Why the Resurrection? (Easter 2013)

Why the Resurrection?
1 Corinthians 15: 12 – 26  

Introduction

What a great day to worship the Risen Lord!  It is probably no surprise that I love Easter.  After all, I am a pastor…And pastors are supposed to love Easter.  It is the one Sunday when everyone shows up on the same Sunday.  Some people come to church on the first and third Sundays.  Some people come to church on the second and fourth Sunday.  Some people come to church on the fifth Sunday.  Some people come to church on the Blue Moon.  But, everyone adjusts their schedule to come to church on Easter.  What is there not to like about a full church on Easter Sunday.

I also love Easter, because it is our Holy Day.  At Christmas time, some Christians fight against the world’s attempt to steal our Holy Day from us.  They have changed the greeting, “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings.”  That’s not the case with Easter.  The Post Office and the banks take Christmas Day off as a holiday.  Again, that’s not the case with Easter.  Of course, you could argue that Easter is always on a Sunday, when the Post Office and the banks are already closed.  But, they didn’t take off on Good Friday!  Mail delivery and banking went through as normal on Good Friday.  And, I think that is a good thing.  It tells us that Easter is for Christians.  This is not a holiday for everyone.  In fact, Easter is more than a holiday.  Easter is a Christian Holy Day.

There are several reasons why people come to church on Easter Sunday.  Some people come to church, because they have been coming to church all their lives and cannot imagine spending Easter anywhere else.  Some people come to church out of respect.  (You are here because you don’t want to offend your wife, your mother or your friend who invited you.)  And some people don’t really know why you have come today.  (Maybe you have been hurt by a church in the past and do not want to continue to expose yourself to pain.  Or perhaps you have serious doubts about the Christian faith but you are here to have an open mind and to think critically / logically about who Jesus is.)

Earlier today, we witnessed the ordinance of Baptism.  As Baptist Christians, we have an unusual method of baptism.  We do not sprinkle or pour water.  We completely immerse a person under the water, because we believe baptism is a picture of what Jesus has done for us.  Jesus died on the cross.  Jesus was buried.  Then, Jesus was Resurrected.

During that baptism, I read a verse of Scripture from Romans 10: 9.  This one verse describes what it takes to become a Christian. 

Romans 10: 9, “That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

This is the main thing that separates the Christian faith from all other world religions.  Religion at its basic level is a human attempt to please God / earn God’s favor / satisfy God’s requirements.  As Christians, we do not believe our human efforts to reach out to God will ever be good enough.  Instead, we believe God has already accomplished salvation for us through the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus.  God simply asks us to believe God raised Jesus from the dead and to confess Jesus is Lord.

The Resurrection of Jesus is part of the Gospel message.  In fact, I would go so far as to insist that believing in the Resurrection of Jesus is necessary for a person to become a Christian.  There is no form of Christianity that does not believe in a living Christ.  Christian faith requires belief in a literal, historical and bodily Resurrection

The word “Gospel” means “Good News.”  Every human is guilty of sin.  We are affected by a sinful nature.  And, we commit individual acts of  rebellion against God by breaking his Law.  The only way for a human to have relationship with God in the present and in the future is for God to forgive us our sins.  God does not ask us to become good enough to earn forgiveness of sin.  God offers forgiveness and eternal life to anyone who believes that Jesus provides forgiveness and life. 

Forgiveness of sin is Good News…  However, the crucifixion of Jesus cannot be Good News if there were no Resurrection.  Crucifixion was ordinary.  It happened all the time.  In fact, Jesus was neither the first nor the last person to claim to be Messiah who was crucified by the Romans.  That is what ordinarily happened when someone claimed to be the Messiah.  The Romans crucified them.  What makes Jesus different from all the others before and after him is that crucifixion was not the end of Jesus’ story.  Crucifixion without Resurrection would make Jesus like every other man who claimed to be the Messiah.  Crucifixion without Resurrection would have been a failure and a sad ending to the story of Jesus and the hopes of Israel / Twelve Disciples.

Resurrection Fulfills Scripture… 

1 Corinthians 15: 3 – 8, “3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.”

In these verses, the Apostle Paul insists that his preaching to the Corinthian Christians is the same Christian message which has been preached sine the very beginning.  Paul preaches a confession of faith that contains four parts…

Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…  Christ was buried…  Christ was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…  Christ appeared to eyewitnesses…

There are a couple of important things in these verses. 

