Finding Jesus in Others Through Context and Connection

This formula of making connections, this formula works today too. It works today. I promise you it does. If our goal is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, the only way we're going to do it, and I am rarely this black and white, I'm rarely this black and white, but the only way that we're going to do it, the only way that we're going to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of of the world is by building relationships with people. It's the only way. [00:57:37] (39 seconds)  #DisciplesThroughRelationships

For far too long, the Christian church has been seen as anti everything. For far too long, the Christian church has been perceived as anti science. For far too long, the Christian church has been perceived as anti intellectualism. For far too long, the Christian church has been seen as antisocial. For far too long, we seem to have been going into these situations with guns blazing and fingers pointing, yelling, no. No. No. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. But then we turn around and we say, Jesus loves you. We might not, but Jesus does. [00:54:27] (48 seconds)  #LoveNotJudgment

We have the misconception for far too long, we've had the misconception that we have to bring Jesus to a specific place or to a specific set of people when, in fact, Jesus is already there, and we're just trying to catch up. We convince ourselves that if we just yell louder than the opposition, that we will prove our point, that we will coerce or wear down those who do not yet follow Jesus, that we will somehow scare them into confessing Christ. But in reality, all that does is build a higher wall. That's all it does. [00:55:14] (45 seconds)  #JesusIsAlreadyThere

Before we can even think about making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, we serve joyfully. Before we even think about making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, we lead courageously because that's the only way. That's what builds relationship. Joyful serving, courageous leadership, bold love. We don't get to the other part if there's not the first part. We don't get to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world until we love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously. [01:00:56] (44 seconds)  #LoveServeLead

Even building relationships with people who we think might be wrong, people whose behaviors we might find offensive. We lead with our commonality. We lead by expecting to find Jesus in them and then pointing Jesus out when we see him. That's what Paul did. Anything less means that we, the church, remain judgmental and hypocritical. Anything less, and the church remains anti everything. When we lead with relationship, we will get the same results that Paul did in Athens. [00:58:16] (49 seconds)  #FindJesusInOthers

But I care about what my friends have to say. I care about people who with whom I have a relationship. I care what they have to say, and that's what Paul does. Paul is the opposite of bullhorn guy. Paul could have gone into Athens gun guns blazing and told them that the city is going to be judged and the city's gonna burn because God hates all of the pagans in it. Paul could have said that God hates them, hates their lifestyle, hates their choices, hates everything about them, repent or die. Paul could have done that, but he chose not to. [00:52:06] (41 seconds)  #FriendsNotBullhorn

I left the house, and as I went back to the hostel that day, I started to think about how many opportunities I have missed to tell people about Jesus simply because I didn't take the opportunity to know them or make a connection. Isn't that all this guy wanted? All this guy wanted was to be seen. That's all. He was suspect of me at best until he realized that I lucked into a chance to get to know him, a chance to make a connection. I lucked into a common thread that we had, and then I was able to talk about Jesus. [00:48:20] (50 seconds)  #SeizeConnectionOpportunities

That's all context clues. Well, here's a great context clue. We are Christians. We love Jesus. Yes. And so when we do things, people should know, people should be able to tell that we love Jesus by how we treat them. That's a context clue. Like, oh, they love Jesus. They must be nice. They love Jesus. They must offer us mercy and peace and joy. Does that make sense? Yeah. So, let's try let's try to remember. We can tell people that we love Jesus, or we can show them that we love Jesus. Let's try to show them. [00:34:24] (43 seconds)  #LoveByActions

Elm Park, we don't get to talk to strangers about Jesus, So we'd better make some friends. May you expect to find Jesus wherever you are. May you build relationships in order to point out the unknown God. May you realize that wherever you go, Jesus is already there, and may you blend in so that Jesus can stand out. Amen. [01:01:39] (38 seconds)

Elm Park, we don't get to talk to strangers about Jesus, So we'd better make some friends. May you expect to find Jesus wherever you are. May you build relationships in order to point out the unknown God. May you realize that wherever you go, Jesus is already there, and may you blend in so that Jesus can stand out. [01:01:39] (32 seconds)