Created Qualified – Sharing the good news

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

¹⁸ As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ²⁰ At once they left their nets and followed him.

²¹ Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, ²² and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Intro – Overview
I’ve been asked to speak on evangelism today. For me, this has always been a tricky one as notions of what evangelism is has often been marked and measured by success.

Over the years, I’ve watched one of my personal hero’s of evangelism ‘Phil Turner’ lead people to Christ and find freedom. Watching as he stood next to them in the baptism pool. The profession of their faith, right up until the moment he helped lift them out of the water and let go of their hand.

I’ve regularly dreamed of sharing in that journey with people for most of my life it seems. To be right there holding their hand as they declare their rebirth into new life. I’ve yet to share in that moment.

So when asked to speak on evangelism, naturally I felt somewhat inadequate. Prompting the questions ‘what qualifies me to speak on the subject?’.

In my last preach, I spoke on who’s information we trust. Who’s information is worthy of our trust. So its right to ask that same thing of myself on this. The good news is that we are all in fact created qualified if we are born again. But more than that. The ultimate qualification isn’t with us. But with the one who calls us. The Chief evangelist.

Thankfully, we don’t have to look very far into scripture to get our answers on evangelism. It’s the very DNA of our own stories, each of us. This book is the key to unlocking whats happened. But also, what’s happening.

Coming Alive Moments

My delightful bonus daughter Lydia had told us daily, on many separate occasion, and repeatedly that she has a birthday coming up. I remain convinced that if a day passes and she doesn’t tell us. That she’ll likely explode. But we love her and would like it if she didn’t explode. But she can’t help but tell someone. The height of excitement.

I was googling the most exciting moments of peoples lives. Typically weddings and engagements came top of the list. These are the most common times we can’t help but share.

Think back to the first time you met someone who truly capitated you. The moment you saw signs that they liked you too. How did you feel when it happened? Did you keep it to yourself. Or were you so excited, you just had to tell someone?

How about if there was something you’ve been working towards for a long time. A project or exam. Do you remember the moment the news came in that you’d succeeded. You got the result that you’d nailed it.

Do you keep it to yourself and eventually forget about it? Of course not. You can’t wait to share it!

Do you remember that feeling?
Have you ever taken a moment to stop and look around during the peak of that feeling. Examine your surroundings. Notice things seem visually sharper. Smells seem more defined. Colours more vivid. Our senses are heightened.

Its more than just happiness or contentment or joy. It’s like you come alive. Something is awakened within you.

You don’t need to be a believer to experience this. In fact, every person on the planet will have experienced these ‘coming alive’ moments at some point. Why?

Because it’s another way we are made in the image of God.
We are created for life and life in its fullness. It’s what God is like. He is the very fullness of life. Its why as believers, we’re so keen to share our relationship with God with others. Especially with those who are most important to us. We want them to experience this fullness of life as we have. Its this very ability to come alive that makes us Created Qualified. Our very being has a capacity to reflect God. To reflect his light like a candle in a darkened room.

When Jesus Calls Peter and his brother out of the boat. They are called by Jesus because Jesus called them. Not because they attained an ability to be called. They didn’t set out to be called. They were qualified and didn’t even know it. Once called, there was one single instruction.
Follow him. And I will….  what? …make you fishers of men.

Jesus is taking what’s already in them. And making it into what they are to become. Our very calling is to become ‘fishers of men’. It’s what we are both created for and called to be.

Are you called by Jesus to follow him?

That feeling, that essence is the essence of evangelism. We are all created with it. We are qualified by it. We don’t need some special course to share exiting news. Or to get excited about what makes us come alive. You just come alive. People see it. Its infectious. They want it too.

The word evangelism is a very religious word. But simply put. It’s just this

The enthusiastic advocacy or sharing and promoting a particular idea with the aim of inspiring others to share in it.

I get overly exited about so many things. Board games, Law and legislation, learning Spanish, music production, theology. In fact, anything my heart touches I seem to find it all to easy to go from 0 – 100. But we all get passionate about something. We want to share it. Thats all evangelism is. Sharing what makes us come alive.

These moments are so powerful in life that they shape us. We might even persue these moments as if they are God. So much so, that as believers, we also need to be careful we don’t make this feeling god itself. Maybe even created things that give us this feeling. In the way we hold them up in life as the most important thing above all else. A car, Status, Job, a girlfriend or boyfriend.

If you’re not a believer, you might say “well, that’s just being human”. Sharing our passions. And you wouldn’t be wrong to some degree. The question is, what’s the point of faith in jesus? The outcome is basically the same isn’t it? What is Jesus offering me that I don’t already have.