First, Paul makes a point to say that both the crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus were prophesied in the Old Testament.  (The sermons in the Book of Acts preached by Peter and Paul cite numerous Scriptures from the Old Testament that prophesy about Jesus’ crucifixion and Resurrection.)

Second, the Resurrection is a historical event which meets all the criteria as authentic history.  There were multiple eyewitnesses (probably around 600), and Paul invites his audience to investigate this for themselves by interviewing the living eyewitnesses themselves.  AND, there is documentary evidence written within one generation of the Resurrection of Jesus.  (Letters of Paul written between AD 53 and 60.  The Gospel of Mark written around AD 70.  The Gospels of Matthew and Luke written between AD 75 – 90.  The Gospel of John written between AD 90 – 100.)

Resurrection Gives Meaning to Life… 

1 Corinthians 15: 12 – 19, “12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”

If the Resurrection of Jesus never happened, then the Christian faith is one big lie.  We are lying to the world, and we are lying to ourselves.  Our preaching is meaningless.  Our faith is meaningless.  Our lives are meaningless.

But, if the Resurrection of Jesus is true, then the Christian faith is the only thing that makes sense.  The Christian faith makes sense, because it is logically consistent; and because it provides us with the only meaningful explanation for why things are the way they are.

We can interpret verses 17 – 19 as comparison and contrast…

If Jesus has not been raised, then our faith is futile.  But, if Jesus has been raised, then faith is of great value.

If Jesus has not been raised, then we are still in our sins.  But, if Jesus has been raised, then our sins have been forgiven.  Jesus has provided the remedy for our sins and has released us from our slavery to our sin nature.

If Jesus has not been raised, then those who have already died are lost / annihilated.  But, if Jesus has been raised, then those who have died believing in Jesus are experiencing life in the presence of God / in our Father’s House.

If Jesus has not been raised, then this life is all we have to hope for.  (This life is dominated by sin and sickness, death, cancer, brokenness, natural disasters…)  But, if Jesus has been raised, then this life is not all there is.  God has something better in store for us just as God had something better in store for Jesus.  If Jesus has been raised, then there is a world where sin and sickness, death and disaster do not have the final word. 

Resurrection Promises Eternal Life… 

1 Corinthians 15: 20 – 26, “20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.”

Notice that Paul affirms the Resurrection of Jesus here and then uses the Resurrection of Jesus to point toward a second Resurrection.  Jesus’ Resurrection is only the first Resurrection.  Jesus was raised as the “firstfruit” of Resurrection.  The “firstfruit” was the first part of the harvest.  The “firstfruit” was not the end of the harvest.  Instead, it indicated that there was more to come.  In the same way, the Resurrection of Jesus indicates that there is more to come.  Everyone who believes in Jesus will also experience Resurrection and eternal life in the presence of God.

Paul gives us a vivid description of this eternal life by personifying Death as a personal enemy.  Death is the enemy of God and the enemy of humanity.  Plato said that Death is a welcome friend who releases our good spirit from the prison of our evil body.  Paul said that Death is not your friend.  Death is your enemy.  But, Death is a defeated enemy.  Because of the Resurrection of Jesus, we no longer have to fear Death.  Death cannot threaten us.  Death does not get the final word.  Jesus gets the final word…Because Jesus was raised, those who believe in Jesus will also be raised.

Conclusion

Easter Sunday is more than a holiday for Christians.  In one sense, Easter is the day we remember the moment in history when Jesus was raised from the grave.  Yet, Easter is more than just a day we set aside to commemorate a historical event.  Easter is more than that, because the Resurrection is more than a historical event.  The Resurrection is a historical event which has changed the world.  There was a moment in the past when the Resurrection happened.  That past event has changed the present and the future.  Nothing will ever be the same again.

A wonderful part of the Easter story is not that Resurrection is possible.  It is that Resurrection is impossible.  We are here today, because God can do the impossible…Because God has done the impossible.

Historically, it is hard to make a case against the truth of the Resurrection.  After all, there were 600 eyewitnesses and more documentary evidence than most ancient history.

However, there are two very strong objections to the Resurrection.  First, the Resurrection is such an unusual event that it has never been repeated.  (Of course, just because an event has never been repeated does not mean it never happened in the first place.)  Second, if the Resurrection actually happened, it requires that I must live my life differently.

I must believe that Jesus really is who he said he is…The Son of God…The Savior…

I must live with Jesus as the Lord of my life…No other philosophical or political belief system carries as much power or authority as Jesus…  There is no other master / no other Lord.

