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Last week we talked about the good news
Good news
the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ is good news
and therefore it's good to share
forty years ago I became a Christian
August of
nineteen seventy one
I graduated from high school couple of weeks out from starting my freshman year
in college
a friend of mine
for some wild reason
invited me to get on a bus
A church that was going to the beach
Koenigsaecker and a bunch of church kids ah
I think
he was wondering why he had been so spontaneous in asking me to go
went to the beach and
as the day worn on
the summer youth intern
came over to my towel and
he had a a little pamphlet in his hand and
he asked me if I knew Jesus personally
and I couldn't say that I knew him personally
well that encounter led to an encounter to come
To a big
youth gathering out in Griffith Park
That spurned on some more conversation and then
invitation to come to a Bible study
and that
Bible study created a small quest for
answers to my big question
further conversation with the
the intern, the summer intern
And that led to an invitation for me to go to a Bible study
youth pastor's house
he taught from the Bible and
talked about what it meant to have Jesus to be the leader of
your life and he said and if you want to have Him be the leader of your life
just raise your hand
today and
I did
That surprised more than a few people in the room
Koenigsaecker is becoming a Christian
what's the faith come to
it's a good news
message and frankly there are plenty of people on this planet
who need to hear it
in fact
there are plenty of people that need to hear it more than they think
they need to hear the good news
it's interesting to look at
the different ways people can share the good news
the methods they use
and then
really how the good news addresses
the needs that we have as human beings
so let's begin with
may be deferant personality how different persons
encountered
Jesus
the first two
are
Andrew
and John
in verses
thirty-five and thirty six of our scripture passage
They're disciples of John the Baptist
and you remember John the Baptist from Christmas, right?
you know he lived out the desert in the Qumran community and
he was kind of the first hippy
you know locusts, honey, natural diet you know
camel fiber that's what they used back in the day instead of heap
they used camel fiber, boy, you're a tough crowd this morning
you don't laugh at that, that's funny
Had long
hair
sandals
listened to the Grateful Dead that I know he didn't listen
He came as a prophet from the wilderness and Preaching a gospel of
repentance
Andrew and John were
his disciples
they agreed yes
what the world needs what a person needs in their life is a little repentance
they need a profound change in direction they need to leave their sinfulness
and they need to move
In a holy direction
and they've been
listening to John teach they've been traveling with John
as he preaches
and John himself
sees Jesus and what did he say
there is, you know what I've been talking about all of these days and
weeks and months
that's the guy
he is the Lamb of God
Relationally they get connected to Jesus
so they go up to Jesus and say
you know what do you do in the rest of the day
Where are you going?
and they hung around with Jesus and related to Jesus the whole day
they just wanted to double check
Is He really the Lamb of God?
is
what he says and how he lives does that line up with what John has said and how
John lives
They examined that
but relationally they came to know Jesus because of their relationship
With John the Baptist
then there's Peter
Peter comes onto the scene and
just like Peter he kind of takes center stage
and what really through
Peter to Jesus
is that Jesus had a plan
and Jesus had a plan for his life
how extroverted of him, right?
