A Faith Worth Offering
The prophet Daniel saw the light coming
Dan. 7:13 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
From the beginning, God has desired to use flesh and blood that he created to proclaim Him and reflect Him and His goodness.
Jer. 16:19 O LORD, my strength and my fortress,
my refuge in time of distress,
to you the nations will come
from the ends of the earth and say,
"Our fathers possessed nothing but false gods,
worthless idols that did them no good.
These were people who saw what the generations before them did not see.
Ezek. 36:23 I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.
God delights to show himself through your life that is being transformed.
Reflect light - offer the opportunity to see
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Have you noticed pictures of planets in outerspace. A brilliant planet or nova or star made all the more brilliant because it is set on a dark background.
The universe is full of light - but we only see the things that light reflects off of. You do not see light itself, but the reflection of light.
John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Matt. 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Offer a new life - make disciples
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations
from the beginning, God has been calling the nations to himself.
To make disciples is a personal call of allegience
Disciples were followers
A new way of going in life
Disciples were students
A new way of looking at life, new world view, a new way of understanding
Disciples immulate - imitate -
New goals in life, new purpose in life, new reasons to live
New way to live life
Matt. 10:42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple
One of the challenges is always how to start the conversation. Our culture often personally avoids the conversation about Jesus. The dialogue has to begin inorder to offer what you have.
One way to start the conversation si by inviting your friends - coworkers, family to come to church with you. It provides a common experience to begin the conversation with your friends.
Who do you know who needs a new life - invite them to come to the bridge with you and find something that will make a difference in their life.
Offer an active faith - baptizing
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
What we believe must show up in how I live
When a person is baptized they are connecting their faith (what they believe) with what they do - their spiritual faith requires physical evidence - no longer a personal and private (hidden) faith.
UBC sociology student who recently converted to judiasm because she wanted a faith that offered a lifestyle - affected what she did and didn't do.
Openly live your faith - Thank God for your food at home and in restaurants. When God has moved in your life - share it with everyone.
Maybe you need to be baptized - to mark your own life, invite others to share the experience with you.
Offer a living example - teach to obey all Jesus has commanded YOU
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
Live it - and share the benefits of living your faith. Can people tell you are a follower of Jesus by the way you live.
Ask others for forgiveness
Extend mercy to others - extend grace
Serve others - Jonathan at work with his friend who had a stroke
Pray for your friends to discover faith in Jesus - by name
Connect what you do with what Jesus said to do
Connect in your own mind
Actions
Words
When you do - you are offering a living example
Offer sustainable hope - Jesus is always with you
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Live the hope that is sustaining you
Eddie
Offer a hope that is sustaining
Your Father wants the world to see Him in the Light of His son Jesus
2Cor. 4:1 Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