Cornerstone Church April 18/19, 2009
“HOW TO GET THE SALT OUT OF THE SHAKER.”
Luke 14:15-24
The following happened to Dr. Tony Campolo:
“He had flown into Honolulu and was unable to sleep, so he ventured into an all night diner, where he overheard a group of prostitutes talking. One mentioned to her friends that the next day was her thirty-ninth birthday. Another replied scornfully, ‘What do you want? A Birthday party?’ She retreated into her defensive shell: ‘I’ve never had one in my whole life. Why should I expect one now?’ It struck Campolo that it would be a good idea to conspire with the owner of the diner to throw her a surprise party the next night. A cake was baked, and all was prepared. The cries of ‘Happy Birthday!’ from her small group of friends and this stranger left her stunned. She was shocked that anyone would go to this much trouble just for her. She asked if she could take the cake home and then left with her prize. When she left, Campolo offered to pray and prayed for her salvation, for her life to change, and for God to be good to her.
The prayer startled the owner, who asked antagonistically, ‘You never told me you were a preacher. What kind of church do you belong to?’ He responded that he belonged to a church that threw birthday parties for prostitutes at 3:30 in the morning.”
The answer may meet with skepticism from outsiders: There is no church like that. It may meet with disdain from insiders: We would never do anything like that. But it parallels the kind of thing that Jesus did in reaching out to those who were lost and despised.
Life Application Commentary, pg. 120 paraphrasing Tony Campolo’s THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS A PARTY.
God the Father’s Heart can be seen in the verses
I read and in the story I told.
The Resurrection – Now What?
Jesus accomplished eternal salvation for the lost by:
His death, Burial, Resurrection and Ascension
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 NIV
A beachhead was established in our world and it was now time for the ground war to begin!
Jesus as He was ascending gave His orders to His disciples and to each of us to reach the world for Christ!
The Mission and Commission Jesus gave the church.
The Mission – “Be my witnesses”
The Mission’s Expanse – Go Global!
The Mission’s Power – The Holy Spirit
It was ten days after Jesus’ ascension that the Holy Spirit descended and filled the believers.
The Holy Spirit appeared like tongues of fire.
The Holy Spirit ignited the hearts of the believers.
The Holy Spirit used Peter to proclaim God’s Word
3,000 were added to the church that day!
The Church was growing! Soon, however, the Christians were staying in Jerusalem and not spreading the gospel to Judea and Samaria and God allowed persecution to break out.
This caused the Christians to scatter!
Like sparks blown by the wind the fire spread to Judea and Samaria!
The Gospel then moved to the Gentiles! The Church of Antioch was established!
At the height of the outreach going on in Antioch Paul and Barnabas are sent on the first of three Missionary Journeys.
Paul and those on the trips with him battle from Island to Island and from City to City with the gospel.
Eventually Paul takes the gospel to Rome.
He also had his eye on taking the gospel to Spain!
The gospel spread all over Europe and spread eastward! Eventually it spread to America.
Christians in America have had times of great fervency and lethargy!
After the world wars and “Living in the Shadow of the Second Coming” believing Jesus could come at any moment: Rescue Missions, Missionary Agencies, Home Missions were all founded to take the gospel to the cities in America and globally.
Hell was viewed as real! A place of eternal torment!
Today the call to “Rescue the Perishing” seems more like an afterthought for most.
Born Again Christians in America today have grown comfortable and complacent.
Christians are too busy and too preoccupied to reach out.
American Christians like to keep some Missionaries on the books so we do not appear to be like those liberal churches.
Is this how it all should end?
Greg Laurie said:
“The Great Commission
has become the Great Concession.”
A candidate concedes the race when he knows that his opponent has won!
Are we conceding that Satan has won or that he is more powerful when we cease to take the Great Commission seriously?
While we might not believe that theologically our lifestyles and our apathy towards the lost reveal otherwise.
We know that God is greater than satan. God’s Word states:
1 John 4:4 NIV You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Why don’t Christian’s evangelize? (recent survey):
1) The feeling I am not able to do this
2) I’m too timid
3) I fear people’s response when I share
4) I just don’t care!
