Sharing Jesus
gtcotr/ss062506
Where there is a shared resource there must also, of necessity, be a shared responsibility.
People everywhere are crying out to be set free. Free from the hurt, the worries, the pains and disappointments of life. Life for many people is not what they expected … but it’s not what God expected either.
However, despite the pain and confusion, there is an answer. I boldly proclaim to you that Jesus is the answer. He and He alone is The Way, The Truth and The Life. Life with Jesus is a higher caliber of life. Life with Jesus makes all the darkness and despair of this world unable to capture the soul of that one who believes and accepts the message.
For this we have been commissioned to ’Go and tell’ … to ‘Bring Jesus’ to a lost and hurting world. To deliver them a chance to be set free.
Key Scriptures: Matthew 28
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
In 1976 there was an African American gentleman in his late 40’s living in California. He was a member of a church that believed and taught this Great Commission we read in Matthew 28.
In the spring of that year he felt in his heart that he should give some of his time and energy in efforts to take Jesus to lost and hurting people. So, under the covering of his church and in connection with a mission‘s agency, he set out on an adventure to England. He arrived in London and met with some contacts for a few days before deciding to drive out West of London and visit a pastor he knew of.
It was about noon, I think it was on a Monday, June 7th, 1976, if my memory serves me, when he stopped at a small café about 60 miles West of London, to eat.
Earlier that morning in the same little town, a man and his wife were arguing. As usual the screams and threats were loud and demanding. Life was good but marriage was unbearable. Everything to live for but nothing to live together for, yet unknown to them - God had a plan for this couple.
Before leaving for work that morning, in an angered moment, it was decided that they would get a divorce. They would both go ahead to work but she would have her stuff out of the house before he got home that evening. There was no reason prolonging the inevitable.
As he stormed out of the house, slamming the door, she screamed “I hate you.” The feeling was mutual. Hearts had grown cold.
Around noon this 23 year old woman went to lunch at a café near where she worked. She sat hurting and alone at a table all by herself. From seemingly out of nowhere a man walked up to her table and asked her if he might sit down with her. To her surprise, she said yes.
It was this African American gentleman turned missionary on his adventure to bring Jesus to a lost and hurting world. He had found the mark and Jesus was about to win another victory.
Sitting there he opened the conversation and then gracefully listened as the young lady shared her hurt. As she talked, he allowed the Holy Spirit to guide him, weaving Jesus into the fabric of her only solution. When the time was right, he closed that destined meeting with a challenge for her to make Jesus the Lord of her life. She did!
Right there in that little café at what was a lonely table with no hope, light shinned in that darkness and brought new life to a dying soul. She was born again!
And right here, now 30 years later, she sits in our front row still faithfully serving Jesus, and still married, happily married, to the man she once had no love for --- after all this time: my wife, Brenda.
After her true conversion that day in 1976, she gained the grace and strength to go back into our marriage and be a conduit through which God could work His plan. Within three weeks I had fallen under such conviction and felt so loved and appreciated, despite my failings, that I could no longer hold out on Jesus. I realized that I was the cause of my problems, I repented and rededicated my life to serve His will.
Seven years ago I was successful in tracking down that African American gentleman who brought Jesus to my wife and me. He is now in his 70’s, living in British Columbia, the retired head of a world wide mission’s agency with more than 300 full time missionaries bringing Jesus to the whole world. Those of you who were in the church seven years ago may remember me bringing this precious saint into our congregation and publicly thanking him for following the Great Commission. You see:
God has a plan
He will succeed
And we have a chance to participate … however:
Our participation in God’s plan will involve us bringing Jesus to some lost and lonely soul.
Jesus is our shared resource and:
Where there is a shared resource there must of necessity be a shared responsibility.
It is my personal responsibility --- your personal responsibility --- our individual and collective responsibility to share Jesus with others.
Who is it in your world that needs you to stop by, take the time and share the hope of Christ Jesus with them?
Jesus comes to others through the hands of people with food, through the hearts of people with faith and through the help of people with finances.
For which works of real care and concern will God one day reward us?
Do we take the time to be His hand reaching out, His heart caring, His hope sharing.
We have time, we have talent and we have treasury that can be used to carry Jesus to a lost and lonely world.
Each of us will decide today how we are going to live the rest of our life.
Matthew 25 NKJV
35 ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
36 ‘I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
38 ‘When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
39 ‘Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
40 "And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
Someone brought Jesus to each one of us. Someone brought Jesus to you.
Who will you bring Jesus to?