all extroverts have plans, their plans
Peter
couldn't believe it, Wow
you mean you've got a plan for me and what does Jesus say, I have a plan for you so
I am going to change your name today
you're going to be Cephas which is Peter which really means the rock
we hear the echo of that verse
you know, you are Peter the rock and it will be on you that I will
build my church let me tell you what Peter had absolutely no idea of that
In that moment, isn't it interesting
but he knew Jesus was good
he knew that Jesus wanted to include him
in his plans that he was ready to do it absolutely I'll follow you
I'll follow you
then there's Phillip
Phillip is a little more
quieter little more of an introvert he is a little younger than the rest of them
And with someone are like Peter in a room he kind of pushes off to the side a little
bit
he's paying attention
he's listening, he's taking it all and but he's definitely not anywhere
close to center stage
Jesus sees him
And Jesus approaches him
Jesus comes and finds
Phillip sometimes Jesus finds out
Jesus says to him
Follow me and he does now
Wouldn't that be great for all of us
I've always said you know if
Jesus would have stood right before me earlier
I would have become a Christian a lot sooner
I mean who could look Jesus in the eyes and have him say to you follow me and
you go I am
really sorry
I'm busy
the Holy Spirit grab a hold of you in those words and you'd be following right
along
just like Philip
Philip was observing all that was going on and
to his surprise Jesus comes to him
and some of us really need Jesus to come to us and what I love about Jesus is
he's not below that
he's not beneath coming to a person
so that they might know Him
finally there's Nathaniel
Nathaniel, he's a historian he's a man
of information
and he gets it
what does he say
Oh, look
here's the Lamb of God
we've found the one Moses wrote about in the law and about
whom all the prophets
had wrote
wow
he knew his Bible he was paying attention
in Hebrew school
and he remembers all those passages in the old testament
that talk about the coming of the Lamb of God of the messiah of the chosen one
and now he gets it. Oh, that's the guy all of this makes all the sense in the
world to me
some book information but the other thing that causes them to respond
is Jesus has some personal information about him
Does he?
I saw you
under
the fig tree
earlier today
Jesus wasn't anywhere near the fig tree by the way
but Jesus had a vision
of Nathaniel under the fig tree earlier that day and so he's a little surprised
that Jesus knows about that
because he knows that Jesus wasn't any where near the fig tree either
what I find very interesting about reading the Bible is that man does it
got personal information on me
and it's a little surprising wow book written over two thousand years ago
would be the best description of me
the world that I live in
and the eternity that I yearn for then any
Thing else written
I'm right here
just about every single day I read the Bible the Holy Spirit is tapping me on the
shoulder
that's right it is you buddy
I'm talking about you
don't you go thinking about everybody else first you think about you
before you think Oh I know what God is saying
you first
and that information that accurate description
it draws us to Jesus, doesn't it?
different ways different people
also different methods are shown here
and noticed when I talk about methodology I'm not talking about
different messages
there's one message but there's a lot of different ways that
God chooses to share this is good news
his message through us
and we see some of those
identified in this passage
my favorite is the first one of course and that's through the message
Look at verse thirty
look
John the Baptist says there is the Lamb of God
quoting the old testament
every Thursday every Saturday night every Sunday morning I pray that God
would
Use the message that I share on Sunday morning in your life
that the Holy Spirit would go before those words
And what ever God wants to you he will say it
and I know the Holy Spirit does it because you tell me you heard something
I never said
I've gotten emails
you know and I've had to politely send back to the person I think God is
wanting to say something to you
but I never said that get the cd and listen to it
in fact I didn't say that ten and I didn't say it at nine or eleven
either isn't it interesting sometimes we even hear things
hear things that God wants us to hear
I became a Christian in part
through a message in a pamphlet
so there are little
Booklets that you can give people books you can give people this one is
becoming a Christian
by John Stat who just passed away
it's a really good
basic understanding of the of the Christian faith
and here's another one steps to peace with God
my favorite
because that's how I became a Christian is the four spiritual laws
The ink
on the prints
of this booklet was barely dry in August of nineteen seventy one
the summer intern cruised up next to me
in a very nice way and said
hey you ever seen by these booklets
said never seen one of those in my life
he said do you mind if I take a moment and walk you through
what this booklet says
because it really is the
you know, the centerpiece of the Bible
Sure, you know, I mean
