Good Works = Sharing Jesus

I gotta start with a story: I’m at the movies this weekend (21, go see it) and I’m standing in line to get a drink. The guy in front of me gets a small popcorn and before walking off, he pushes the popcorn down in the bag, thus making room for more. He hands the bag back to the girl and tells her to fill it up. Unbelievable. The look on her face was priceless. I almost tossed a couple of dollars on the counter just so the guy could up-grade to a medium and save himself and the girl waiting on him the embarrassment. I also saw my new favorite commercial while there, thought I would share it with you:

 

isn’t that great?!?!

This post is about the message I heard in church this morning. Dr. Morgan talked about how the world views Christians and how we need to realize that others are watching and they need to see Christ. I paraphrased that last sentence greatly, but I want to get to the point. He said our good works would be what gets the people into heaven….now I know you’re saying to yourself “no way, that’s not correct theology!” I was saying the same thing until he explained:

Once we become believers, we are told to do good works. James 1:22, Phil 2:12 When the world sees us doing those things, for Him and not for ourselves, they are seeing a glimpse of Jesus. So by us doing good works and allowing the world to see, they will hopefully long for the one who we are doing these things for; Christ. Therefore, it is by our good works that men are drawn to Him, thus resulting in salvation. This is the very reason God sent Jesus (to be the example) and that Jesus left the Holy Spirit (to enable us to do these works). I am not saying we save or get the credit, because I know I can do nothing without Jesus and if it was up to my flesh, nobody would see any good thing come out of me..but the Holy Spirit uses us to do the good works to draw men to get saved…so cool.

This has really forced me to re-think exactly why I do the things I do. I guess if you had to ask me what my goal in life was….one thing that comes to the front of my mind, would be that I want to see as many people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and know that God used me to get them there. Today He confirmed that the brighter my light shine, the more of Him people will see. John 3:30 All glory to Him who draws all men unto Himself. Peace.

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Christ Follower or Fire Insurance?

Born again Christians, in America, were asked if they believed and practiced the basic teaching of Jesus….9% said yes.

Tonight we looked at that sobering statistic through the eyes of the very Christ that died for the other 91% (as well as that 9%) and came up with this….we have to be broken for the world. The question is…how?

Relationships. Meeting people where they are and loving them to Jesus. Investing in the lives of others. Allowing others to come into our lives. GETTING REAL EVEN WHEN THE REAL IS DIRTY AND UNPLEASANT. Allowing people to love us. Connecting with those who are hard to connect with. Paul tells us in Romans to remain humble and use the gifts that God has given us. What has He gifted you with? Are you using it to pour into lives? If not, why? Re-read Romans 12:6…Paul isn’t saying do these things if you want to do them or if they are convenient….He says do it. Period. God gave you the gifts you possess, He expects you to use them.

You guys here is the bottom line: people are dying everyday in the world, and standing before a Holy God. They are being asked “what did you do with my Son?” Does it burden you to know that we, as Christ followers, can make or break that answer? Sure, the will to accept or deny is ultimately theirs, but we are the messengers. How will they know, if they have never heard or been shown? If we take literally Romans 13:14, then we should be the visible, living, breathing Christ to that dying world…to clothe yourself means to walk in your gift for the world to see and to give God all the praise and glory for it.

Do you feel the urgency? Is your salvation merely a means to keep you out of hell, or are you ready to change someone’s world. I challenge you to ask yourselves this week who God has placed in your life to invest in, and how you can do it…Jesus had 12 that He poured into, chances are you might have less than that…who has God placed in your life that is pouring into you and encouraging you to be a stronger Christian? Is Proverbs 27:17 happening in your life? (As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.)

As I challenged the ladies tonight, I ask that the same accountability be placed on myself….feel free to ask the same of me, and lets pray for one another.

Broken, tdm