BECOMING GOD’S SIGN
Aug 14 2011 J Robison JN 1:43-51 PS 139:1-6 13-18 2 COR 5:16-21
Title for today’s message comes from quote Mother Theresa
Make it a special point to become God’s sign in your community
Becoming a sign for God in US has become increasingly difficult
Yr ago this week Anne Rice author of hugely popular vampire novels
Announced that she was quitting Christianity because it is
“simply impossible…to ‘belong’ to this quarrelsome, hostile,
disputatious, & deservedly infamous group.”
Rice said questions use of the word “Christian” to define American
followers of Christ, says she refuses “to be anti-gay, anti-feminist,
anti-artificial birth control, anti-Democrat, anti-secular humanism,
anti-science, and anti-life in the name of Christ.”
She concluded with the statement, “In the name of Christ, I quit
Christianity and being Christian it is an immortal group.”
However, Rice says a connection with Jesus is central to her life.
She having just come from outside the church challenges us
Can be complacent about God in lives, complacent about worship,
So complacent about evangelism no reaching out
Oswald Chambers our job to be part of reconciling entire human race
And God. Jesus started it in redemption
We not here to focus on own spiritual life what Jesus does for me
But to have realization of Jesus and share him with others
“God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself” 1 Cor
In John 1 Jesus gives ideas for becoming God’s sign in community
This was at very beginning of what would be Christian movement
1. God Knows ALL ABOUT US
Believe it or not God knows everything about you
May be a little painful I don’t like everything about me
There are things I am ashamed of, want to hide,
Jesus, found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” Vs 43 NKJV
Jesus approaches Philip who was not a follower
He was not just sharing an anybody who will come invitation
But I believe he looked Philip in the eye knowing him
Said follow me
Follow me is an invitation to KNOW JESUS
Jesus did not give him a task to complete
Something to memorize but just get to know me
Jesus does not say KEEP THE LAW, BE PERFECT
OR EVEN BE RELIGIOUS
He does not say be a good person but first of all follow me
All those other things will fall in to place
First things first we are called to follow Jesus
If we fall in love with Jesus, want to know him better
Seek to learn more about him, walk with him
All other relationships will fall in to place follow him first
Jesus already KNEW ABOUT PHILIP’S LIFE
John gives us background about Philip
Where he was from and who his family was
Jesus knows all about you and me as well
And still calls us to follow
2. Come and SEE WHAT GOD CAN DO
Philip came to see convinced about Jesus we do not have
Listed here all of the interaction between Jesus and Philip
Clearly they had other talks John gives us the highlights
Philip was convinced about Jesus
Christianity is based on A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP W\JESUS
Bible can’t be clearer: Christianity, eternal life, heaven—all based
on what you know and think about Jesus.
Not intimate knowledge of rituals, ceremonies, philosophies or laws
Christianity is about a person. Jesus Christ
People who meet Jesus ARE CHANGED
(Philip said) We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and
also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
Vs 45 NKJV
Rice appears to have no problem with Jesus
It’s the organized church where she has the miss givings
Certainly the church means people like you and me
Can discourage Vs encourage, squelch rather than cheer faith
Pastor Mark Driscoll wrote in Newsweek Anne Rice is in a season
many, if not all, Christian’s experience: the great joy of coming to
personally embrace the love, forgiveness, and new life that Jesus
offers is then followed by the troubles and trials of learning the
teachings of the Bible and living with fellow Christians.
Truthfully, both are difficult. every Christian has seasons in which
he or she struggles to lovingly live in community with fellow
Christians as the church. Some Christians are so self-righteous,
mean spirited, & just plain annoying
even pastors are occasionally tempted to preach in one
of those "Jesus, Please Save Me from Your Followers" T-shirts.
Driscoll believes Rice struggling how to be Xian while hurting.
She lost her daughter Michele to leukemia in 1972,
buried her gay best friend John Preston, died of AIDS in 1994,
in 2002 she buried her husband of forty-one years, Stan Rice.
Her son, best-selling author Christopher Rice, is a gay rights
activist whom she loves even while she reads the Bible's denial of
his lifestyle as a God-honoring one.
So, let her fellow Christians pray, love, and wait for Jesus to keep
working on her as he is on us, thanking him that at least our
struggles are not as publicly scrutinized as hers.
Come and see difference Jesus makes in you then
Viewmont is a place where you can struggle with questions
Our God is big enough to deal with your anger hurt and questions
3. Look for PEOPLE AROUND YOU TO TELL
It will take some effort so many people stop with God for them
Missionary asked if liked what was doing. Response was shocking.
