Revival: What does it look like to lead someone to Christ?
Mark began with a passaged from Matthew 9: " Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (35-38).
Mark noted the two words that stuck out to him in this passage: compassion and ask (pray).
He then explained 4 keys to leading someone towards Christ with those two key words in mind.
1. I have to know Christ myself.
"You can lead a steer to water, but you can't make him drink". We can lead someone to Christ, but we can't force them to choose Christ. It has to be our example (more in point 2) that is what leads them to choose Christ. We must know Christ more than "sort of". It must be an intimate knowledge of Christ - relationship - that is an example to others.
2. I have to demonstrate that there is more.
We must show compassion in our own hearts. Compassion is love called to action. No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care. What is born in the heart reaches the heart. It is out of the heart that we love.
3. I need to be equipped with the proper tools. Scripture is the ultimate guide and play book. It's not something overly complicated - we just need to share the story we have and walk people through the scriptures.
4. I need to seek out opportunities. Be asking the Lord for opportunities to give witness of His love. Mark led the congregation through an exercise. Each person was given a card and an envelope to write a name on. The name would be someone that each person would commit to praying over for 30 days. They then sealed the envelopes, addressed them with their own addresses and placed them a basket. Sealing the envelop was a symbol of our eternity sealed with Christ. Mark will mail the envelopes to each person in 30 days as a reminder to check in on that person.
If you would like to participate, think of someone who is far from God that you want to commit to praying over for 30 days. Place their name somewhere that you will remember to pray for them. Pray that they would encounter Christ. Pray that you would be given an opportunity to witness to them.
If you would like to watch the full service, click here.
To listen to the full service, click here.
0 comments:
Post a Comment