Are we really offering the world anything they don’t already possess? They have things they are already passionate about.

The answer is this…

The reality is that those moments pass. Without God taking his rightful place in our life. Those moments become like gods to us. The thing we draw our worth and meaning. We find ourselves eventually miserable. Chasing after those highs. Needing another as soon as one has been exhausted.

The painful reality is that if that is what our lives reflect. We’re not really offering the world much they don’t already have.

We need to be careful not to mirror this in our sharing of faith. That its not simply for the benefit of making ourselves feel good. It’s not about us.

** VIDEO CLIP | The Fast Show – ‘Holy Police’ | VIDEO CLIP **

Clearly not an example of good evangelism.
Even seeming good things can take the place of God to us. Here, the two police officers place their own feelings and motives as the most important thing.
Don’t think that cause Jesus is mentioned, or religious language is used. Or religious expression is demonstrated, that it is reflecting Christ.
They are chasing a feeling. Not an ounce of consideration or empathy. Is that what Jesus is like? If it is, no wonder the world isn’t interested.
Do our feelings, our excitements, our passions become the primary hunger? Do we behave no different to the world? Just replacing the chasing of one experience for another? Or do we step aside with our own agendas and allow the holy spirit to change us and shape us so that our life’s speak.

Here are the 3 points for today. Jesus The Answer, Jesus the Example and Jesus the goal.

Jesus – The Answer

We first need to know what the answer is to know what we are passionate about. Whats making us exited. What we are sharing. What we seek to advocate for. But more significantly. How is this different from the world. How does it make our conduct different. How does it make us different?

John 4:14 “But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life”.

Jesus is saying, look, I get it, you hunger and thirst for those coming alive moments. They are like living water. It’s in you to drink of these. It’s in your very DNA. But those things wither and run dry. They are mere glimpses to what I have for you. To what you were created for,
You will again thirst.

But the water I give. You will never again thirst.
We each have to decide for ourselves what that looks like. But for now, the point is this. Jesus is saying ‘Im the answer to a passionate life. To the fullness of life. I will make you come alive”. Jesus is the answer. Not clever words of deep theological interpretations. Just himself. He ,who is, the living water. In other words. Follow me. Follow my example. My ways. Those things will impart my living water.

So Jesus himself is the living water. Giving of himself.  Giving that coming alive moment. But here’s the thing, the distinction between the passions of this world. Moments that make us come alive and the passion he gives. It’s not just a moment.

Back to John 4:14 “The water I give them will become….”
 It’s going somewhere. It’s becoming something. It’s not coming alive for a momentary experience sake. Its building in its aliveness. Its perpetual. Its doing something. Its not withering, but its becoming. Becoming what?

Welling up to eternal life, a well spring. An endless ongoing sustaining constant coming alive. It doesn’t run out. The moment doesn’t pass. It remains as he remains. He in us and us in him.

Friends, Evangalism isn’t seeking moments to make us feel good. Don’t miss the point. Don’t be distracted by the feeling. The feeling is the fruit. The outworking of something else. Its what follows. When we follow him and his example.

If you’ve decided for yourself, yes, he’s the answer. He is the fullness of life. Or maybe you havent’ But you’re curious to see if he is who he says he is.
The next questions is why is Jesus the answer? Why are we exited about him to want to share him and what is sharing him? 

It’s actually a nice simple one. Knowing he’s the answer, means we can look to his example. How does he share himself with others? How does he conduct himself with others? Do those two police officers reflect Jesus in the way they handled that ladies emotions? When Jesus met the lady at the well. Did he attempt to display religious enthusiasm. Did he speak with a holy tone to convince her how holy we was? What might that have done in the midst of her concerns? How does he conduct himself and how can we be like him and point others to what he is like?

Lets look at the 2^nd point. Jesus the Example.

Jesus – The Example

Who we are and how we conduct ourselves speaks volumes. The things we concern ourselves with. The first things we speak of when we see someone. The questions we have for people.

Lady at the well.

Consider this. Jesus words in John 10 :10 “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” What might that mean in light of what we’ve experienced in our own lives. Remember back to those moments that made you come alive? He’s come so that you may have life, or to come alive in its fullness.
Back to John 4:14 “whoever drinks the water I give, will never thirst” Its endless. Its perpetual. But more than that “the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life”

Isn’t that how we feel in our coming alive moments, sharing those moments we are most passionate. We cannot contain it. I think Jesus is revealing something here. Pointing our eyes to a glorious truth. Perhaps the fullness of life Jesus is referring to is exactly what we find in those coming alive moments. In fact, I’m convinced of it.

