Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] When I was in high school, I worked as a restaurant, or worked in a restaurant as a server.
[00:00:07] And unlike many of the high schoolers in this room, I wasn't working for fun.
[00:00:11] Let's be honest. I was working for gas money.
[00:00:14] My very faded 1989 Dodge did not. Was not exactly efficient in that area. The old farm truck. And so I remember one specific evening, I was waiting on this gentleman. He was an elderly gentleman. He was nice, he was kind.
[00:00:32] He seemed very sincere in a little moments of interaction we had. And at the time that it came to give him the bill, still to this day, remember what he said. And he said it in a gravelly voice. He said, son, this is the greatest tip I could ever give you.
[00:00:50] And he placed something in my hands, and he walked away.
[00:00:54] It wasn't money.
[00:00:57] And I opened my hand. I kind of knew what it was going to be. And I opened my hand, and here was a little gold coin with the words stamped on it, jesus loves you.
[00:01:07] Now, at that time, I was a believer. I love Jesus.
[00:01:14] I was probably hoping to make it to youth group later that week, but, man, I was hoping for 10 bucks. Let's be honest.
[00:01:21] I was struggling with it, right? Because I loved Jesus. I knew he loved me.
[00:01:26] But in that moment, it was weird. I had this gap. I remember thinking, like, the sentiment was there, right? And I kind of looked under the table. I'm like, did he maybe leave two bucks somewhere? There was nothing. There was just this gold coin. And he kind of walked out.
[00:01:40] And I believe Jesus loved me, but I also felt not very loved in that moment. A little bit. I felt a gap in that.
[00:01:48] And that's a tension, I think, that we feel between good intentions and bad experiences. And that's a very minor thing. That's not really a bad experience. It was just kind of awkward.
[00:01:56] But that's where many of us live when it comes to evangelism. And that's gonna be our topic this morning around evangelism. Evangelism is this. It's the word euangelion. It means to share the good news or. Or a good message, right? And our message of Jesus, what you just heard in those voiceovers and Andrew's story and Courtney's story is the message of Jesus, what God is doing in and through us, right? It's a message of joy, hope, and salvation.
[00:02:25] But I'm curious, when I even say the word evangelism, what comes up for you?
[00:02:31] Is there some story?
[00:02:35] Or maybe it is. Maybe you get excited. Maybe you love evangelism, that you've met the Lord in a really powerful way. Maybe that gets you excited for this morning. Or some of us, it makes our hearts beat a little bit, right? Does that mean I gotta go out in the streets and yell at someone on campus? Or does that mean I need to start handing out fake million dollar bills or whatever that might look like I remember doing that.
[00:02:57] Maybe there's memories you'd rather forget, whether it be just something you did that felt awkward, or maybe maybe there's some regret. Maybe you're like, I wish I would have had that conversation with somebody and it was a little too late.
[00:03:08] Or it feels like it's a little too late. Maybe there's guilt, there's shame, there's confusion.
[00:03:12] Or maybe, as I just said the word evangelism, some of you are like, I gotta get out of this room now. You know, like you're looking for the closest exit.
[00:03:19] Many of us right now, I know, are confused and we're conflicted because the stats tell us that. A study of my generation, the millennial generation, says this Barnada study, that 96% of a survey group of Christians believe that witness is part of our faith. Right? That it's 96%. So majority mass. Majority of them, right. 94% of that same group believe that the best thing that could happen to someone else is for them to come to know Jesus.
[00:03:48] But of that same demographic, that same group that was surveyed, Hear this. Nearly half of them said it was wrong to share your beliefs with someone of a different faith in hopes that they might one day share the same.
[00:04:03] That doesn't make any sense, does it? How can we think this is the greatest thing that could happen to somebody? This is what I hope for somebody else, but I don't want to do that. And I'm never gonna do that.