I must live with the knowledge that there is more to life than what I can experience through my senses…

Everyone Has a Story

Everyone Has a Story

John 9: 13 – 34

 

Introduction

 

 

The best biblical example of someone who used his testimony to tell others about Jesus is found in John 9.  It is the story of how Jesus healed a man who had been born blind.  And, it is one of my favorite stories in the New Testament.

I like this story for several reasons.  First, Jesus uses the circumstances of this man’s illness to address one of the most enduring false beliefs about suffering.  Most people in the ancient world were a lot like people in our modern world.  They believed that there was a direct relationship between sin and suffering.  If a person is sick, then there must be some sin in their life to explain their sickness.  Of course, that raises a question about this man who was born blind.  Was his sickness the punishment for some sin he would commit in the future?  Or, was his sickness the punishment for his parents’ sin?   

In John 9: 2, the disciples asked Jesus this very question, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  And, Jesus said, “Neither…” 

Sometimes, there is a relationship between sin and suffering.  We make a bad decision and suffer the consequences.  Other times, there is no relationship.  Suffering is a part of life and a sign that we are not experiencing the very best that God has to offer us.  God’s best is reserved for Heaven—a place where there is no more death, no more suffering, no more sickness, and no more tears…

The other reason I like this story is that the Pharisees tried their very best to get this man to deny that Jesus had healed him.  Despite all their pressure, this man could only tell others how Jesus had changed his life.

 

 

John 9: 13 – 17…  13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”

But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.

17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”

The man replied, “He is a prophet.”

 

Restoring sight to blind eyes is no ordinary miracle.  In the Old Testament, restoring sight to the blind was something only God could do.  Also, Isaiah 61 associates restoring sight to the blind with the work of the Messiah.  In the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), restoring sight to the blind is the most common miracle Jesus performed.  Therefore, if Jesus healed the blind, then Jesus is making a statement about his character.  Jesus is God.  Jesus is the Promised Messiah—not only for the Jews, but for all races and all nations.

It is interesting that the people bring the healed man before the Pharisees.  Since the  Pharisees were the religious authorities of the ancient Jewish world, and since most people thought there was a theological connection between sin and sickness, the people brought the healed man to the Pharisees to verify the miracle or to interpret it in theological terms.  But, that is not what happened.

Just think about all the good that happened.  First, a blind man was healed.  Second, Jesus made a theological statement about who he is.  Third, a crowd of people got to witness all of this happen.

However, the Pharisees could not see all the good that had happened.  All they could see is that Jesus performed this miracle on the Sabbath Day.

According to the Pharisees, Jesus had violated at least two Sabbath regulations.  (You won’t find any of these Sabbath regulations in the Old Testament.  That is because the Old Testament wasn’t specific enough.  So, the Pharisees wrote detailed descriptions of what could be done and what could not be done on the Sabbath.)  It was a violation of the Pharisees’ Sabbath regulations to make mud by mixing dirt and water on the Sabbath.  It was also a violation to heal someone unless it as a life-threatening illness.  Since Jesus made mud and healed a man who wasn’t in critical condition, Jesus had broken the Pharisees’ understanding of Sabbath regulations.  The Pharisees thought Jesus was a sinner.

The healed man had a completely different perspective.  He probably didn’t even notice that this was the Sabbath Day.  All he knew is that he had been healed.  The man who healed him must be a prophet—the highest compliment a Jewish man could think of.

There are two different ways to look at this miracle.  The Pharisees interpreted it one way, and the healed man interpreted it a different way.  These two perspectives have two different starting points.  And, they lead to two different views of Jesus.  The Pharisees started by looking at the Sabbath Day regulations and concluded that Jesus was a sinner.  The healed man started by looking at how Jesus had changed his life (his experience) and concluded that Jesus was a prophet.

 

 

John 9: 18 – 23…  18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

 

 

I find this part of the story remarkable!  The man who had been healed was the only person who could make a judgment about what Jesus had done.  He specifically told the Pharisees and the crowd that Jesus had healed him and that Jesus is a prophet.  But, his testimony was not good enough for the Pharisees.  They wanted to talk to his parents.

The reason they wanted to speak to the man’s parents, is because they do not believe that this man was ever blind to begin with.

The parents serve an important role in this story.  On one hand, the parents knew the man had been blind from birth.  Therefore, they could prove to the Pharisees that he once was blind.  On the other hand, the parents knew the man before and after Jesus had changed his life.  Therefore, they could verify that a change had taken place.  This was the same man, but his life was different now.  Jesus had changed his life.