Fear is a powerful force! (top fears that people have)
The Fear of flying (or more correctly crashing)
The Fear of spiders (arachnophobia)
The Fear of being Audited by the IRS (Internal Revenue Service)
The Number Two most common fear is: death!
The Number One (Numero Uno) most common fear is: Speaking in Public!
If Christians had been asked they would say their number one fear is sharing their faith!
Whether at home or at a restaurant do you ever become frustrated trying to get the salt out of the shaker?
I know, we are supposed to reduce our sodium.
It’s a disappointment when it is all clogged up.
Think how the Lord must feel! The Word of God states:
Matt 5:13 NIV “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
Let’s talk about: GETTING THE SALT OUT OF THE SHAKER!
“I heard a story once about a group of servicemen who had a new chaplain appointed to them. These guys weren’t believers, and they wondered what kind of religion this fellow really had. They approached the new chaplain and said, ‘Tell us, do you believe in a real hell?’
‘A literal hell?’ the chaplain asked.
‘Yes, that’s the one,’ one of them answered.
The chaplain, who was rather liberal in his theology, said, ‘No, rest assured, boys, I don’t believe in a literal hell.’
He thought this would make them happy. But their response surprised him. They said, ‘Well then, you are wasting your time and our time, because if there is no hell, we don’t need you. But if there is a hell, you’re leading us astray. Either way we’re better off without you.’”
page 91 in THE UPSIDE DOWN CHURCH by Greg Laurie
Let me let you in on a little secret. Listen closely!
You know how shy and perhaps timid or fearful you are about sharing your faith.
Have you taken into account that the people you are interesting in witnessing to are just as uncomfortable about the fact that you are going to share with them?
Isn’t that a liberating thought?
Now look up here again! Are you still listening? Listen to these words:
Eph 6:19-20 NIV Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
The Apostle Paul asked for prayer concerning sharing his faith boldly!
In the Book of Acts (Acts 4:15-18) Peter and John healed a lame man.
Peter and John were taken into custody.
They were called before the Highest Court of their country
Why? Many were turning to Christ.
God is obviously interested in numbers:
Acts 2:41, 47
Acts 4:4
Acts 5:14
Acts 11:24
God is not interested in numbers for the same reason we are often interested in numbers. For the LORD these numbers reflect the number of people rescued.
Col 1:13-14 NIV For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
PEOPLE LIKE TO COUNT AND TRACK ITEMS:
McDonalds counts the number of burgers they have sold.
Coke knows how many countries they are in world-wide.
A giant ticker keeps track of the National Debt.
Each business day we know the numbers for the New York Stock Exchange.
Wouldn’t it be interesting if we could see all of God’s activity concerning the numbers of souls being saved tallied on a board?
No matter what country on the earth – whether a public or private decision for Christ it would be tallied immediately.
The more I thought about this idea the less I liked the reality of it. Why? Not because God wouldn’t get the glory but because I would be ashamed to see how few of the decisions would be trickling in from America.
The Angels are keeping tabs.
Luke 15:10 NIV In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Just ask a mother how many children she has.
She will tell you. And when she says to you five and you respond by saying, Oh, that’s okay, that is all I was interested in she is sure to proceed to give you their names as well: Aimee, Alison, Matthew, Jenny and Ellen.
God cares for people. This is why He paid the highest price by sacrificing His Son, The Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was crucified, died, buried and rose again for your sins to give to you the precious gift of Eternal Life.
Since God so loved the world that He gave His only Son shouldn’t we love Him enough to obey His command to take the gospel to the world?
INSIGHTS ON WITNESSING
God can use all of us, regardless of age to be witnesses for Him. We are never too young and never too old to be witnesses.
Learning how to witness is really all about learning what it is like to live as a true Child of God.
Fact: Most people are brought to Christ by a friend or contact (inviters / bringers).
John 1:40-41 NIV Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).
John 1:45 NIV Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
Greg Laurie gives us these insights on witnessing:
1) PEOPLE WITHOUT CHRIST ARE SPIRITUALLY EMPTY
On the outside many unbelievers work hard at trying to make the rest of the world think that they are okay. Some who have fallen into deep sin, who do not have money, are not as skilled at hiding out.