[00:04:13] Do you see that disconnect? See, we believe it matters. But yet, for many of us in this room, maybe as I'm talking about the word evangelism, we're hesitant, we're scared, we're unsure, we're resistant.
[00:04:25] So we do nothing.
[00:04:26] We don't do anything with it.
[00:04:29] So what are our options?
[00:04:31] Is it possible that we could share our faith in a real way? Or do we have to sign up for these scare tactics of just trying to scare someone, you know, scare the hell out of you, you know, that kind of idea? Or do we retreat into silence?
[00:04:45] Do we just say nothing?
[00:04:47] Are our only options awkward gestures or pressure or passive avoidance of the subject?
[00:04:54] Or maybe do we have to resort to more extreme measures, like this picture that says Jesus loves you, I think that's a port, a potty wall.
[00:05:06] It's evandalism. We're not gonna do evandalism. While that's wonderful to read while you're in there, I'm sure.
[00:05:12] Shout out to Amy, who sent me that this week from our staff. Made me laugh at least where he's like, I'll just write on their bathroom stall. That's what God's called me to do. I don't know if that's what he's called us to do.
[00:05:23] So here's the thing. If you spend any time in the teachings of Jesus, he is so clear about what he is about.
[00:05:29] Matthew 4, it's going to be on the screen. Verse 17. He starts his ministry by saying this. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.
[00:05:38] He calls his first disciples and says this. Come follow me and I will send you out to fish for people. Which he is saying, I'm going to teach you to do the things that I'm showing you. You are going to go out and. And pass along this message. Right? That's part of following him. We've made that clear over these few weeks in this series. And then he ends his earthly ministry with a famous passage. Matthew 28. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I've commanded you. He says this to his disciples who are there on that hillside, and they carry this on into the first church. And we see this in his early disciples. First John 2. It says, this. This is how we know we are in Him. Whoever claims to live in him must love or live as Jesus did.
[00:06:27] If we are going to claim to follow Jesus, let me be really crystal clear. Evangelism is not something that is optional.
[00:06:35] Jesus makes it say, this is what it's going to be like. You're going to ask people to repent and come towards him. And it's not an optional thing that we just get to do for super Christians or missionaries or those who are just gifted in it. And there are those who are just miraculously gifted in it. I've seen it where people who can just strike up a conversation and make something about Jesus. I'm like, how did you do that as a pastor? I'm going that and I love to talk. Both. I'm a pastor and I love to talk. And still that's weird to me in a gas station to go do that.
[00:07:05] Evangelism is not optional, but neither is becoming like Jesus and how he did it. And honestly guys, if I could just put all my crowds on the table. I've wrestled with this this week. When Bob asked me to preach on this a few weeks ago, I got nervous because I think I've just. I grew up in a faith tradition and my story a little bit, I kind of was like, the gospel hit my story a little bit this week. I grew up in this culture that it was almost taught to me that we gotta share our faith at any cost. And so I saw really just cringy things. If I could be like, be honest, just things that are awkward more than gold coins.
[00:07:44] And not only did I see them, but I think I participate in some of them.
[00:07:47] And I just thought there was just like this urgency to share the gospel and that's a good thing. But there was. Sometimes the methods or the methodology that we used just left me wondering, like, did that even work?
[00:08:00] Or did that person just raise a hand? Cause they wanted me to leave them alone.
[00:08:03] Like, they're like, yeah, sure, dude, can you just give me some space? You know? And then we come back and say, praise God. And maybe that did work, I don't know. But I left there a few times going, I don't know if that was helpful or they were asking for it. Was I pressuring them? And then maybe even feeling these moments this week of did I hurt people along the process?
[00:08:21] And so I have that experience that I was wrestling with the Lord going, God, what do you want me to say about evangelism? And meanwhile having the full knowledge that God has used the wackiest things in my life to bring me to him. I think I've told you this story, but I'll just keep it really brief. I gave my life to Jesus at a week long church revival that centered around a traveling black belt martial artist for Jesus.
[00:08:47] True story.