It's your high school group
you drove me to beach for fifty cents
sure
I'm on your nickel go ahead
so He walked me through the four spiritual laws and just asked me a simple
question afterwards
any of that information new news to you
I said yeah that part about knowing Jesus personally
that's new news to me
Now, I'm not saying in
five years worth of parochial schools somebody didn't tell me
that Jesus wanted to have a personal relationship with me but I can't tell you I
didn't hear it probably wasn't paying attention
go figure
and this simple booklet send me on a quest that's change my
entire life
because I realize God wanted to have a personal relationship with me
and I couldn't just let that pass
in my life
so I started talking and I had
some big questions I wanted answered
about Jesus and the Christian faith and me
and finally all that came together in the youth pastor house
I raised my hand and
yeah like a lot of things
Boy, I didn't know what I was getting into
I mean I knew God had a good plan for my life
But being a pastor
trust me if you would have met me in nineteen seventy one in July
you would've thought that's like the last guy on the planet that would ever
be a preacher
and that and the truth of that is is everybody give my senior class that
finds out I'm a pastor has to send me and note
of amazement
sometimes it's the message
sometimes it's a conversation
look what happens in verse forty one
the first thing Andrew did is he went and found his brother
or a conversation with someone else for here's a great example I love using
let's say you break
from church today and you go up
To the grocery store parking lot
and out in the grocery store parking lot there's an absolute rich lunatic
and he's out there
he's giving away
hundred-dollar bills one per customer
what would you do after you took
your hundred dollars
you'd call somebody else
you call your family and your friends and you go hey there is a nut
down there
he's given away hundred-dollar bills jumping your car and get down here
you might even be
crazy enough
To go into the grocery store and at the top of your lungs say
Hey there is a nut out here giving away hundred dollar bills one per customer
I can tell you conversation is very important
I my coming to faith
there were a few
Andrews who were looking for me
Who engaged me
in conversation
so that I can understand it and I want you to feel
very comfortable about that
It's a comfortable conversation it's not a
anxiety-ridden conversation
yeah sometimes people find
that Jesus finds them
like Philip
I know people who have come to faith not through any other person
not even through reading the scriptures
they were on a quest and God meet them
How mystical of God to do that what do you mean there wasn't a plan
or a Bible study or a tract
No, no
you read the new testament God finds people all the time
he's still doing that
Yea, it's a rare thing but he's still does
he wants people to know Him and if need be he will come to them
he will come to them
he still does
sometimes very common ways and then other ways in very miraculous
Ways, God
comes to people even today
even to today
we want to think that we are always the one that's responding to God, don't we?
because we want to be in charge
Oh no
I thought about it and I reflected about it and I did lots of study and
that's all good
and out of my great knowledge and experience I realize that
God's the best person the lead my life and so I choose God
Did you?
you know it's interesting when
I became a Christian I look back and I noticed all the times
God
brought people into my life or information into my life or conversation
into my life that led up to
to the fact
that I ask Christ be the leader of my life
God does come to us
and then finally friendship and that's still
the biggest
Venue for people hearing the good news someone that they know
a friend
family member
co-worker
and so there is a need for us to
Be in
friendship
in conversation with those around us
now the good thing is that you don't have to be a graduate a seminary
to be a friend and be in conversation with other people about the good news
simply all you have to do
live it
and speak about it
and when it comes to how you are experiencing Christ in the Christian
faith you're the authority
and let me help me out you don't need to know a lot of big words
because people more than ever before people don't understand
redemption
they don't even understand the word salvation
and then you can start talking about propitiation
hyper Calvinism
Suparlapsarianism the analogical
epistemology of the Hebrew work
Man they don't care about that
now that's all fun stuff I spent lots of time learning all that
but you know what that's not what being a friend to someone else
is all about
that's not really what carried on a conversation is all about in fact that's
not really the information that they're interested in
the information they're interested in this
that God loves them and they God has got a plan for their life and
and that Jesus died on the cross for their sins
that he wants to spend eternity with you it's not all that complicated
It's actually a very
simple good news messages isn't it
and don't underestimate your friendship
Actions speak louder than words
