God, it’s about God working through us and in us.
6. The last thing I want to emphasise about fishing is what I’ve already mentioned. The catch was viewed as valuable, not suckers fooled and trapped. Those whom God is calling us to reach out to are extremely valuable to him - Remember the story of the Lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost Son? You know what they all had in common? They were extremely valued, they were treasures, they were special, they were missed. Too often we misuse the word “lost”. We use it in a derogatory manner. I suggest we stop referring to those who aren’t Christians as “LOST” and start referring to them as “MISSED BY GOD”, “LOVED BY GOD”, “VALUABLE TO GOD”.
A TREE, A FISHING NET, AND SEAFOOD LASAGNA!
I love seafood. Way back in the old Testament seafood was not on the menu for God’s chosen children. What does that have to do with Evangelism? In the book of Acts 10 we find the record of Peter’s encounter with a Roman commander named Cornelius. Cornelius we are told was a God fearing man, it meant he sought to follow God’s ways. However, he wasn’t a follower of Jesus yet. He wasn’t the kind of person that a Jewish person would sit down with or visit with – that kind of thing just wasn’t acceptable. And yet Peter enters Cornelius’ home, eats with him, shares Jesus with him and Cornelius and his whole household become followers of Jesus on that day. But what does that have to do with seafood lasagna? Before Peter visits Cornelius he had a dream and in that dream he saw a huge table cloth being lowered from heaven and in that table cloth were all the animals he as a God fearing Jew was prohibited to eat –including seafood. The voice from heaven said “Kill and eat” Peter said never Lord, three times God had to tell Peter it was ok and he never understood what that meant until the day he met Cornelius. Upon entering the Roman commanders home, Peter was greeted by Cornelius who was bent down in reverence before Peter. Peter’s words to him were “Stand up! I’m a human being like you!” 27So Cornelius got up, and they talked together and went inside where the others were assembled.
28 Peter told them, “You know it is against the Jewish laws for me to come into a Gentile home like this. But God has shown me that I should never think of anyone as impure.
Two important lessons for us about Evangelism, about sharing our faith, about being a spiritual friend.
Be human. Be real. Don’t think you are better than the other person. Don’t look down on them. Peter said I’m just an ordinary person like you. That’s what people want to see. They want to know if you are real. If you are normal. There are all sorts of bizzare things done in the name of Jesus that contradict what God is teaching us here in this passage. Be human, warts and all. (Story of Pastor in Chinese food restaurant in Orlando - e-mail me if you want to know this hillariously true story) Be normal, be real.
Second thing we learn from Peter is be gentle. Peter didn’t go over to Cornelius’ home and start preaching and rebuking Cornelius and his family, he didn’t tell them to repent of their sins or they’d be condemned to hell. When he arrived in his home, Peter said, I’m here to listen. After he listened he was invited to share. He did so with much humitly and respect. Later in life, Peter wrote these words
1 Peter 3:15-16
if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 16 But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way.
God isn’t calling us to be superstars or slick salepeople. He’s calling us to be faithful followers. People who love those whom God loves and will do everything they can to show that love in gentle and respectful ways.
A TREE, A NET, SEAFOOD LASAGNE, and lastly 8,000 Krispy Kreme donuts.
How many of you have tasted Krispy Kreme donuts? They are really good. They are also THE most expensive donuts on the planet. When you give a Kripy Kreme donut it means the other person is special.
The pastor of a church in Cincinnati, Ohio decided to cancel their christmas eve services one year. This was met with many complaints so he decided to meet the people half way. “Well gather at the church and single a few Christmas Carols but then we’re all going to hit the streets of Cincinnati and show God’s love to those who have to work on Christmas eve. Everyone agreed. After singing that church hit the streets of Cincinnati with 8,000 Krispy Kreme donuts. The went to police stations, firehalls, factories, restaurants. A few weeks later that pastor received a phone call from a local psychologist asking if he was the minister of the church that gave away donuts on Christmas eve. He said that he was. He shared that two of his clients were victims of the donut attack that night. They were sitting in a restaurant when the people of his church came in and all he can say is that those very depressed people have a new lease on life because of that experience. The psychologist also wanted to know more about the church.
I think we need to be creative as God’s children. We need to find fun and exciting ways of sharing our faith. God wants us to be extra-ordinary when we are being ordinary.
One pastor puts it this way:
LET’S EXPLOIT THE ORDINARY!
Christians are the freest people on earth. Our past, present and future are all secure through the love of Jesus. Not only do we have eternal security but internal security. In a word we have nothing to lose. We can risk, attempt and fail and we’ll still go to heaven.
When it comes to evangelism we can be our ordinary selves and it turns out to be good enough. It turns out that all He needs are the five loaves and two fish of our lives. Something we already have. Rather than trying to escape the ordinary we ought to exploit it and attempt something small for God. Something ordinary.
Here’s a challenge for all of you for this coming week:
If you want to learn how to share your faith, you need to hear what other’s thinks about life:
Here’s a task for you. I’d like you to find a normal person , someone who isn’t a follower of Jesus, buy them a great lunch or dinner. Don’t surprise them but let them know you’d like to find out their thoughts and opinions about Christianity. Assure them that you will not in anyway try to convince them of what you believe or try to pressure them into an uncomfortable situation. In fact let them know that the only thing you’ll say is what’s on this paper. 10 simple questions. 10 questions that you are willing to give them ahead of time. And to thank them for their valuable time you’d like to buy them a really nice dinner.
Here are the questions (greatful to Gary Davis of Needsinc for these questions - see www.needinc.org for more info.):
1. What is most important to you in life (what do you value?):
2. What has been your religious experience and why/how has it been most helpful to you?
3. What has been your experience with Christians?
4. Do you think Christianity has anything to offer to you personally?
5. If Christianity were to be viable to you, what would it offer or provide that you presently don’t have?
6. If you sought answers to a life situation, why or why wouldn’t you go to a Christian?
7. What problems do you see with Christianity?
8. How would you change the Christian faith to make it more acceptable to modern society?
9. If you could make God to be exactly what you needed, wanted, what would He/It be to you?
10. Assuming the existence of God, if you could sit down with him over a fine dinner and ask him any questions what would they be?
Take notes, listen, don’t try to think up of reasons why they are wrong or about how to answer or explain anything. Your mission is to sit and listen. Listen to their heart, to what they are trying to say, seek clarification if you don’t understand. Do not pray for them while they are answering. Just listen. Your job is to be a student. You want to come away knowing that person much better. You want to come away with a better perspective on what people’s perception is about our faith. Their likes and dislikes. One thing is certain. You will be surprised. Even shocked by what you will hear. I’m very serious about this challenge. If I could I would make it manditory for all of you who are members of this church to do this assignment by the end of the week. Those of you who take me up on this challenge I would like to meet with all of you on communion Sunday morning before the service to debrief. The answers to these questions will help you and the rest of us in the area of Evangelism.
God wants to do wonderful things in the lives of other people through you and me. Will we take up the challenge and be his faithful followers? A Tree, net fishing, Seafood lasagna and 8,000 Krispy Kreme donuts – What will your decision be?