[00:08:48] And every night was a new theme about what to come see this guy pull off. So it was like, hey, I'm gonna lay on a bed of nails and your pastor's gonna break a block of ice with a sledgehammer. Hope to see you there, you know. And us hillbillies were like, I'm going to that, you know, and then the next night was like, I'm going to light this cinder block thing on fire. And then of course, like. And Jesus conquered the great, you know, and like, and break the. And I came down that night, I was like, I need the Lord, man.
[00:09:16] And so the Lord can use all. And like, if anybody If Bob came to me and said, logan, I got an idea, I would say, heck no, Bob, we're not doing that right. Or a greenhouse. I'm like, we're not doing. Sorry for wherever that guy is and the work he's done in the kingdom. I'm. We're probably not hiring him to come do that. Like, I would just be like, hard pass. No, but God can use very clumsy, well meaning, well intended things that I would say, oh, that was kind of awkward.
[00:09:41] And yet that's when I was 13 years old and I came down and prayed with my pastor's wife. I remember she was down at the altar and I came down and prayed and I would say that was a moment when I really went all in for Jesus. And I haven't looked back since that day.
[00:09:54] And I wouldn't be here without that traveling kung fu for Jesus guy, wherever he is.
[00:10:01] And so when you, and maybe this is you, maybe you're sitting here wrestling with like the things you've seen it done and your story and whenever. And here's a little pastoral note whenever I feel stuck with like, ah, this doesn't make sense. And oh, I'm just wrestling with. I would just say those are the moments when I am confused. And I don't just say I try to come back to Jesus because he is both the author, but he's also the perfecter of our faith. Amen.
[00:10:25] And when he says he starts, he will finish. And so when I look at him, when I go to the scriptures, I don't see pressure, I see presence, I don't see manipulation, I see invitation.
[00:10:37] And what I see in Jesus is something more beautiful, more holistic than maybe even what I experience or participate in.
[00:10:44] So what if evangelism isn't about being louder, but what if it's about living more like him?
[00:10:51] And so this is the question I hope that we will answer this morning with the time we have left. Can I share the good news in a good way?
[00:10:58] I don't think there's anybody in this room that if you're a believer, if you've been in need of Jesus, said, I'm all in, I'm following him. You want to share the good news versus going, how do I do it? How do I do it in a good way that is maybe, you know, unique to you, but it fits your personality. Not just like in a personality test kind of way, but like what feels real and authentic. And how do I do this where it's not weird or awkward or hurtful, none of us Want that. And if you are in this room and I just want to speak to you, maybe you're in this room and you've come in here in spite of all those things, and you have not said yes to Jesus. And can I just say, as a pastor, I'm sorry if you've experienced any of those things, and maybe this morning will be refreshing for you. I hope that you will see who Jesus is. And so I want to do this in three simple, lifelong steps. These are not just easy fixes, but these are things that we would commit to as a people. And I want to. To lay these out for us this morning. The first is this.
[00:11:47] I want us to make room for the gospel.
[00:11:57] Make room for the Gospel. We need to make room for him. And specifically, when I say this, I mean this word of hospitality.
[00:12:10] Don't you love people who are hospitable? Always showing up, wanting to give you some food, you know, invite you in for dinner? I love those people. Turn with me to Luke 19.
[00:12:19] It'll be on the screen as well.
[00:12:22] We're gonna pick this up. In Luke 19, verse 1, it says, Jesus is entering Jericho and he runs into a man, Zacchaeus.
[00:12:32] And Zacchaeus was a wee little man.
[00:12:34] A wee little man, was he?
[00:12:37] Well, you know the rest. You know that part, right? He climbed up a tree, right?
[00:12:41] Yeah. See, those are the ones who know that story. You sang it, verse 5. Let's pick it up there. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, zacchaeus, some of you guys want to sing it. I know. Come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.
