Gtcotr/ss010514
I
can imagine we have quite a few people here and those listening this morning that
are:
·
Successful
Hunters
·
Those
who know how to Catch Fish
·
Avid
Shoppers
·
People
who are Married
·
Moms
·
Employers
·
Employees
·
Teachers
·
Children
who still Live at Home
Each
one of you, in your own way and with differing levels of success, have learned
how to navigate the communication gaps between yourself and those from whom you
want something. When it comes to communicating with people you care about or
those important in your life, there are four possible truths. Either:
1.
You have learned how to get what you want
2.
You have learned how to live with less than you want
3.
You are frustrated and on the verge of giving up
4.
You are searching for a better way
There
is a “Best Approach” for every adventure of life. Hunters know this, at least
successful hunters do. The most successful pursuit for one animal may not be
the best for another. Couples who are married have either learned how to get
what they want and need from their spouse; learned to live with less than they
want; are frustrated and will at some point wonder why they married that person
to begin with; or else they are actively searching for a better way.
Believe
me when I tell you, there is a better way – there is best approach for every
situation. Just because the one you are most familiar with is not working, does
not mean you can’t learn a better way and win the day.
Now
I am not talking about learning how to manipulate others for some small measure
of fleeting personal gain. We are Believers in Christ and members of His Body,
the Church of the Living God. We have bigger and more important things to do
than to manipulate others for our own personal advantage. We are called to be
the salt of the earth and the light of the world …
Nonetheless,
people who learn the principles of communication and understand their dynamics
can and sometimes do use these truths for their own personal gain. Shame on you
if you are lazy, selfish, greedy or feel you are entitled to always have things
your way. Grow up … you are worth far more than you can ever get on your own.
You are the child of a King and that noble blood demands you serve as an
example and a benefit to others.
Throughout
this year we are going to learn proven principles that will help us find and
employ the best pursuits for reaching and influencing our families for Christ. We
are going to learn how to build bridges which will afford us the opportunity to
accurately communicate without creating additional problems.
We
will build a bank of information we can access to keep us on track throughout
the year and put steps in place to help us reach our goals. Could you imagine
going hunting or fishing or raising children or reaching the lost or
transforming a family member’s life without a little preparation?
If
you were going hunting, you would at least want to make sure you had the right
ammunition or the best bait before heading out. Not to mention that just
knowing when to be still or quiet can be critical to your success.
Well
enough about that, you get the point – We need to be prepared. This year we are
going to take the long-term, solid approach to preparing ourselves to influence
our families for Christ. Pastor James said:
“The farmer exercises long patience for the precious fruit.” (James 5:7)
And
by the way, we are not going to learn how to get people to do what we want them
to do but rather a way to help people find, understand and embrace what God
wants them to do. What God requires of them may be a far cry from what we first
imagine. The very best thing we can do for our family members is to connect
them to Christ and God’s will for their lives.
And,
I am only going to share proven principles from the scriptures that have
already worked for me. It will be important to your success that you follow
along step by step. If you miss a step, catch up online …
Like
we discussed Wednesday night concerning our influence on others:
·
We will begin with the end in mind
·
We will learn to accept small changes as a sign of success
·
We will not expect from others what we are unwilling to give of
ourselves
Let’s
take the first step in learning the best approach by turning to:
Acts 17 NLT
16 ¶ While Paul was waiting
for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere
in the city.
17 He went to the synagogue
to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the
public square to all who happened to be there.
Notice
how Paul met people where they were. He had a connection with people on their
turf, in their comfort zone – he went where they were.
18 He also had a debate with
some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and
his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these
strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about
some foreign gods.”
Our
approach to sharing spiritual truths can seem threatening and even alarming to
others who have not yet experienced these things for themselves. (My testimony
of being unprepared to share the truth in a non threatening, understandable way
and the years of problems it caused.) Not everyone is hearing what you think
you’re saying. (Communication gaps …)
19 Then they took him to the
high council of the city. “Come and tell us about this new teaching,” they
said.
20 “You are saying some
rather strange things, and we want to know what it’s all about.”
This
was the perfect opportunity … someone asked a sincere question … don’t blow it
here … this is what we are waiting for – a chance to tell others when they want
to listen … we must be prepared.
“Always be ready to give
an answer to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with
meekness and fear.” (1 Peter 3:15)
21 (It should be explained
that all the Athenians as well as the foreigners in Athens seemed to spend all
their time discussing the latest ideas.)
22 ¶ So Paul, standing before
the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are
very religious in every way,
Paul
was paying attention to the lives and desires and hopes and suspicions of those
he wanted to influence for Christ. He evidently invested some amount of time
getting to know these people and contemplating how to best reach them in a way
they would best understand. Paul approached the truth from their perspective.
23 for as I was walking along
I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To
an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m
telling you about.
Paul
found common ground. We too must look for some common ground.
24 “He is the God who made
the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he
doesn’t live in man-made temples,
25 and human hands can’t
serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to
everything, and he satisfies every need.
26 From one man he created
all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they
should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
27 “His purpose was for the
nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find
him—though he is not far from any one of us.
28 For in him we live and
move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
29 And since this is true, we
shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or
stone.
30 “God overlooked people’s
ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone
everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.
Paul
gave them their next simple step. And then he gave them something much bigger than
them and left them wanting to hear more.
31 For he has set a day for
judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to
everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”
32 ¶ When they heard Paul
speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others
said, “We want to hear more about this later.”
33 That ended Paul’s
discussion with them,
Paul
knew when to quit … when to be quiet … when his listeners had heard enough for
the day. Some want more and some can’t take more right now. (This is how Jesus
treated His disciples ~ John 16:12; 1 Corinthians 3:2)
34 but some joined him and
became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman
named Damaris, and others with them.
What
can we take away from this Bible example that will help us better communicate
with our families in 2014?
Our Truth
for Today
Find the common ground and value it as a fertile field.
Now,
let’s cover our families in prayer and ask God to help us better understand
them and their needs from His perspective.