"Do I like this work?" "No. Wife and I do not like dirt have refined
sensibilities. Do not like crawling into vile huts through goat refuse
Are we to do nothing for Christ we do not like? God pity us if not.
Liking or disliking has nothing to do with it.
We have orders to ”Go," and we go. Love constrains us."
Changed people TELL OTHERS ABOUT BEING CHANGED
This is intentional not by chance
Philip knew as a follower of Jesus called to care for others
If all your friends are Christians go find some new ones
Good to be around positive encouraging people
But call of God is to risk intentional friendships
With people who do not share our most treasured beliefs
God is reconciling world to self given us ministry of reconciliation People not just going to fall in to this church have to go get them
1st things Philip did after finding Jesus was find Nathanael
We’ve found the Messiah the Christ. Immediately led him to Jesus.
It was a natural thing to want to tell others about Jesus.
When people met God’s son—the Word become flesh,
God dwelling with us-------they naturally told others.
Good news always needs to be shared because so much bad news
Most evangelism by people w\faith story of what happened to them
Have you ever taken someone’s recommendation?
Tried product saw movie or ate at restaurant because recommended
Of course we all have I have taken your recommendations
When look for people around us to tell about Jesus or invite to VBC
We are recommending someone Jesus and a family VBC
Evangelism is recommending what has blessed us to others
People are seeking today, for answers, To life that does not make sense people are hurting Good Questions: Do you believe in God? Have you ever thought about spiritual things?
God can deal with OUR BAGGAGE
May say the people I try to share with have baggage
They are addicted to drugs or alcohol
Or they are addicted to things, they are too smart for Jesus
They have a negative attitude
Nathanael was SUSPICIOUS AND FULL OF QUESTIONS
Did you hear Nathanael’s response to Philip’s recommendation
Jesus is from Nazareth? That hick town nothing good from there
Jesus never scolds anyone for questions or honest doubts.
He welcomes the opportunity to deal with honest skeptics
Some people have questions but never seek them
Or are elitist arrogant so never really engage those around them
He is truth; he holds the truth; & welcomes all who seek the truth.
Nathanael seems to throw up a wall oh I’ve heard all that stuff
before there cannot be anything to it church is full of hypocrites
Philip encounters Nathanael’s resistance and is not deterred
He does not enter in to an argument about Christ takes to him
Jesus knows all about Nathanael just like he did about Philip
Says you are Israelite in whom there is no guile, genuine integrity
John 4 Jesus meets woman at well scourged by her society
She has had 5 husbands and running around now
He told me everything about me implied but did not turn away
Sometimes it’s freeing to have Jesus know all about you
Interesting\puzzling conversation between Jesus & Nathanael.
“How do you know me?” Nathanael asks, with a bit of suspicion.
Then Jesus says I saw you under the fig tree. Vs 48
Vs 48 Jesus says I saw you under the fig tree
The fig tree was an ideal setting THINKING ABOUT LIFE
Often Rabbis used phrase under the fig tree discussing theology
Where we deal with heart questions of life, life at its guts
As if Jesus says I saw you lying awake at night worried about kids
Saw you leaving work wondering if you would lose job
Saw you in hospital room crying, or when tried to run from me
Saw you leaving cemetery heartbroken saw you home after fight
Jesus maybe saying to Nathanael, “I saw you praying.
I heard your questions. I know you are seeking God’s truth.”
Still the same today
Vs 49 Philip calls Jesus THE SON OF JOSEPH
In introducing him to Nathanael
Vs 51 Nathanael calls Jesus THE SON OF GOD
It is clear now to him that Jesus is the son of God
And the Christian movement, the church grew by one
Jesus met Philip. Jesus invites him to join him on his road trip
Note what Philip does first he shares Jesus with a friend.
Philip was brand-new disciple may not even have half understood
what he believed yet. But he knew Jesus was the best thing he had
ever heard of. Jesus was simply too good to keep to himself.
He had to talk about him. He had to tell his friend.
What a difference if we would do the same
New Christian was standing outside after church one Sunday
when veteran member noticed he had tears in his eyes.
Older member asked what problem “I just started thinking about
all the lost souls out there. There are so many people who need
the Lord & we seem to be having such a small effect on them!” Veteran sought to console the new comer. “Don’t worry. After you
have been here a while, you will get over it.”
He responded, “Yes, I know. That’s why I am crying!”
How are we doing at showing Jesus to Hickory?
Response of others is not up to us but sharing with them is
