Profess Series

“PROFESS”

People: Part 3

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Dr. Randy Deal

INTRO VIDEO: Evangelism Tips - Deep Thoughts From A Shallow Christian (00:58)

GRAB bottle of coke…

Seen the new Coke commercials? Coca-cola is one product that has far outgrown its humble beginnings. In 1886, Pharmacist Dr. John Pemberton first introduced Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Georgia. The pharmacist concocted a caramel-colored syrup in a three-legged brass kettle in his backyard. He first "distributed" Coca-Cola by carrying it in a jug down the street to Jacobs Pharmacy. Over 120 years later, surveys show that 97% of the world has heard of Coca-Cola. 72% of the world has seen a can of coca-cola. 51% of the world has tasted a can of coca-cola. YOU KNOW WHY? All due to the fact that the Coca-Cola Company made a commitment years ago that every one on the planet would have a taste of their soft drink. Latest tag line…THE COKE SIDE OF LIFE!

Really? Are you kidding me? 97% of the world has heard of this sugar and water concoction while 1.7 billion people world-wide have no access to the good news of Jesus Christ! It is estimated that 17 million people die every year without having heard the name of Jesus! When we hear those facts, we should not hang our heads in despair and shame. Instead, we should be challenged, motivated, and inspired to a new level of commitment in SHARING OUR FAITH, in sharing the message of Jesus!

Paul…Romans 10:13-14 (NASB) for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?

“preacher” Kēryssō (kā-rü’s-sō) to proclaim, with authority which must be listened to and obeyed; to publish or proclaim OPENLY: something which has been DONE!

WE ARE THE PREACHERS & OUR STORY…OUR TESTIMONY IS OUR SERMON!

A passionate pursuit of GOD will result in a personal love for PEOPLE!

We need to lay down our pride & prejudice by DAILY SURRENDERing to God!

TODAY’S BIG IDEA: Share YOUR faith YOUR way!

IF WE LOVE GOD, WE WILL LOVE PEOPLE! AND IF WE LOVE PEOPLE, WE WILL SHARE OUR FAITH WITH PEOPLE!

FOOTBALL HUDDLE

The job of the church is not to impact the church, but to impact our community, our world! It’s like a huddle in a football game. This afternoon, the Cardinals will host the Eagles for the NFC Championship Game. 70,000+ people didn’t pay way-too-much money to watch the Cardinals huddle today. What if you went to the game and for 2 ½ hours you watched 11 men stand in a circle and talk? That’s not what you paid for!! 70,000+ people paid a ton of money to see what difference the huddle makes. What they want to know is, having called the play in secret, does it work in public? The challenge for the church is not what we do when we call our Sunday morning huddle, but what we do when we break our huddle and head to SHARING OUR FAITH all week!

SHARE YOUR FAITH, YOUR WAY!

Sharing THE faith versus YOUR faith:

Important difference between sharing THE faith and sharing YOUR faith. Sharing THE faith is about communicating a body of facts about God, sin, and salvation. And that is important, it needs to happen at some point along the road, but it isn’t usually where evangelism starts.

Sharing YOUR faith is different: it is about sharing what God has done in YOUR life with someone else. It is sharing YOUR testimony:

• being in a relationship with God has changed you

• has met the deep needs of your heart

• makes a difference in who you are

• makes a difference in how you meet the challenges of life.

It is OUR faith, OUR journey with God, and how He is real to US!

QUESTION: Do you have a FAITH to SHARE?

• How is your relationship with God right now?

• Close to Him or distant?

• Relying on Him or fighting with Him?

• Letting HIM be Lord of your life, or are YOU calling the shots?

• Letting go of things He wants you to hold on to?

• Holding on to things that He has called you to get rid of?

• Living the full, free, exciting life that God desires for you?

• Living ABUNDANT life Jesus promised?

If not…LET’S JUST STOP RIGHT HERE! AND PRAY!

GOTTA HAVE A FAITH TO SHARE YOUR FAITH! If your faith is not at a place of sharing, then we’re going to take the time right here and now to have a conversation with God…to get that straightened out so that we can move on in the life God desires for us. Let Him speak to you, change you, heal you, restore you, encourage you. Let Him give you something to share. LET’S PRAY!!!