The same thing should be true about each of us who claim to be Christians.  The Christian faith is different from other world religions.  Christianity is not a religion in the sense that there are religious regulations we must keep in order to please God or to draw closer to God.  Christianity is not a philosophy in the sense that we can learn or think our way into favor with God.  Instead, Christianity is a life transformation.

The Christian faith is a historical faith.  It is grounded in the historical reality of Jesus, his crucifixion and Resurrection.  If Jesus never lived, then our faith would be futile.  If Jesus never died on the cross, then this would be for naught.  If Jesus never rose from the dead, then there is no hope for a better future.  The life, death and Resurrection of Jesus are historical fact—and can stand up to the same kind of historical scrutiny as any other historical event.  Through the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus, God has accomplished salvation once and for all for anyone who places their faith in Jesus.

The Christian faith is also an experiential faith.  Salvation was objectively accomplished in the cross and the empty tomb.  However, salvation is a subjective event which happens personally and individually within every man and woman who believes in Jesus.  Jesus died on the cross as the ultimate and final sacrifice for sin.  Jesus rose from the grave as the first to experience Resurrection and eternal life.  Jesus’ death promises forgiveness for anyone who believes.  Jesus’ Resurrection promises a new and eternal life for anyone who believes.

If you claim to be a Christian, people should notice a change in the way you live…  There should be a difference between the way you lived before Jesus and the way you live now.  Another way to say this is to say that you ought to have a testimony.  Or, other people should know there is a difference in your life now that Jesus is a part of your life.

 

 

John 9: 24 – 34…  24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”

25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

27 He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”

30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

 

When the healed man said, “One thing I do know.  I was blind but now I see!” he was making a powerful statement.

The Pharisees wanted to engage in a theological debate about the nature of Jesus.  Is Jesus a sinner?  Is Jesus a prophet?  Is Jesus the Son of God?  Is Jesus the Promised Messiah?

The healed man refused to engage in a theological debate with the religious leaders.

Or perhaps the Pharisees wanted to research the historical minutiae of Christian prophecy.  Where did the prophets say the Messiah would be born?  Did Jesus fulfill all the prophecies about the Messiah?  If Jesus restored sight to blind eyes, does that make Jesus the Son of God and Messiah?

The healed man refused to participate in historical research or to engage in theological debate.  There was only one thing he wanted to do.  He wanted to talk about Jesus and how Jesus had changed his life.  He wanted others to know about his experience with Jesus.  He wanted to tell his testimony!

 

Conclusion

 

Last Thursday evening, our church was the host for the Mosaic Center fundraising dinner.  If you don’t know about the Mosaic Center, you are missing out on a great ministry success over the past eight years.  They serve women in the Lufkin area and provide them with GED classes, Bible study, computer training, help finding employment, and general training for life skills—all within a Christian context.^[1]

Each year, at the Mosaic Center fundraiser, the Mosaic Center asks one of their recent graduates to stand up and tell her story to the hundreds of people in attendance.  This is usually an emotional time for everyone in the room.  We know the Mosaic Center is a worthwhile ministry…But, it is more emphatic to hear a living and breathing human being tell her true story of how her life has been transformed. 

This is the power of a story…And everyone has a story.  What is your story?

The woman who spoke at the Mosaic Center fundraiser told us what her life was like before she enrolled at the Mosaic Center—it was a life of suffering and bouncing around from one low paying job to another which left her unable to take care of her family.  She told us about the volunteers at the Mosaic Center who invested in her life and helped her get the training she needed.  Then, she told us what her life is like right now—she has completed her GED; has a steady job at a local business; and has recently entered into the management training program in her company.

As a Christian, you have a story just like that.  We typically call it our testimony.  The best way to tell your testimony is to break it into three parts.  First, what was your life like before you became a Christian?  Second, how did you become a Christian (the people, places and events which led to your decision to become a Christian)?  Third, how has your life changed since you became a Christian (or, how has Jesus made your life better)?

I think all Christians ought to write out his or her testimony and practice telling it.  You never know when or where you will be presented with an opportunity to tell someone else about the ways Jesus has changed your life.

Writing out your testimony and learning how to tell someone how Jesus changed your life is different from the CD we have been giving away.  In The Invitation,^[2] Lee Strobel tells his testimony of what his life was like before he became a Christian…how he became a Christian…and how Jesus has made his life better.  He also provides you with some intellectual resources, historical research and philosophical arguments to use when discussing Christianity with another person.  But, your testimony is different from historical research and philosophical arguments.  Your testimony is personal.  It happened to you.  No one can deny what happened to you.  And no one can take your testimony away from you.