[00:12:55] So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
[00:12:58] Note this part. All the people saw this and began to mutter, he has gone to be the guest of a sinner.
[00:13:07] But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, look, Lord, here and now. I give you half of my possessions to the poor. And if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount Jesus said to him today.
[00:13:22] Salvation has come to this house because this man too is the Son of Abraham.
[00:13:27] For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.
[00:13:34] A couple things I want us to note in this passage this morning.
[00:13:38] Jesus is really clear what his mission is, right? It's right there. For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. That is Jesus mission. That is what he's about. If you are lost this morning, good news. So are all of us. We are all in need of Jesus, and I need it saved. And so do you. I was lost in my sin.
[00:13:58] I was lost in the ways that I was going to. And Jesus says that's exactly who he came to look for. The people who have a real bad record, like Zacchaeus, the one who is guilty of cheating people. He is. He's. He's. He's taking money from them. He's collecting money from his own. He's a tax collector. He's taking from his own citizens. You know, he. He's neglected his own tribe. In a sense, that's his mission.
[00:14:22] So God. God's mission is to come and find those type of people. But how did he do it?
[00:14:27] He did it through eating and drinking, right? Not only this. He says, I must come to you immediately. I'll stay at your house. Seems like Jesus invited himself over to someone else's house. He's like, I'm coming over. Cook me some food. Which is even better. You know, Jesus method was eating and drinking.
[00:14:43] So if his mission was to seek and save a lost, eating and drinking was his method. This passage is one of 50 references in Luke to eating and drinking.
[00:14:56] It's been said that Jesus was either at a meal, going to a meal, or leaving a meal. Right?
[00:15:02] That's my kind of Jesus. You know, like he's. He is always doing something around food. He's around a table. And did you notice that. That something happened? We don't get all the details, but at this dinner, that's where Zacchaeus has this aha moment. We don't know if there was teaching. We don't know. But I would argue that evangelism often began, or it does begin around a T or a coffee shop, or you pick it at the Costco, getting a hot dog, whatever it could be.
[00:15:28] Before there was transformation that happened in Zacchaeus life, there was an invitation he was allowed to belong. Jesus wanted to be with him.
[00:15:38] And can I just gently push on us this morning?
[00:15:43] If we are willing to open our mouths, but not our homes, I think something's gone wrong.
[00:15:50] Can I say that again? One more time? If we're willing to open our mouths, but not our homes, something's gone wrong.
[00:15:58] And I know this because that's what this whole passage is about, right? All the people saw this and began to mutter, he has gone to be a guest of a sinner.
[00:16:08] See, I don't want to be this crew right there.
[00:16:11] They're upset that he has gone into an area and hung out with someone that they don't agree with.
[00:16:18] There's lots of Facebook, evangelists out there, ain't there?
[00:16:23] There's a lot of Instagram evangelists, and that's great. You know, being an influencer, it's not for me, but I can open my table for somebody.
[00:16:31] We gotta be the type of people that we want to welcome those around them.
[00:16:35] Evangelism often begins long before we say anything. It begins when someone feels welcome, when we make room for them.
[00:16:42] Secondly is this, that we would preach the gospel.
[00:16:52] Preach the gospel. Now, this is the part where I'm going to lose some of you because you're like, logan, that's your job.
[00:16:58] I'm not a preacher. You're trying to be a preacher. I see that. You might not be a preacher, but you're trying.
[00:17:04] You know, you're good. You know, you do the words. I don't have a degree. I don't know how to preach the gospel. I don't know where Luke is. This is my first. Whatever, okay? But here's what I'd say to that person in this room that says, I'm not a preacher.
[00:17:15] All of us are preaching something right now.
[00:17:18] You are already preaching some gospel in your life. I just want to simply ask you, what gospel are you preaching?
[00:17:25] Because if preaching the gospel is literally just telling people about Jesus, it's just saying, I know. I say, if we love Jesus, we will talk about him.