They might be religious
They might be good citizens
They might have good families
They might qualify for the Good Neighbor Sam Club
Inside, something is missing!
Barbara Walters, while interviewing Richard Dreyfuss, asked him if he could have any wish what would he wish for?
“Every time I have a birthday, every time I blow out the candles, every time I see a shooting star, I wish for the same thing. I wish for inner security.”
2) PEOPLE WITHOUT CHRIST ARE OFTEN LONELY
Isn’t it amazing that you can be famous, surrounded by people, and still be lonely?
You feel that something is always missing! Lonely people often fill their void with destructive behaviors: Drinking, Illicit Sex and other such behaviors.
“It is strange to be known so universally
and yet be so lonely.”
Albert Einstein
3) PEOPLE WITHOUT CHRIST ARE WEIGHED DOWN WITH GUILT
It is easy for us to forget we have peace with God and the peace of God.
Phil 4:7 NIV And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
What a blessing! No so for the unbeliever!
Rom 1:18-19 NIV The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
4) PEOPLE WITHOUT CHRIST OFTEN FEAR DEATH
Only a fool ignores the fact that death comes to everyone. Death is not a respecter of age. The young die. The old die. The moral person dies. All die!
Dennis Hopper was asked: what is your greatest fear? He answered:
“Death!”
Hopper was then asked: What is your greatest regret?
“Mortality! That you do not live forever.”
GUIDELINES ON WITNESSING
Greg Laurie went on to give the following guidelines for witnessing. His major points have been blended with ideas from several others.
1) GO WHERE PEOPLE ARE
The Great Commission doesn’t say go build a church in the right neighborhood and hope that the lost might stumble on it some day!
The LORD said, GO!!!
Go to the entire world with the gospel!
Banquet Parable (Luke 14:15-24)
Witnessing and winning souls is like fishing.
You troll for fish (with the right lure or fly).
Plant a seed here and add some water there.
It isn’t like hunting where you pick your target and blast away!
Build relationships without compromising your beliefs. Get involved with people!
Computer Clubs
Golfing
Hiking
Bridge Clubs
Sewing Clubs
School Activities – Band, Sports, Volunteering
Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts
Entertain People in your neighborhood
Invite someone to a Classics Event
Accept an invitation to the home of a lost person
Lend them a helping hand
Allow them to help you if you have a need
Tell them how Christ changed your life
Invite them to church
Invite them to AWANA, Titus II, Summer JAM, a Compass Group, Youth Group or a Men’s Study
When the gospel spread from Jerusalem we see Philip at the revival taking place in Samaria. The Jews and Samaritans hated each other. Philip went and ministered to them.
2) OBEY THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Philip also went and ministered to the Ethiopian Eunuch! He was busy at the revival when the Holy Spirit led him to the Eunuch. This was an eighty mile trip.
Acts 8:29 NIV The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
3) APPROACH PEOPLE WITH TACT
How not to start:
“Hey you, sinner! Come Here!”
Excuse me, Are you going to hell?
At that moment that might be their desire for you! How did Philip approach the Eunuch?
Acts 8:30-31 NIV Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
Do you remember Jesus’ approach?
The Woman at the Well (John 4:7-ff…)
He first asked her for a drink. He then talked about living water that could satisfy. The longer she listened the more He told her.
John 4:13-14 NIV Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Jesus did not start out condemning her because of her immoral lifestyle as bad as it was (she had had five husbands and was working on number six). There is hope for Elizabeth Taylor (eight husbands)!
Paul on Mars Hill started where they were at and then proclaimed the gospel.
Ask questions of people who have strong convictions and then listen. Hear why they hold their world view. It might help you understand how to talk with them.
They might ask: How can a loving God allow all the injustice in the world?
Haven’t you ever asked yourself that question? I have! You can explain God’s goodness and His love. You can also explain that man’s sinful behavior has made the world this way and that Jesus is coming to execute perfect justice on the earth.
If you were saved later in life remember what it is like to be lost! Have some compassion!
4) ESTABLISH COMMON GROUND
“I use to think that way myself.”
The girl who witnessed to me and my friends used this approach. She came right into our apartment where rock music was blasting and people were high. She shared the gospel with us and told us she was just like us. She never put us down. She shared Christ!
