"The Great Commission"
From January through June we attempted to develop The Transforming Story: As God Gave It. We recounted highlights from Genesis to Revelation, from the Garden of Eden to the Tree of Life. We discovered a number of verses that summarized that story . . . . . . .
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Or, "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them" (2 Corinthians 5:19). Or, "He Himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed" (1 Peter 2:24).
During July and August we considered The Transforming Story: As We Live It. We spent time evaluating what Disciples of Christ live like in light of 1 Thessalonians. Our theme was a reflection of 1 Thessalonians 4:1--"We instructed you how to live in order to please God."
The consensus is that 21st century people want to see the truth, not hear it. They want to experience the truth, not necessarily be told what it is. But, Scripture is clear . . . "faith comes by hearing the message." We have to tell the story.
So, from now until Advent season, we will concentrate on how to tell the story. Our preaching themes will follow the idea of The Transforming Story: As We Tell It. We'll be looking at a number of texts which address our relationship with people who don't yet know Jesus. We'll be providing practical insights to help us speak more effectively about Christ. We'll be hearing the testimonies of those who have experienced the saving presence of Christ.
I trust you'll be praying for God to use you to reach others with this great story. I trust you'll have several people for whom you regularly pray, asking that God bring them into contact with Christ. I encourage you to begin asking God for a sensitive heart toward those who have yet to be found by Christ.
The Transforming Story: As We Tell It. This is not about how someone else does it. This is about how "we" do it.
Below you will find a step-by-step illustration that is used in this sermon. When the audio has been transcribed, I'll replace "Step 1", "Step 2", etc. with details about this simple way to share the story of Jesus.
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