One the one hand we have our passions. Our coming alive moments. Yet that feeling withers and runs dry.
but here Jesus is saying Whoever drinks the water I give with never thirst. Endless, constant, perpetual coming alive. Eternal life in the here and now.

But notice the feeling isn’t what’s being chased. That’s the fruit of a life with Jesus. Its what walking with him does. Is that how you feel today? Do you hunger and thirst for that? I know I do. Friends, its available. 100% of the time its available.

But this is our challenge. Being honest. Taking stock of our lives. Being honest with ourselves. Does my daily life. My daily walk. My passing moments always reflect that?
You only need to ask my wife and kids if that’s me 100% of the time. I wish I could tell you that first thing in the morning after lack of sleep. When chaos erupts in the house and the endless list of demands flood in before I’ve event boiled the kettle that I ooze the triumphant glory of Christ. It’s far from the case. But I know this. Jesus is available. And the more we seek him. Walk with him. Give our all to him. The more we reflect his glory. His goodness.

2 things on this.

1. That doesn’t mean evangelism or sharing Christ is dependant on us and how good we are as Christians.
2. It does mean that its in him we trust. We must remember. ALL things are by his grace. Gifts to be thankful for.

   Colossians 2:9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you are complete through your union with Christ.

   Like Christ, evangelism isn’t primarily about giving the right answers, but being the answer in him and his example. In our conduct. In our discernment. The way we approach situations and circumstance. These things can only be correctly appropriated by walking with him.

How does Christ handle endless perpetual fullness of life. Endlessly drunk in the spirit?

As the church, we enjoy Christ, our expressions, particularly in the Pentecostal charismatic churches very muct reflect ‘gifts of the spirit’.

Act 2:13-15 after the spirit descends on the apostles and they begin speaking in tongues, onlookers suggest they’re drunk. Peter clarifies its 10 in the morning, That it’s the holy spirit. Christs Spirit.
The early Church, the ‘day of Pentecoste’, accused of being drunk.
revival meetings in 18^th and 19^th century, drunk.
The Pentecostal and charismatic churches, coined as ‘drunk in the spirit’.

Consider this, Christ is the fullness of life in human form. In a perpetual state of that coming alive moment. Total and utter euphoria in the holy spirit endlessly. How does Jesus handle this. Does he constantly display as endlessly drunk in the spirit? We might imagine him looking like those two police officers in the video clip. But that’s not how Jesus handles it at all.

In fact,

One of my favourite examples of this is the relationship between Jesus and various women of questionable reputation. Mary Magdalene, the woman at the well. The woman who washed Jesus feet with tears. Women throwing themselves at him. How would most men respond with these women throwing themselves at them? Jesus is like, you know what, im good? He doesn’t NEED it. The gratification the world offers pails into insignificance to the heavenly fullness of life.

Sharing it fans the flame

How do you feel when someone asks you ‘how did you meet’ or you look over videos and photos of some of those moments. You relive it. You’re right back there again.

Did you need someone to tell you to share those coming Alive moments? Did you need a course on how to share it? No. You just can’t help it.

Have you ever tried to keep quiet about some incredibly amazing news? It feels like you’re going to burst! So much so, that when it’s alluded to. Or conversations of the subject are brought up in social situations. It spills over into a grin or smile or giggle.

It has to come out some way.

Those in the know will often give each other ‘that look’. You know the one. It spills over.

But we’re not just talking about pursuing good feelings. We’re here to talk about sharing the gospel. There is life and death at stake.

So let me ask you this. If we so easily share such good news from exiting moments so effortless. Why then is it so difficult to share the good news of Jesus?

Development Notes

What’s happening in the spiritual realm?

Empathy for others situations (you don’t tell someone about your new baby the moment someone has just lost a baby) You don’t get overjoyed at your success in the face of someone who has just had a bad result.

Practical steps, Empathy, prayer against the spiritual exc..

Ned Flanders. Patience. Kindness. Moral integrity. All good things. Virtues that are incumbent of faith. But is Ned Flanders an example of Jesus? Does he display someone overflowing with passion. The fullness of life. Someone who’s come alive?
Does our sharing of jesus. Our displays of him reflect images of Ned flanders or Jesus? 

Bible Verses

Colossians 2:9 For in Christ, all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is head over every ruler and authority.

Ephesians 6:12 -For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Acts 1:8 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.

2 Timothy 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline”.