 

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[1] http://www.mosaiccenter.org

 

[2] http://www.theinvitation.tv

 

Serve Like Jesus

Serve like Jesus

Mark 6: 30 – 44.

 

Introduction

Since October of last year, we have been working on a strategy and have been aiming for Easter Sunday…March 31, 2013.

Our strategy is called One Focus.  As a church, we are going to have One Focus for the next year.  We want to see a spiritual awakening take place in our community—men and women will place their faith in Jesus as Lord.  As an individual church member, we are asking you to have One Focus.  We want you to identify one person who is not a Christian.  We want you to pray for that one person, to love that one person, to serve that one person, to invite that one person to church, and to share your faith with that one person.

If you will invite your One Focus to come to church with you on Easter Sunday, I can promise you two things.  First, I promise that they will hear the Gospel and the significance of the Resurrection of Jesus in church on Easter Sunday.  Second, I promise not to embarrass you.

In the Sundays leading up to Easter Sunday, we are trying to put resources in your hands to help you share your faith with your One Focus.  One resource is the Invitation CD.  We still have copies in the foyer.  Please pick up one or more.  Listen to it as a way to help you to present an intentional and intelligent argument for the historical truth of the Christian faith.  After you listen to the CD, give it away, and come back for another copy.

Another resource is what we are doing in Sunday School and worship each Sunday.  Our Sunday School lessons are about the biblical mandate to share our faith with others and practical ways we can talk about faith with other people.  In worship, I am preaching about the different ways different people shared their faith in the New Testament. 

Confrontational Evangelism…Intellectual Evangelism…Interpersonal Evangelism …Invitational Evangelism…Service Evangelism…Testimonial Evangelism…

 

 

 

Mark 6: 30 – 44.

This is the only miracle which appears in all four Gospels.  There must be something special about feeding the five thousand.

I think it is special for two reasons. 

First, this miracle is significant because it is the opposite of the first temptation Jesus faced when Satan approached him in the desert.  After fasting for forty days and forty nights, Jesus was hungry.  Satan came to Jesus and said, “IF you are the Son of God, turn these stones to bread.”  This was a real temptation, because Jesus was hungry and wanted to satisfy his own needs.  Jesus never used his miraculous powers to serve his own selfish desires.  BUT, Jesus did use his miraculous powers to meet the needs of a hungry crowd.

Second, this miracle is significant because it fulfills a prophecy Moses made about the Promised Messiah.  In Deuteronomy 18: 15, Moses said, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers.  You must listen to him.”  In the New Testament, the Apostle Peter and the Apostle Paul picked up on Moses’ prophecy and connected it to Jesus.  Of course, Peter and Paul were not the first or the only Jewish interpreters to believe Moses’ words were about the Promised Messiah.

By the time Jesus came on the scene in the First Century, most Jews expected the Coming Messiah to be just like Moses.  The Messiah would lead God’s people out of their slavery and oppression.  In Moses’ day, God’s people were slaves to Egypt.  In the First Century, God’s people were a part of the Roman Empire.  The Messiah would establish a new People of God and meet all their physical needs.  This parallels the story of Moses’ leading the Hebrew people out of Egypt and providing Manna from Heaven.  The Messiah would also give God’s people a miraculous supply of bread.

In verse 34, we read two statements which describe WHY Jesus fed the five thousand…He had compassion on them…He saw them as sheep without a shepherd…

 

 

Mark 6: 34, “³⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.”

 

 

He Had Compassion on Them

 

Jesus fed the crowd, because Jesus had compassion on them.  I think this is important for two reasons.

First, Jesus had compassion on the crowd, because Jesus noticed their needs.  Jesus saw the crowd and noticed they were hungry.  How often do we go through life without paying attention to the needs around us?  Hunger…Finances…Broken Relationships…Grief …Doubts.  Some needs are easier to notice than others.  Some people have the spiritual gift of mercy and are able to notice things that others do not notice.  Even if you do not have the spiritual gift of mercy, you should still notice when someone you love / care about.

Second, Jesus had compassion on a crowd of people who did not deserve his compassion.  Jesus did not give a spiritual test to see who deserved to eat that day.  Jesus did not even set a requirement that the people had to sit through church before getting bread and fish—or fill out a questionnaire to prove that they had been paying attention.  No.  Jesus met physical needs without asking for anything in return.

