Living as a Light: Sharing Jesus with Others
Summary
In this sermon, I was reminded of the importance of being the message and drawing attention to ourselves not for our own glory, but to bring glory to God and create a thirst in others for Him. The sermon emphasized the importance of engaging in church and letting our good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone would praise our heavenly father. The sermon also highlighted that Christianity is not about perfection, but about surrender and progress, and that this all begins with saying yes to Jesus. When we come into a relationship with Jesus, everything changes, not immediately, but eventually a process begins. We are now under new management, the Holy Spirit, and this not only gives us a clean heart and a brand new start spiritually, but it also impacts us physically and changes us from the inside out.
The sermon continued to stress the importance of sharing our faith and inviting others to church. We were reminded that everyone will spend eternity somewhere and we have the opportunity to help people prepare for eternity by pointing them to Jesus. We have a responsibility to do everything we can to get people to the feet of Jesus. The sermon also emphasized the importance of creating space in our churches and preparing our hearts for what God is about to do. We were encouraged to make our minds up to do whatever needs to be done to get people to the feet of Jesus, because it's in His presence where people change.
Key takeaways:
- Christianity is not about perfection, but about surrender and progress. This all begins with saying yes to Jesus. When we come into a relationship with Jesus, everything changes, not immediately, but eventually a process begins. We are now under new management, the Holy Spirit. [14:44]
- We have a responsibility to do everything we can to get people to the feet of Jesus. We need to share our faith and invite others to church. Everyone will spend eternity somewhere and we have the opportunity to help people prepare for eternity by pointing them to Jesus. [15:28]
- We need to create space in our churches and prepare our hearts for what God is about to do. We need to make our minds up to do whatever needs to be done to get people to the feet of Jesus, because it's in His presence where people change. [16:07]
- We should refuse to allow Jesus Christ to be the best kept secret in our lives. We need to be ready to share our faith stories and invite others to church. [16:54]
- We need to stay connected with the people we are trying to share Jesus with. Once we have that initial conversation, we should continue to pour into them and stay connected. [25:59]
Study Guide
Main Points from the Sermon:
1) We are called to prepare our hearts and the hearts of others for eternity, pointing them to Jesus. This is our responsibility as believers, knowing that everyone will spend eternity somewhere. We must commit to doing everything we can to bring those we love and care about to the feet of Jesus. #!!18:51!!#
2) The story of the four men who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus in Mark 2 is an example of our mission. We are to do whatever it takes to bring people to Jesus, because it is in His presence that people change. #!!20:06!!#
3) We must be the living, breathing sermon, sharing what we know with those who don't know. We are saved on purpose for a purpose, and we must be ready to share our faith and point people to Jesus. #!!17:37!!#
4) As a church family, we have the opportunity to put Jesus Christ on display. We are to draw attention to ourselves not for pride, but to point people to Jesus. We are to share our faith as a church family and as individuals. #!!08:22!!#
Bible Chapters for the Group to Read:
1) Mark Chapter 2
2) Acts Chapter 1
3) Matthew Chapter 5
4) 1 Peter Chapter 3
Discussion Guide:
Observation Questions:
1) In Mark 2, what actions did the four men take to bring their friend to Jesus?
2) How does Acts 1:8 relate to our responsibility as believers to share our faith?
3) What does Matthew 5:16 tell us about how we should live our lives as Christians?
Interpretation Questions:
1) How does the story in Mark 2 demonstrate our mission as believers?
2) What does Acts 1:8 mean when it says we will receive power to be witnesses for Jesus?
3) How can we apply the principle in Matthew 5:16 to our daily lives?
Application Questions:
1) How can you prepare your heart and the hearts of others for eternity?
2) What steps can you take to bring those you love and care about to Jesus?
3) How can you be a living, breathing sermon, sharing what you know with those who don't know?
Devotional
Day 1: Be the Message
As followers of Christ, we are called to not only speak the message of the Gospel but to live it out in our daily lives. Our actions should reflect the love, grace, and mercy of Jesus, pointing others to Him.
James 2:18 - "But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds."
Reflection: Reflect on your actions in the past week. Were there instances where your actions pointed others to Jesus? If not, what changes can you make in your daily routine to ensure your actions glorify God and lead others to Him?
Day 2: Christianity is about Progress, not Perfection
Our spiritual journey is not about achieving perfection but about growing and maturing in our faith. God is patient with us and works in us to bring about transformation.
Philippians 1:6 - "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
Reflection: Reflect on your spiritual journey. Can you identify areas where you have made progress? Are there areas where you are struggling to surrender to God? How can you invite God into these areas to help you make progress?
Day 3: Share Jesus Wherever You Are
We are called to be ambassadors for Christ, sharing His love and truth wherever we go. Every interaction is an opportunity to point others to Jesus.
Matthew 28:19-20 - "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Reflection: Think about your interactions in the past week. Were there opportunities to share the love of Jesus that you missed? How can you be more intentional about sharing Jesus in your daily interactions?
Day 4: Live Consistently for Jesus
Our faith should not be compartmentalized but should permeate every aspect of our lives. Our actions and decisions should consistently reflect our faith in Jesus.
Colossians 3:17 - "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Reflection: Reflect on your actions and decisions in the past week. Were they consistent with your faith in Jesus? If not, what changes can you make to ensure your actions and decisions align with your faith?
Day 5: Invite Others to Know Jesus
We are called to share the good news of Jesus with others, inviting them to experience His love and salvation.
1 Peter 3:15 - "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."
Reflection: Think about the people in your life who do not know Jesus. How can you invite them to know Jesus? What stories of your faith can you share with them to introduce them to Jesus?
Quotes
1. "Each and every one of us have the opportunity to draw all the attention to ourselves to bring glory to God, to create a thirst in other people. Let's point people to the way of Jesus." - 14:44
2. "God isn't looking for perfect people and that Christianity is not about perfection, it's about surrender and progress that all begins with saying yes to Jesus." - 16:07
3. "Friends share what they know with friends who don't know what we know. We've got to be ready to invite, we've got to get in the serving game, we've got to start giving." - 18:14
4. "Knowing what we know, there should be a fire in our hearts to get those that we love and care about to Jesus." - 22:51
5. "We know that life is short, eternity is long, and the stakes are way too high to play games. So we refuse to allow Jesus Christ to be our best kept secret." - 19:28
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