WEBVTT 00:00:27.832 --> 00:00:30.699 Well, good morning. 00:00:30.699 --> 00:00:33.000 Thank you. 00:00:33.000 --> 00:00:37.799 I want to begin by answering the question many of you are asking. 00:00:37.799 --> 00:00:40.799 I'm 82. 00:00:41.066 --> 00:00:43.265 And I know that's old. 00:00:43.265 --> 00:00:45.066 I had a guy at southeast recently. 00:00:45.066 --> 00:00:47.765 Say, Bob, I like the way you do funerals. 00:00:47.765 --> 00:00:49.765 Would you be willing to pre-planning my funeral? 00:00:49.765 --> 00:00:51.566 Would you be willing to do my funeral? 00:00:51.566 --> 00:00:53.732 I said I will, but you better hurry up. 00:00:53.732 --> 00:00:55.865 Another time. 00:00:55.865 --> 00:01:00.832 I want to thank your preacher, John Majors, for inviting me. 00:01:00.832 --> 00:01:02.732 And I really like him. 00:01:02.732 --> 00:01:06.733 And I appreciate the opportunity to be at Valley View. 00:01:06.733 --> 00:01:13.566 When I was a young man, I played many a softball game on your excellent facility. 00:01:13.566 --> 00:01:29.299 Then several years ago, when you were transitioning from a deacon led church to an elder led church, several of us from South East walked through that change with some of your leaders, and I understand that's gone well. 00:01:29.299 --> 00:01:33.000 And John says the elders are really a source of encouragement to him. 00:01:33.000 --> 00:01:34.832 I rejoice over that. 00:01:34.832 --> 00:01:49.433 But I've watched, the ministry of Valley View Church from a distance for nearly half century because we really need the churches of this area being strong. 00:01:49.433 --> 00:01:59.665 When I drove over here today, I drove by a number of churches that years ago were running 3 or 400 people, and now I kind of have 4 or 5 cars in the parking lot. 00:01:59.665 --> 00:02:07.332 And we need you to be on fire for Jesus Christ and make a difference in this area for him. 00:02:07.332 --> 00:02:15.532 That's why I want to talk with you today about being contagious ambassadors from Second Corinthians, the fifth chapter. 00:02:15.532 --> 00:02:20.566 If you get your Bible, turn to that passage, second Corinthians five. 00:02:20.566 --> 00:02:29.165 Surprisingly, the fields are ripening for harvest, for evangelism, for churches today. 00:02:29.366 --> 00:02:38.900 For some reason, in the last couple of years, spiritual interest has quickened, especially among Gen Z. 00:02:38.900 --> 00:02:41.665 The 18 to 30 age group. 00:02:43.532 --> 00:02:50.733 The young adults are kind of coming back to spiritual truth. 00:02:50.733 --> 00:02:58.432 We see that in the Asbury revival in their interest in spiritual podcasts and Christian concerts. 00:02:58.432 --> 00:03:06.599 George Barna says, in the last couple of years, church attendance among young adults has almost doubled. 00:03:07.733 --> 00:03:08.699 That's really good. 00:03:08.699 --> 00:03:16.300 Some suggest that the reason is our culture is becoming so wacky, so off the rails. 00:03:16.300 --> 00:03:25.466 The young adults are looking to the church or investigating the Bible for some reasonable solutions. 00:03:25.500 --> 00:03:38.099 So there's a sense in which the field is ripe for harvest, and the church needs to come awake and make the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil. 00:03:38.099 --> 00:03:50.199 If this church is going to reach its awesome potential, it's not going to be wholly determined by the preacher and the staff or the elders. 00:03:50.199 --> 00:04:04.900 It's going to take place as the members of this church, particularly those of you who are younger, get really serious about evangelism and aggressive about inviting others. 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:12.133 I want to read from Second Corinthians, the fifth chapter, beginning verse 11. 00:04:12.133 --> 00:04:17.100 I'm going to read 11 verses of Scripture out of respect for the Word of God. 00:04:17.100 --> 00:04:23.100 I'm going to ask you to stand as I read the Bible says, give attention to the reading of the Scripture. 