 

 

 

Sheep without a Shepherd

 

Mark also indicates that Jesus thought the crowd seemed like sheep without a shepherd.  This is significant, because the Old Testament often refers to God’s people as sheep and the LORD as our shepherd.  Mark is making a spiritual statement here.

In other words, Jesus noticed two needs among the crowd.  First, Jesus noticed the crowd was hungry…they had physical needs.  Second, Jesus noticed the crowd had lost their way spiritually…they were like sheep without a shepherd.

It was not enough for Jesus to feed a hungry crowd.  Jesus also spent time teaching the crowd and investing in them spiritually.

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

DO vs. DONE…

 

Morality Ladder…

 

Cross Bridge…

Invitational Evangelism

Invitational Evangelism

John 1: 35 – 42.

Introduction

I have always had a special interest in the Apostle named Andrew.  I have always wondered who he was and what he must have been like.  And, I’ve always been a little disappointed.  We don’t know much about Andrew from the Bible…Andrew sort of drops out of sight as the story of Jesus and his disciples develops.

Andrew was the younger brother to Simon Peter.  They grew up to take over their father’s family fishing business, but they left their family business to become Jesus’ disciples. 

Simon Peter and Andrew were one of two sets of brothers that Jesus called to be his disciples.  The other set was James and John—the Sons of Zebedee. 

So far, the story of Andrew is a pretty good story.  Andrew was one of the first disciples of Jesus and started out as a member of Jesus’ inner circle of disciples—Peter, Andrew, James and John.  But, what happened to Andrew by the end of the Gospels?  Andrew seems to drop out of sight.

At the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus took three of his disciples to the top of the mountain.  Those disciples were given a vision of Jesus glorified by his Father in Heaven and standing alongside Moses and Elijah from the Old Testament.  Jesus took three of his disciples: Peter, James and John.  What happened to Andrew?

On the night of Jesus’ arrest, Jess took three of his disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane.  Jesus asked his disciples to stand guard while he was praying, but those disciples could not stay awake.  Jesus took three of his disciples: Peter, James and John.  What happened to Andrew?

After the crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus, his disciples gathered in Jerusalem to wait on the gift of the Holy Spirit.  When the Holy Spirit was given to the disciples, they began to preach the Gospel and spread the Christian faith from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria and to the Ends of the Earth.  Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost and 3,000 new believers entered into the Christian faith.  Peter and John went to the Temple and healed a 40 year old crippled man.  In the Book of Acts, we read about Peter, James and John.  What happened to Andrew?

Truthfully, we don’t know what happened to Andrew.   But we can draw some conclusions from the biblical story.  Peter, James and John stepped into the spotlight as the Christian faith exploded throughout the First Century world.  Peter, James and John were Christian celebrities of sorts…But, not everyone can be a celebrity.  Perhaps Andrew did not have a celebrity personality.  Perhaps he preferred to work behind the scenes, away from the spotlight. 

We may never know what Andrew’s personality was like, but I would like to suggest that we do not need more Christian celebrities like Peter, James and John.  Instead, I believe we need more people like Andrew, who are willing to work faithfully behind the scenes to help the Gospel spread around the world.

In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Andrew shows up only two times.  Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us about how Andrew became a disciple and then list him among the twelve disciples.

However, the Gospel of John tells us three stories about Andrew.  Interestingly, there is a common thread running through these three stories.  Andrew invited other people to meet Jesus…

John 1: 35 – 42.

³⁵ The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. ³⁶ When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

³⁷ When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. ³⁸ Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

³⁹ “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

⁴⁰ Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. ⁴¹ The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). ⁴² And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter^[g]).

In the ancient world, discipleship was a common form of education.  A young man would find a master-teacher who taught and modeled what the young man wanted to do with his life.  Then, he would affiliate with that master by becoming his disciple, student, apprentice.  Apparently, Andrew wanted to learn how to become a Jewish apocalyptic preacher…Because he affiliated himself with John the Baptist and modeled his life after John the Baptist’s life.

There is a lot we can say about John the Baptist.  He was a radical who called the Jewish people to repentance and baptism.  He lived out in the desert and wore strange clothing.  And, John was the man who baptized Jesus…

At the baptism of Jesus, John the Baptist learned who Jesus truly is.  After Jesus came up out of the water, the Spirit of God descended on Jesus like a dove.  The voice of God boomed overhead, “This is my Son, whom I love.  In him I am well pleased.”  John immediately knew who Jesus was and is.  Jesus is the Son of God.  Jesus is the Promised Messiah, who would establish God’s Kingdom on earth.

