Reach Out Don't Freak Out

It’s great to be back here at Grace preaching once again. This is my home church and I’m very proud of what God is doing here. I travel all across the nation preaching the Word of God. In many of my sermons I hold Grace Church up as a shining example of what it means to have a church that takes the gospel of Christ seriously.

You have no idea how rare of a church Grace is. Did you know that the average church in America sees only 2 converts to Christ per year? Look at these roses! Each one of these represents a precious soul that was saved from the flames of hell here at Grace in the previous weekend services. My goal is to get as many churches and youth groups across the nation to commit to giving the clear gospel of grace every week just like this church does. Could you imagine tens of thousands of churches that are sharing the gospel every week? I guarantee you we would see a revival of Biblical proportions across this nation.

And I must say that I’m proud of the pastors here at Grace church. These guys truly care for the flock and do what it takes to protect us from the wolves. Jim, Rick and Bob are godly examples to us all of how we should live the Christian life.

And I have to brag a bit on Rick. I believe that Rick Long is one of the finest communicators in and around the Denver area. Believe me I preach with some of the best preachers in the nation at Promise Keepers and other events. Rick could hold his own with most any of them. I’m very proud of the communicator that Rick has become.

So appreciate what God has given you at this church:

• A church that is focused on consistently and clearly preaching the gospel of grace to everyone.

• A group of pastors that genuinely pour out their hearts and souls for the people of this church.

• And a preaching pastor that is as good as Rick is.

Let’s give our God a hand for what he has blessed us here with at Grace Church!

As good as we are as a church when it comes to leading people to Jesus I wonder how good we could become if every member of this church was actively reaching out to their friends with the gospel message?

Are you? When’s the last time you shared the gospel with a friend, co-worker or neighbor?

Why is that we freak out when it comes to reaching out?

Maybe we are ashamed of the stereotypical Jesus? Movie view of Jesus (Arnold Impersonation)

Maybe we don’t know what to say when it comes to sharing our faith? Some of us don’t even know how to bring it up…(“It’s hot in here…It’s hot in hell too!”)

There are all sorts of reasons most of us freak out when it comes to sharing Jesus and my prayer is that today God’s Word will give us an action plan to overcome our fear and start reaching out to those around us with the good news of the gospel of Jesus:

If you want to begin to sharing Jesus is starts when you….

1. Get a heart.

God has given me a huge heart for sharing Jesus. I think that it is because of how I watched the power of the gospel literally transform my life and the lives of my family. You see I don’t come from a religious, Bible reading, church going, pew sitting….

• Uncle Jack story (salvation…the same preacher that instilled a passion for the gospel in Pastor Rick is the same guy that reached my entire family….sauna, etc.)

When I watched the transformation in his life I knew that I had to spend the rest of my life spreading this message with as many people as I could.

But of all the people who ever lived who were motivated to spread the good news of Jesus there has been nobody more excited than Jesus himself. He is the gold standard of evangelists. If we want to get a heart for thoses who don’t know Jesus we must….

A. See like Jesus saw.

Matthew 9:36 (NIV)

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

Imagine with me the Son of God standing on a hilltop watching the crowds of thousands scrambling below him. Imagine tears welling up in his eyes as he thinks of their broken lives and unrelenting sins. He knew that they desperately needed the hope that only he could offer and his heart was broken as a result.

Is yours? Do you see your friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers like Jesus saw them?