[00:17:35] We're just telling people what we love. And we love to tell people about what we love to talk about. Right? We love to talk about the transfer portal. We love to talk about who the cats are bringing in. We love talking about our latest fad diet. We talk about the new restaurant in town. We will share with great enthusiasm the app that has changed my life or the new artist I found.
[00:17:56] We preach all the time and we will say, this will change your life.
[00:18:01] To all types of stuff that ultimately doesn't, does it?
[00:18:05] We are all preaching some gospel, but is it about Jesus? If you love him, I would argue you will talk about him. He will come up in your conversation.
[00:18:15] Journey Church. How easily does Jesus come up in your life? I don't mean weird. I don't mean in an awkward way. I don't mean like turning a Jesus juke where it's like, man, that was a good save. You know who really is a good save? Jesus. You know, I'm not saying that.
[00:18:27] I'm not looking for that, but I'm seeing in your conversations, like, you're gonna go to work for many of us tomorrow, and you're gonna say, how was your weekend? And do you Say I'm gonna leave that church part out.
[00:18:36] Or maybe I talk about, hey, how are you doing? And do you say good?
[00:18:40] Actually I'm really restling her. Oh man, there's been a series I've been talking about, you know, just a normal conversation. How natural is it for Jesus to come up in our conversation? We preach about the things that we love. So do you Love Jesus? Acts 1 says this, this is some of Jesus last words before he goes up to heaven. It says, but you will receive the power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria and to all the ends of the earth.
[00:19:10] Now I want you to hone in on a couple things here.
[00:19:13] The word witness. A witness.
[00:19:15] No, I'm not talking about that awesome Harrison Ford movie. I'm talking about what a witness is, is somebody who you've seen something, you've experienced something, and you're basically just explaining what you saw. You're testifying, you're saying, hey, I was here, I was there and I was there at this life changing event, right? If a witness and a witness stand, or maybe you would say, I knew where I was, like when the cats, you know, scored that last touchdown and we won, right? Like that kind of thing. You were a witness to something that important happened. And I love that Jesus used this language. You are going to be my witnesses here and abroad.
[00:19:50] You're going to explain that to everyone around you. Just right now we have some of our staff visiting, some of our missionaries in East Asia and they are, and they are being witnesses there. But also, you know, we think that, oh man, I'm not a, I can't preach the gospel, I'm not a witness. That's like a missionary stuff. That's not what I'm doing.
[00:20:11] But I would say, no, it's not true at all, right? If we love Jesus, we will witness about him. We'll testify and talk about the things that he's done. So what people need is just, is this, that we just need to tell our story. If we're going to preach the gospel, then we just tell our story.
[00:20:28] Tell our story. What has God done in your life? This is who I was, this is who I am now. This is who he's making me to be. This is not just, oh, this is how my life got perfect after I went to church. No, no, I'm not saying that. But what has God done in your life? How has he changed your life?
[00:20:43] You don't need a degree, you actually Just need a story to tell.
[00:20:46] And even those in this room that say, I don't have that great of a story, I would say, that's not true at all.
[00:20:50] It's not true at all. God's given you a story of where you were before and tell people what God has done in your life.
[00:20:57] Second thing to notice about this, it says, but you will receive the power from the Holy Spirit.
[00:21:02] So we need to rely on the Holy Spirit in these moments, on the sorry for my handwriting.
[00:21:12] Spirit, you don't always have to know what to say. You don't need to pull out every verse necessarily. It's just that you are sharing what you know about God and saying, holy Spirit, you gotta lead this conversation. You gotta give me something worth saying.
[00:21:26] Did you notice that all of Jesus ministry, earthly ministry, was done? It says, he does it within the power of the Holy Spirit. How much more do we need the Spirit in our lives to have anything worth saying or doing right? We need the Holy Spirit's help. And Jesus says, I'm gonna give you so that when I leave, he will guide you. And this is what we see in the early church. First John 3, it says this. It says, we proclaim to you what we have seen and heard so that you may also have fellowship with us.