John Pointed to Jesus.

I believe it was because John had a good understanding of who Jesus was and is that he was able to point his own disciples toward Jesus.  One day, while John was teaching his disciples, Jesus walked by.  John made a simple, yet profound, statement about Jesus.  He said, “Look (Behold)!  The Lamb of God!”

Since John was a good Jewish teacher and preacher…And since John’s disciples were also good Jews…We need to interpret John’s comments about Jesus as a Jewish statement.  In other words, we need to consider what First Century Jews would have thought of when they heard the expression “The Lamb of God.”

Some people would have heard John call Jesus “The Lamb of God” and would have immediately thought of an Apocalyptic Lamb.  The Jewish view is that one day we will all worship the Lamb, and the Lamb will rule over Heaven and Earth.  In this sense, Jesus is the Lord of Heaven and Earth who now lives among us.

Some people would have heard John call Jesus “The Lamb of God” and would have remembered the Jewish sacrificial system.  There are several ways we can think of the Jewish sacrifices.  God prescribed an elaborate sacrificial system for the Jews.  Slaughtering a lamb, pouring out its blood on an altar, and burning the dead body of the lamb had mystical and religious significance.  The sacrifice was one way human beings could please God.  It was an act of obedience.  It was an offering to appease the anger / wrath of God.  It was the method God gave for our sins to be forgiven and our relationship with God restored.  In this sense, Jesus is the perfect and final sacrifice who once and for all takes away the sins of the world and offers us a right relationship with God.

Some people would have heard John call Jesus “The Lamb of God” and would have remembered the Passover Lamb.  When God rescued the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt, God sent ten plagues.  The final plague was the death of the firstborn.  This death affected every Egyptian family, but did not affect the Hebrews.  The Hebrews were spared, because each family slaughtered a lamb, ate the meat, and painted the blood of the lamb on the doorposts of their homes.  Death “passed over” all the homes who had the blood of the lamb, and Pharaoh drove the Hebrew people out of Egypt ad out of slavery.  In this sense, Jesus is like the Passover lamb, because Jesus has set us free.  Jesus sets us free from the sins of our past; sets us free from sin’s influence on our present; and sets us free from the effects of sin on our future.

John knew that he himself was nothing more than a preacher of the Good News.  Jesus is the only one who can change a person’s life.  Therefore, John preached about repentance and encouraged his disciples to become disciples of Jesus.  Two of John’s disciples immediately left him in order to become followers of Jesus. 

Come and See.

I really like the exchange of words between Jesus and these two (former) disciples of John.  Jesus asked them, “What do you want?”  The disciples answer, “Where are you staying?”  Jesus answered, “Come and see.”

It seems obvious to me what these disciples are looking for.  They are looking for something that only Jesus can satisfy.  They were looking for forgiveness of sins; a right relationship with God; eternal life; the Lamb who would rule over Heaven and Earth.  They were looking for the Lamb of God.  John pointed them toward the Lamb, and his disciples left everything to affiliate with Jesus.

John had told his disciples about Jesus.  But, there is only one way to know who Jesus is.  This is found in Jesus’ words, “Come and See.”  Jesus invited them to experience for themselves and make their own decisions.

This is one of our basic beliefs as Baptists, and one of the things that separates us from other Christian denominations.  We believe that every man, woman, teenager and child must make his / her own decision about Jesus.  Your parents do not get to decide what you believe about Jesus.  Your spouse does not get to decide for you.  Your church does not get to decide for you.  Everyone must respond to Jesus’ call to “Come and See.” 

There is only way your life can be changed by Jesus…You must have a personal encounter with Jesus…You must see for yourself who Jesus is…

The First Thing Andrew Did…

Andrew and the other disciple spent a whole day with Jesus.  And, there was something about that one day that changed their lives.  We just don’t know exactly what happened during their 24 hours with Jesus.

Did Jesus sit down and explain all the Old Testament prophecies and how they would be fulfilled in Jesus’ life, death and Resurrection?  Did Jesus demonstrate mercy, compassion and Grace to the two disciples and pronounce that their sins were now forgiven?  Did Jesus give them a new spiritual understanding of the Kingdom of God?

All we know is that 24 hours with Jesus changed their lives.  We know it changed their lives by the way they responded when the 24 hours were over.  Andrew could not keep his day with Jesus all to himself.  He had to tell someone.  He had to tell his brother Simon.