first Bible that most people read is
your life
Your life
So a friendship is really about living out the Christian faith and then finally
talking about the Christian faith
it could be a message I wish
more people
came to faith through messages
but I know the truth the primary way that the vast majority of people to come the
faith
come to faith relationally
through a friendship and conversation with somebody that they know it's a
Christian
That's good isn't it
and that's why it's good
to share the good news because it's good news
now in this passage there are in nine different titles for Jesus
just pull out your message out line
and these nine
titles relate to
nine personal needs that we all have
and I love the fact that Jesus is willing to come and meet our own
personal needs
Meet us where we truly are
as human beings
the lamb of God we need forgiveness
we all have
mistakes that we've made and things that we said we wish we wouldn't have
said in this opportunity and the list goes on
and we have a tendency to carry those around
and what we really need is we need a little release from that a little
forgiveness a little grace
He is the rabbi, the teacher we need to really
we need to be taught how to really live
the world is out there trying to tell us how to really live
the world's way
but man are we missed it
I was at a rock concert
last Sunday evening
a bunch of twenty and thirty year olds I can tell you they have got angst
they've got some angst like I've never seen in my life
it with a great sociological theological experience for me
It really was
they're out there mad madder than hell
and they're trying to live life
in the midst of all the drinking
smoking dope and I having sex they're missing the best part of life
why because they're too angsty
and all they want to do is anesthetize that hurt
that whole
that deficiency in their life
They need a teacher
the messiah is the promise one we need security
he's the promise one God has a plan
that makes us feel secure
he's the one we are looking for hope in the future
and when John says he's the one
that means
he's THE one he's not
one of many
he's not less than best he's the way the truth and the life
he's Jesus the Nazarene God had a plan that started in the old testament
He is the son of Joseph I like that we all need to belong
Jesus needed to belong to a family as human being he did we all need feel like
we belong don't we
That's what you love
About being a part of the choir you belong don't you
one of the best groups in the whole church to be a part of
Be in that choir
they take good care of one another
the son of God we need divine love now let me help me out and I'm not against
therapists
got a degree in counseling
A therapist can help you
with
self-love
A therapist can I help you in expressing
the give-and-take of love in relationship to another human being
but the real love we need that fuels our life is
Divine love
and only Jesus Christ can give you that
in fact when we experience that divine love
my experience
that makes all the difference in being able to love yourself
and makes all the difference in
in extending and receiving love from someone else I've learned that way better
Out of the
freedom of realizing that God loves me
he's the king of Israel that might be good news to you God is in charge
that might not sound like are very good news
piece to you because you want to be in charge of your life I heard myself
quoted by somebody the other day
made the comment about four five months ago you've been leading your
own life how has that been working out for you
how you work out for you when you really live your own life your own way
somebody was saying that to somebody else
I could tell you when
when God is in charge and he leads your life it doesn't get any better than that
no matter your station
in life
No, you're not going to get rich automatically, healthy, better
looking then you are
I'm not saying that
but boy there's a quality of life there's a sustaining power and peace there
as I mentioned last week that you don't get anywhere else
and He's the son of man and he truly understands us
he lived just like you and me
yea
yea he
He had to live amongst the normal people of the planet
he had to deal with the same challenges you and I deal with
and isn't it great to know that he does truly
understand us not from afar but in that in the trenches so to speak
the good news
is good news
so it's good to share
with those around us
Let us pray
Lord, I'm thankful that
you prompted others to carry on a
friendship a conversation with me to share information with me
Lord I'm thankful that you
you used others as the way that you found me
found me even though I wasn't looking for you
and Lord it's a great privilege that you give us
to carry that good news message
in a good way to those around us and Lord help us to be about that
Lord, there's so many people around us
they want to experience the
the best in life
but Lord
They're floundering in their own
limited ability
to truly experience
A fullness of life and answer the big questions about eternity
Lord I'm thankful that
you show us how to live
that you pave the way for us to live eternally with you
so we pray these things in your name
Amen
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