Sermon title: The Right Season
Sermon text: Matthew 5:13-16 (The Message) Let me tell you why you are here. You’re
here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you
lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your
usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the
God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We are going public
with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light bearers, you
don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a
light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine!
Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll
prompt people to open up with God, this generous father in heaven.”
· What Does Salt Do? It Makes Things better.
·
What Does Light Do? It Makes Things brighter.
What You Need to Know as You Share Your Faith
1. Most People Do Not Have a Correct picture
of God.
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with
that person, and they with me.” – Revelation 3:20 (NIV)
2. All Lost People Need to Be unconditionally
Loved.
“If you only love the lovable, do you expect
a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal?
Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out
of it, do you think that’s charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that. I tell you, love your enemies. Help and give
without expecting a return. You’ll never—I promise—regret it. Live out this God-created identity the way our Father
lives toward us, generously and graciously, even when we’re at our worst. Our Father is kind; you be kind.” – Luke 6:32-36 (The Message)
3. Most Lost People Will Not Come to church
for Help.
Matthew
10: 5-8 (The Message) “Jesus sent his
twelve harvest hands out with this charge: Go to the lost, confused people
right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring
health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the
demons. You have been treated
generously, so live generously.”
4. Most Christians Do Not Connect strategically
with Lost People.
Luke 15:2 (The Message) “He
takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old
friends.”
5. Most Christians Need training to
Effectively Share Their Faith.
Matthew 28:18-20 (The Message) “Go out and
train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by
baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them
in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the
end of the age.”
6. All Christians Need to Be Spiritually empowered
to Share Their Faith.
1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (NIV) “I
planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So
neither the one who plants nor the one
who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”
What You Need to Do to Share Your Faith
7. Every Day
connect with and care
for Lost People.
Matthew 9:35-38 (RSV) “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every
infirmity. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they
were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his
disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore
the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Jesus
connected with lost people in four distinct and important ways:
• Jesus went. He connected physically.
• Jesus saw. He connected personally
• Jesus had compassion He connected emotionally
• Jesus prayed. He connected spiritually
8. Every Day Pray for an opportunity to
Share Your faith.
James 5:16 (NLT) “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and
produces wonderful results.” –
9. Every Day Intentionally Share Positive thoughts
About God.
1Peter 3:15 (NIV) “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.”
10. Every Day Build respect and relationship with
Others by Adding Value to Them.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NIV) “You should mind your own business and work
with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the
respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”
11. Every Day Find Some Way to Bring the Lost
People in Your Life closer to Christ.
Matthew
18:12 (NLT) “If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, what
will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one
that is lost?”
Pray
this simple prayer to ask God to reveal how you can be salt and light: God, who have you put into my life that
you want me to connect with, love unconditionally, and
intentionally talk to about faith?
Life Application
1. Create
a list of people who you would like to see come to know Christ.
2. Be
intentional about praying for each person on your list each day.
3. Find
ways to demonstrate and live out your faith authentically.
4. Seek opportunities
to talk to them about God.