In some ways, it makes sense that Andrew would want to tell Simon about Jesus.  After all they were brothers, and they loved each other.  Andrew loved Simon and wanted Simon to have the same experience with Jesus he had.

In other ways, it is a little surprising that Andrew immediately told Simon about Jesus.  After all they were brothers, and they were constantly comparing themselves and competing against each other.  Andrew loved Simon but probably wanted something he could call his own.  He was tired of living in Simon’s shadow.  He was tired of all his school teachers asking him, “Are you Simon’s brother?”

Andrew may have wanted something he could call his own.  But, Andrew could not keep Jesus to himself!  And Andrew wanted the most important people in his life to know Jesus as he knew Jesus.  Andrew did not change his brother Simon’s life.  Jesus changed Simon’s life.  But Andrew invited Simon to a place where Simon could meet Jesus.  Then, Jesus did the rest.

This is a great story about Andrew, but it is not the only time Andrew shows up in the Gospel of John.  There are actually two other stories about Andrew. 

The next story about Andrew appears in John 6.  It is the story about Jesus’ miracle of feeding the 5,000.  At the end of a long day of preaching to the crowds of people, the people were tired and hungry.  It was too late in the day to send them home.  And, the disciples did not have enough money to buy the crowd something to eat.  Jesus asked the disciples to find out how much food was in the crowd.  Andrew found a small boy with a small lunch—five small loaves and two small fish.  And, just like with Simon Peter…Andrew brought the young boy to Jesus.  Jesus performed a miracle.

Andrew did not feed 5,000 people.  Jesus performed a miracle and fed the crowd.  But Andrew invited a small boy with a small lunch to a place where he could meet Jesus.  Then, Jesus did the rest.

The last story about Andrew appears in John 12—the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the Sunday before his crucifixion and Resurrection.  The Jews were getting ready for the Passover celebration, and there were some Greeks in Jerusalem observing the interaction between Jesus and the Jews.  Some of the Greeks told Philip that they wanted to meet Jesus.  These Greeks were non-Christian, non-Jews who wanted to meet Jesus.  Philip did not know what to do, so Philip took the Greeks to Andrew.  Can you guess what Andrew did?  He introduced the Greeks to Jesus!

Andrew could not cause the Gospel to spread to the non-Christian, non-Jews.  Jesus is the only one who could reach outside of traditional boundaries.  But Andrew invited the Greeks to a place where they could meet Jesus.  Then, Jesus did the rest.

Simon Peter is a Christian celebrity who did a variety of things in life and ministry.  Many of Peter’s adventures are recorded in the Bible.  Peter walked on water.  Peter preached at Pentecost where 3,000 were converted, and a few days later preached in the Temple where 5,000 were converted.  Peter performed miracles and was led by a vision to begin preaching the Gospel to Gentiles.  Peter did a lot of different things…

Andrew only did one thing.  Andrew invited other people to meet Jesus.  Andrew helped other people come into contact with Jesus so that Jesus could change their lives.

Conclusion

Sometimes, I wonder if we try to make evangelism too difficult.  Andrew knew that he was not responsible for changing people’s lives.  All he could do was to invite someone to a place where they could encounter Jesus…and Jesus could do his work!

How could you invite someone to be in the presence of Jesus?  The obvious answer is that you could invite someone to come to church with you.  (Of course, that all depends on whether or not your church talks about Jesus, if your church introduces people to Jesus, and if your church believes that Jesus still changes lives.)

According to a book by Thom Rainer—The Unchurched Next Door: Understanding Faith Stages as Keys to Sharing Your Faith (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003)—82% of unchurched people are “somewhat likely” or “very likely” to attend church when they are invited.  Thom Rainer also points out statistics that show only 2% of church goers ever invite other people to church.[1] 

Think about that…98% of our church goers will NEVER invite someone to church this year.

I want you to notice something as you exit the Sanctuary this morning.  In the foyer of our Sanctuary you will find several chairs and benches.  Do you know why we have chairs and benches in our foyer?  I suppose they are decorative…But they are so much more than that.  We have chairs and benches in our foyer to give you a place to sit and watch the doors while you wait for the person you invited to meet you at church.

I want to be the kind of church where each week we talk about Jesus, where each week we introduce people to Jesus, where each week we see Jesus change people’s lives, and each week our members sit on the chairs and benches waiting for the people they invited to meet them at church.

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[1] http://backtochurch.com/participate/resources/statistics