We laughed at her claims and she said she would pray for us! Well, you see the results!
5) USE GOD’S WORD
Isa 55:11NIV …so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Be Prepared! The old Boy Scout Motto!
1Pet 3:15 NIV But in your hearts set apart 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,
6) TELL YOUR STORY
Share how you came to faith in Christ. Please don’t end there. Inform people about what God is doing in your life today!
In a work environment it might be your testimony as to how the Lord is taking you through trials and storms that grabs their attention!
7) ENCOURAGE A DECISION
Would you like to trust Christ as your Savior?
Remember the gospel’s power! Remember that the gospel is Good News!
Rom 1:16 NIV I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
The Gospel offer individuals:
1) Pardon from sin and peace with God
2) The righteousness of Christ becomes your righteousness
3) Adopted by God (permanent adoption)! – Galatians 4:4-6
Those are truths worth telling others!
Back to court!
What did the religious elite try to do with Peter and John?!
Then they called them in again and commanded them not
to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
Acts 4:18
DID YOU CATCH WHAT THEY DID NOT SAY?
They did not say stop speaking altogether
They did not say stop teaching
They did not say stop talking about God
“…commanded them not to speak or teach
at all in the name of Jesus.
SATAN IS NOT ALARMED BY THE FOLLOWING:
Satan doesn’t mind religion
Satan can tolerate teaching
Satan does not mind people working for God
Satan does not mind people talking about God
But proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior and he gets ticked!
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TACTICS TO INTIMIDATE?
Nothing like a little condescending attitude!
Acts 4:13 NIV When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
UNEDUCATED!
UNTRAINED!
Imagine if Dwight L. Moody had succumbed to his critics and not believed that God could use him to accomplish great things through him!
If this doesn’t silence believers satan then tries persecution!
In Acts 6 the people trumped up charges against righteous Stephen!
Satan ought to know by now that persecution is like pouring gasoline on a fire.
The true Christians blaze brighter and the chaff (false believers) leave!
HOW DID PETER AND JOHN RESPOND?
Acts 4:19-20 NIV But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
It is okay to be a Jesus Freak!
“I have one passion only.
It is He! It is He!”
Count Nikolaus von Zinzendorf,
founder of the Moravian Brethren
“I want to go on record here and now that I don’t mind being a nut for Christ. I’m double nutty. I’m triple nutty. I’m a macadamia nut. I’m dry-roasted! It really doesn’t matter what kind of nut you think I am. The way I figure it, if you’re going to be a fool for something, it might as well be for Christ, because He is our Very Life.”
THE CHURCH: WHAT WE ARE MEANT TO BE, pg. 92, by Ken Hutcherson
Rebecca Manley Pippert in her book: OUT OF THE SALT SHAKER & INTO THE WORLD, believes that Christians need to believe in and practice CPR regularly!
Christian CPR can resuscitate spiritually dead souls.
What is CPR?
CULTIVATING ground for future seeds to be planted
PLANTING seeds in cultivated and prepared ground
REAPING a harvest
This is what Christ has asked us to do! You might say that you haven’t seen the need. You do not have opportunities like this! What does the Word of God say?
Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’?
I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields!
They are ripe for harvest.
John 4:35 NIV
“The observers are many. The critics are many. The complainers and ‘pew potatoes’ are many. But the laborers are few.”
Greg Laurie, pg. 89, THE UPSIDE DOWN CHURCH
Here is the proper response:
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful
but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore,
to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Matt 9:37-38 NIV
“There can be no burden for distant unreached peoples without a burden for
unreached neighbors.”
Kent R. Hughes, pg 18, Commentary on Acts
We need to repent of our complacency and apathy!
We need to care for lost souls!
God give us a burning desire to see people saved.
God give our church a burning desire to see the lost saved.
If you do not know Christ as your Savior
Trust Him as Savior Today!
The Resurrection - Now What?!
The Mission – “Be my witnesses”
The Mission’s Expanse – Go Global!
The Mission’s Power – The Holy Spirit
Why?
Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
“ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.
Luke 14:21-23 NIV