00:04:23.100 --> 00:04:31.932 And as I read this, you pay attention as we talk about being contagious ambassadors, and then we'll dig into it. 00:04:32.233 --> 00:04:35.233 Verse 11. 00:04:36.233 --> 00:04:39.266 Since then, we know what it is to fear the Lord. 00:04:39.266 --> 00:04:44.266 We try to persuade men what we are is playing the God. 00:04:44.266 --> 00:04:47.565 I hope it's also playing to your conscience. 00:04:47.565 --> 00:04:59.399 We're not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen, rather than what is in the heart. 00:05:01.033 --> 00:05:04.132 If we're out of our mind, it is for the sake of God. 00:05:04.132 --> 00:05:08.100 If we're in our right mind, it is for you, for Christ. 00:05:08.100 --> 00:05:23.833 Love compels us because we're convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died, and he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them, and was raised again. 00:05:23.833 --> 00:05:28.966 So from now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view. 00:05:29.233 --> 00:05:33.665 Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 00:05:33.665 --> 00:05:38.800 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation. 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:41.632 The old has gone, the new has come. 00:05:41.632 --> 00:05:56.132 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us this ministry of reconciliation, that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. 00:05:56.165 --> 00:06:00.000 And he's committed to us this message of reconciliation. 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:00.966 And here's the verse. 00:06:02.932 --> 00:06:10.365 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. 00:06:10.365 --> 00:06:15.033 We implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 00:06:15.033 --> 00:06:23.065 God, who made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 00:06:23.333 --> 00:06:24.065 You may be seated. 00:06:24.065 --> 00:06:27.065 Thank you. 00:06:27.865 --> 00:06:34.699 We are therefore Christ ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. 00:06:35.733 --> 00:06:38.600 Several years ago, I took a trip to China. 00:06:38.600 --> 00:06:40.199 Now wasn't the mission trip. 00:06:40.199 --> 00:06:52.466 Several spiritual leaders from America went to China to talk with Chinese government officials, begging them to ease up on their persecution of Christians in that country. 00:06:52.466 --> 00:07:00.466 We're very successful at meeting with influential leaders, but we weren't very successful in persuading them to quit the persecution. 00:07:01.533 --> 00:07:05.100 But while we were there, we had dinner with the U.S. 00:07:05.100 --> 00:07:07.165 ambassador to China. 00:07:07.165 --> 00:07:09.033 It was at the U.S. embassy. 00:07:09.033 --> 00:07:11.632 It was a stately formal dinner. 00:07:11.632 --> 00:07:17.733 As you would expect in a country as vital to our national interest as China. 00:07:18.100 --> 00:07:22.165 But I grew up in the country, and I didn't want to make a fool out of myself. 00:07:22.165 --> 00:07:27.432 So before I went, I did some reading about what's the role of an ambassador? 00:07:28.199 --> 00:07:34.500 The ambassador is a representative of his home country, living in a foreign nation. 00:07:35.266 --> 00:07:36.500 He's not just visiting there. 00:07:36.500 --> 00:07:39.500 He settles down and that's his home. 00:07:39.899 --> 00:07:49.132 The ambassador is a diplomat who attends social functions with the intent of smoothing out relationships between nations. 00:07:49.132 --> 00:07:52.132 He doesn't hibernate in the embassy. 00:07:52.365 --> 00:07:55.365 He circulates among the people to be of influence. 00:07:56.533 --> 00:08:04.199 An ambassador is an emissary communicating the message that the State Department wants him to convey. 00:08:04.199 --> 00:08:08.432 He can't just say what the people want to hear or what he thinks. 00:08:08.432 --> 00:08:13.899 He's got to communicate the message that the president tells him to communicate. 