[00:21:55] And our fellowship is with the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ. We write this right to make our joy complete.
[00:22:02] Did you hear that? As a witness, they're saying, we're just telling you about what we saw. We were there, we saw what he did, and this is what he's done. And you know what? It makes our joy complete to give him away.
[00:22:13] If we love Jesus, we will give him away. We will preach to others, not in a pushy way, but we will share the love that we have. If I've experienced the love of Christ, man, I don't want anybody to not have that. I want to share that with someone. So when I have a colleague who's saying they're having a hard week, or they're going through a hard spot in their marriage, or they've lost a loved one, or they're talking about, you know, the thing they thought that vacation that was going to fulfill everything, and they get back and they're like, man, just living for the weekend again. And. And they're going, how do you make it through those conversations that are happening? And you get a chance to say, you know what? For me, it's been Jesus.
[00:22:48] How often does that come up? Preaching the gospel does not mean we have all the answers. It Means that we are honest with what we've seen.
[00:22:55] And if you're in this room and you've said yes to Jesus, you are a witness already.
[00:23:01] What are you preaching about? Lastly is this that we can demonstrate.
[00:23:11] The gospel.
[00:23:13] We can demonstrate the gospel.
[00:23:16] You know that famous passage, Matthew 28, the go into all the world and make disciples. Right. It's often used for missions. And like I said, we have some of our staff who are doing that right now. It's amazing. But what you know, I know about those missionaries right now, those who are serving the Lord and taking him into contexts where they're unknown. I know not everything about that, but my wife and I, we served as missionaries for a couple years, and we got to be a part of the local church there. And there's something that happens once you're almost like the newness wears off once you're in a new place, once people. You realize people are talking different and the food's different and all that stuff. You start to realize that life is pretty normal in a different place. It just looks a little different.
[00:23:54] Like, I had a different routine, I had different friends. But what I was doing was just living in a new place and trying not to be weird and finding where Jesus was naturally intersection with conversations.
[00:24:07] And so that meant, like, getting involved in a gym, and that meant, like, volunteering in schools, and I played on a basketball team, and I got to just, like, integrate my life. And at some point, I realized, like, it was kind of hard for me to differentiate, like, what is ministry and what's not. Cause it was like, I'm just trying to be present to the people around me, and then I'm gonna try to just love them. And then you know what the craziest thing was? People were like, why did you come here, dude?
[00:24:33] Why? You sound funny and you drink too much water. That's what the Brits used to always tell me. I'm like, you should try it. It's better for you.
[00:24:39] They give you water cups like, that big. I'm like, that's not gonna work.
[00:24:44] They told me, they say, we knew you're American a long way away. I was like, why? They're like, well, you wear too many hats, you drink too much water, and you carry a backpack. And I was like, well, I guess so. I can be. I've had worse said about me, you know? But demonstrating the gospel. And so I started having, like, coffee with guys on a Friday morning at this little cafe.
[00:25:01] And these guys would come and ask questions about the Bible just because I Got to know them, you know, and my gym that I worked out in, I was kind of the only American in there. And like, why are you here? And he's like, well, you know, come got to be part of this nonprofit. And, you know, I just got to work and tell people about Jesus. And, you know, some of the most natural conversations, some of the moments I look back where I was a missionary, but it was just normal life. I was just demonstrating, at least imperfectly, the gospel, inviting people over for a meal, hanging out with them, helping them through a hard time, going to things that mattered to them, you know, and it wasn't cause they were a project. It's cause I genuinely love those people.
[00:25:38] I loved those people.
[00:25:40] And so that passage, when it says, as we go into all the world, you know, it's kind of an interesting unique verb tense. It's a better way to translate that passages. As you are going into all the world, what Matthew 28 almost really says is, as you are going to world. So it's as you are going to work, as you are parenting, as you are studying, as you are shopping, make disciples.
