WHAT ARE WE LIFTING UP TO DRAW PEOPLE?
Illus: A POSSIBLE METHOD OF EVANGELISM
A Christian man owned a barber shop. One night, at a revival meeting, the barber felt greatly burdened to do more with his testimony for Christ. The next evening, the barber began attending a "soul winner’s class" at his church. He attended faithfully every night for two weeks. He rehearsed all the material, took extensive notes, and memorized the assigned Bible verses. At the end of the two weeks he received a plaque acknowledging his completion of the course.
The next morning, in the barber shop, he hung the plaque and bowed his head. "Dear Lord," he prayed, "Help me to witness to the first man to come through that door this morning." At that moment in walked the biggest, meanest, foulest man the barber had ever seen. It seems this man had recently lost a bet with some "biker" buddies and now he had to get his head shaved. Needless to say, the barber did not feel very comfortable quoting the "Romans Road" to a man with a tattoo on his neck.
The rest of the day did not go any better for the barber. At 5:00 p.m., the barber was sobbing with shame. He had not witnessed to a single person. He bowed his head again. This time he prayed, "Lord, if you will allow one more opportunity, I promise I will do my part." With that, the door opened and in walked a pleasant looking gentleman. The man smiled at the barber, apologized for coming in so late and took a seat in the chair.
As the barber draped the man in his protective sheet, he began to try to remember what he was supposed to say. He began to get very confused. As the barber put shaving cream on the man’s face, he tried to remember the answers he had learned to the possible objections. As the barber began to strop his razor, he realized that he simply could not remember a thing he had learned. This made the barber very nervous and soon sweat began to break out on his forehead.
Finally, in desperation, he shook the razor at the man and screamed, "ARE YOU PREPARED TO DIE??!!!"
Contributed by: Howard Parnell
I just hope I remember what I want to say today so that I don’t die up here on stage.
Before I continue, I would like to say thank you to the person responsible for placing my name into consideration. I am deeply humbled for this opportunity to be a part of this year’s state association.
Thank you to my family for being here and for those of you who told me you were praying for me.
When Bro, Tim first called and asked me if I would be interested in doing a devotion this year I quickly accepted before he had time to reconsider.
I made several attempts at finding a topic. I would find what I thought was right then something would change my mind. I’d find something else then change my mind. This went on until I realized, my devotion time was right after lunch and just before the afternoon business session, so it really didn’t matter – because people would either be busy digesting their food or reading their digest of reports.
Still, God has a way of settling a person in a specific direction. My thought today is, “What are we lifting up to draw people to Christ?”
Our theme this year “Take Me to the Cross” confused me at first until I realized that unless we lead people to the cross, they naturally will not go. Do you remember who or what led you to the cross?
I realize there are many pastors here this afternoon that are frustrated. How do I know? I hear your sermons.
Let me share something with you that not even my wife knows about.
Sometimes in the ministry I’m sure that as a pastor you feel that things come at you from all sides.
Well let me share with you what happened to me on the way here tihs morning. My wife had left with another pastors wife to attend a meeting this morning. As I was backing out I began to worry about my front bumper and the curb forgetting to pay attention to the back end, when I promptly hit a pole.
The sound was terrible. I just knew my bumper was hanging and my wife was going to hang me.
I got out fearing the worst, expecting to have a meeting with my insurance, be late for service. But as I walked around the van, I saw the pole and then the van. Yet all I saw was yellow paint on my tail ligt and samll dent. Nothing broken, nothing hanging, no reason to panic.
Why wasn’t there the damage that I expected? It was becsuae of whatthat section of the van was made up of - plastic.
Pastor, the sound may be terrible. You may be focusing on one end and WHAM! out of no where you get rear-ended. But, don’t worry, look at what you are made up of. Psalm 139:14 says "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.(KJV)
God did not call you and not equip you to handle what comes your way. He gave you the ability to bounce back.
In John 3:14-15 we read, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
As Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness, people lived after looking upon it. Somebody had to lift up the Son of Man.
Why lift up the Son of Man? So people would not perish but gain eternal life.
How did they gain eternal life? Not by looking at the lifted one but by believing in the lifted one.
In John 12:32 we read, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”
And I (Jesus) will draw all men (people) unto Me.
When will Jesus draw all men? When He is lifted up (exalted).
So, Pastor, church leader, denomination, what are we lifting up to draw people.
When we look in the scripture we find at least two men who lifted up Jesus. Peter lifted up Jesus in Acts 2:41 it says 3,000 gladly received the gospel. Paul preached Christ and Him crucified and many came to know the Lord as well as the beginning of many churches.
It is only when we lift up or exalt Jesus that souls will be added to the kingdom.
Jesus said, you do the lifting and I will do the drawing.
You lift Me up - put me first and foremost in your pulpit, your programs, your plans, your priorities and I will draw the people to your place of worship that they might see and believe and gain eternal life.
If we lift up the Christ of the Cross in our churches and our communities, I know of at least four groups of people that will be drawn to the message.
1. Critical 2. Confused 3. Committed 4. Converted
1. CRITICAL
The critical were the ones who condemned, cursed and cried crucify that day.
The critical were made up of the chief priests, rulers, scribes and the elders. The religious bunch did not like doing it a different way; a way that messed up their routine.
This group that was drawn when Jesus was lifted up derided Him, mocked Him, and took His words that He had spoken and twisted and turned them against Him.
It doesn’t matter what you preach, you will draw the critical.
2. CONFUSED
These people had questions; they had heard many things from all kinds of groups that just didn’t make sense to them.
At the cross, they cried, “If you are the Son of God, do a miracle for us come on down.”
The thief on the left was so confused that he wanted not only for Jesus to come down but take him as well.
If Jesus had come down from the cross we would never had the chance to go up with Him.
What are you lifting up to draw the confused?
3. COMMITTED
These people were the ones who had the care and concern for the cause of Christ.
This is the small group that silently and sincerely seeks to serve the Christ of the Cross.
When we read the accounts, we find that there were more women there and only a few men.
The boasters were missing. The ones that cried, “We will never leave you” went into hiding when the agonizing work began.
This group took care of Christ when He was lifted up. When Jesus was doing His miracles, then others followed and praised Him and wanted to be apart of His work.
What are we lifting up for the committed?
4. CONVERTED
These people were the ones who were drawn to the cross and confessed Jesus as their Savior.
One thief rebuked Jesus, the other said, “Remember me” and received eternal life.
Others that day, glorified God saying, “Certainly this man was a righteous man.” While others feared greatly saying, “Truly this man was the Son of God.”
These people may have had confession and not conversion but they are a lot closer that they would have been.
How many sinners have been drawn to your church lately? Have many have you had converted in your church lately?
Many preachers have told me that if they could see my checkbook register they probably could tell what I believed. I say if I could look at your sermon outlines I could probably tell how many conversions you have had.
What are you lifting up to draw people to see their need for conversion?
Today, we hear many things preached from the pulpit. Many things that are good and right.
Yet Jesus reminds us that unless we lift up “the Truth, the Way, and the Life” no man can be truly saved.
So I ask you “WHAT ARE WE LIFTING UP TODAY TO DRAW PEOPLE SO THEY WILL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.