[00:26:10] All of us have context right now where it is most natural for you to be, whether that be in the auto body shop, around the lunch table, at school, around your dorm room, in your home.
[00:26:22] Jesus has given you an opportunity as you are going to make disciples right where it is. Even in that remote work sales job, it's possible.
[00:26:33] You know, I love that Jesus says in his ministry, he says, I only do what I see the Father doing, right? He says, I only do what I see him see. I'm sorry. I only do what I see the Father doing.
[00:26:42] Which means that he has an uncanny ability to see what God was up to. And he's noticing. And he's just looking around saying, I'm only participating in what he tells me to do, what I see him doing.
[00:26:54] Church, where has God placed you to be present and to join him with what he is already doing. Because just like Jesus when he saw Zacchaeus, he says, this is the son of Abraham, which means, this is one of my kids, and I've came for him.
[00:27:10] And all of us work and live and commute and shop and play board games and go to the gym with people who are God's kids, and he wants them to know him.
[00:27:21] And we get an opportunity to be there and share with them, but it will require us to slow down and be present.
[00:27:27] See, Paul puts it this way. He says that God has assigned each of us a task, and I Love that. And how I would break that down is that we would work well and we would love well.
[00:27:42] And this is. If I could underline this one really quick.
[00:27:47] This was really profound to me. A while back, probably my 20s, I met with this guy and he was kind of speaking to a bunch of 20 year olds and he was like, hey, listen, man, no one wants to hear about your Jesus if you don't turn your time sheets in on time. You know, he's like, don't be the worst barista and be like, can I tell you about Jesus? You know, and he's like, some of us, like, especially my generation, I'll speak to this. My generation, I think sometimes we got, we got it wrong where we thought I have to like start a nonprofit and I gotta change the world. And, you know, I need a. I need a title. I need some kind of. I need something to like, you know, if I was, you know, if I started this thing or then, you know, once I have the influence, then I can really change the world.
[00:28:25] And again, great intention.
[00:28:28] But how it gets played out is like, man, be the best barista in the world. I don't mean that just like, excellent. I mean, serve every cup of coffee like it matters. Cause there's a person on the other side of that.
[00:28:38] Like, don't show up late all the time to work. And then be like, man, I'm really just praying for Jesus, right? Like, let's be the people who are about our word. When we say something, we do it.
[00:28:49] And so we demonstrate the gospel.
[00:28:52] And when it happens that we mess up, because we will, we're humans.
[00:28:57] Just say, I'm sorry, you know what? My bad, my bad, I'll do better.
[00:29:02] Don't deflect, don't be defensive. Just be people who are repentive. And we say that. We say, man, you know, I'm sorry, I'm gonna get better at this.
[00:29:09] Are we people who do that? Are we the best barista, the best manager, the best stay at home parent? Because some of the work that God's called us to is both paid but also unpaid. It's the things in our lives, the people he's put us in, our kids, our colleagues, our co workers, our roommates, love them. Well, do our chores, don't be the worst roommate. So that when you get a chance to tell them about Jesus, they're like, man, this guy's a Christian, right?
[00:29:38] And when that gap exists, we just admit it. We want to live a beautiful life.
[00:29:45] Not perfect life, but a beautiful life.
[00:29:48] How do we is there aroma about who Jesus is in our lives?
[00:29:54] I want to close this morning just with just hearing a few passages about who you are in Christ.
[00:30:00] This is who we're meant to be as we demonstrate the Gospel to a world that needs him. First Peter 2 says this live such good lives amongst the pagans, meaning non believers, that though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify the Lord on the day he visits us.
[00:30:20] Matthew 5 It says, you are the salt of the earth. If the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?
[00:30:27] It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
[00:30:33] You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand. It gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Hear that same phrase again, first Peter 3. But in your hearts, revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks you. Give the reason for the hope that you have. But this. Do this with gentleness and with respect.
[00:31:06] Colossians 4 Be wise in the way you act towards outsiders. Make the most of every opportunity.
[00:31:12] Let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt. And so that you may know how to answer everyone.
[00:31:20] There's been some study about the early church, and there's one historian, Michael Green, and He summarizes that 80% of early evangelism done in the church was done just by ordinary men and women living their lives.
[00:31:35] And that when the differences. Because there was there was differences, noticeable differences about them. That when people just shared, why are you living this way? Why are you giving to the poor? Why are you not neglecting meeting together? Why are you the way that you are? People would be very honest about, you know, this is who Jesus is. And they were drawn to the beauty of their lives.
[00:31:55] Friends, you are salt.
[00:31:58] You are light.
[00:32:00] We are called to do those things. And when people ask you why you live differently or what is different, why is there something beautiful about your life? Answer with gentleness, answer with respect, and let your words be full of grace.
[00:32:12] Because when we do those things, evangelism stops being a project and it's actually a posture we've taken in our hearts.
[00:32:20] So here's the question I have for you this morning. Journey Church. Who has come to mind right now that needs Jesus not Someone to fix, not someone that needs argued into the kingdom.
[00:32:34] Someone that you love, that matters to you right now, and that God has put you in their lives potentially to sow a seed to point them to Jesus, who is he already placed in your life. You can go speak to the person on the street. That's awesome. If that's your gifting, go for it. Go for it.
[00:32:53] But I know this room. There's. For every person's room, there's a person in our life that we know that doesn't know the Lord, and we would want them to. Where is he already at work in your life. He's already given you somebody.
[00:33:03] Students. You have a lunch table where you're going to sit around there just like Jesus. And you can have a conversation every single day, whether it's on campus or at Chipotle, doesn't matter.
[00:33:13] You're going to have to walk across that crazy intersection there by Gallatin anyway. So go navigate that and maybe you have a conversation about Jesus. Same thing in Bozeman, walking in one of the restaurants.
[00:33:25] Evangelism is not about winning an argument. You don't need that. There's a lot of people arguing out there.
[00:33:30] It's about loving people well and trusting God with the results, saying, God, I can't change your heart, but you can. What I can do is I can make room. I can tell my story, and I can try to the best of my ability, live a life of beauty. So someone would be drawn in. And ultimately, I'm just trusting the spirit to do what only he can.
[00:33:48] Let's pray together.
[00:33:59] God, we.
[00:34:00] We quiet ourselves just for a few moments.
[00:34:07] Lord, I thank you that you are a God who seeks and saves the lost. You are coming and running after every one of us.
[00:34:14] And if there's someone even this morning that doesn't know you and says, that's me, Lord, I pray that they would just cry out to you in their heart this morning, and they'd come pray with somebody this morning after the service. They would say, that's me. I am lost. And I'm like a sheep without a shepherd, and I need a great shepherd. And Lord, you are the ultimate shepherd.
[00:34:33] And Lord, for every person that that is, there's someone that we know in our lives. Lord, would you bring someone to mind right now?
[00:34:40] And, Lord, the words that come to mind are conviction and courage. Lord, would you give us the conviction and the courage to meet them where they're at? Lord, would you help us as a people, as a church, help us to make room for that person around our table Would you help us to preach the gospel to them, Lord? That we would tell our story that we would ask them their story, not just tell them facts but that we'd actually say, where did you come from? What's your life? Tell me, how are you? You know how do you read the Scriptures? You know?
[00:35:11] And Lord, lastly, would we live beautiful lives not for ourselves but for your glory and Holy Spirit? We trust you with this, Lord because you're the only one that can change hearts My words have no power but your word does.
[00:35:24] And so Lord, we trust these people that you already love that we know love too Lord we would come alongside Lord, would you convict us and give us courage to share the love of Christ with them, to be witnesses? Say, this is what I've seen, this is what I've experienced, this is what I've taste and seen we give you all the glory.
[00:35:42] Amen.