00:08:13.899 --> 00:08:21.533 And the ambassador is a guardian protecting his country's interests in the host nation, no matter how much he loves China. 00:08:21.533 --> 00:08:24.500 He's still primarily loyal to the United States. 00:08:24.500 --> 00:08:33.533 Now we are Christ ambassadors sent out into an environment that is not always favorable to Christianity. 00:08:33.533 --> 00:08:37.566 We're to represent Jesus in our culture. 00:08:38.566 --> 00:08:46.799 We're to smooth out relationships so that people who aren't familiar with Christ would have their hearts soften toward him. 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:51.200 And we are to communicate the message that Christ has given us to convey. 00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:53.432 We can't just say what itching ears want to hear. 00:08:54.799 --> 00:09:01.033 We've got to communicate God's message that God commands all men everywhere to repent so that they can be saved. 00:09:01.033 --> 00:09:06.133 We're therefore Christ ambassadors as though God were making his appeal to us. 00:09:06.133 --> 00:09:16.365 Paul told Titus, you tell that even the slaves, that they're to do everything they can to make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. 00:09:16.432 --> 00:09:23.832 One very unassuming young woman was asked in a small group what she did for a living, and she said, I am an ambassador for Jesus Christ. 00:09:23.832 --> 00:09:27.966 Cleverly disguised as a checkout girl at Kroger's. 00:09:28.100 --> 00:09:31.265 And that's the way we ought to see ourselves. 00:09:31.265 --> 00:09:36.232 However, so many Christians today don't see themselves as ambassadors to the world. 00:09:36.232 --> 00:09:41.865 They see themselves as illegal aliens trying to hide in the shadows, not be detected. 00:09:41.865 --> 00:09:45.799 And instead of making Christ attractive, they make him anonymous. 00:09:46.765 --> 00:09:48.332 But Jesus said, you're the light of the world. 00:09:48.332 --> 00:09:52.000 You're to be a city that is set on a hill that can't be hidden. 00:09:52.000 --> 00:10:06.832 So I'm going to give you four tips t I p s about how you can be the most effective ambassador for Christ in this culture, that you can be. 00:10:07.899 --> 00:10:10.899 The first is the word transparency. 00:10:11.066 --> 00:10:15.832 Be transparent about who you are and what you're trying to accomplish. 00:10:15.832 --> 00:10:17.633 Paul said, what we are is playing to God. 00:10:17.633 --> 00:10:20.432 I hope it's also plain to you. 00:10:20.432 --> 00:10:24.166 Be transparent about your own sins and your own failures. 00:10:24.166 --> 00:10:27.700 Paul, was he said, what you see is what you get. 00:10:27.700 --> 00:10:30.432 In Romans seven, Paul said, you know what the good that I want to do? 00:10:30.432 --> 00:10:35.332 I don't always do the evil that I shouldn't do, I sometimes do. 00:10:35.332 --> 00:10:38.232 I'm a wretched man sometimes. 00:10:38.232 --> 00:10:41.399 And there's something attractive about people who are authentic. 00:10:41.399 --> 00:10:45.799 One of the things I like about John, I feel like what you see is what you get. 00:10:45.799 --> 00:10:48.799 He's not trying to put on airs. 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:53.899 We're a little suspicious of people who are secretive and guarded, but we gravitate to people who are transparent. 00:10:53.899 --> 00:10:55.232 You know what we say about them. 00:10:55.232 --> 00:10:58.100 He's comfortable in his own skin. 00:10:58.100 --> 00:11:00.299 She's for real. 00:11:00.299 --> 00:11:02.432 What you see is what you get. 00:11:02.432 --> 00:11:14.100 I spoke at the Cove, the Billy Graham Training Center in Asheville, North Carolina, last fall, and Gigi Graham, Billy Graham's daughter, gave a greeting to the audience. 00:11:14.100 --> 00:11:21.432 And she said, you know, everybody always wants some insider information about Billy Graham and my mother. 00:11:21.432 --> 00:11:24.299 She said my mother was a wonderful person. 00:11:24.299 --> 00:11:25.166 She was fun to be with. 00:11:25.166 --> 00:11:26.633 She'd tell you what she was thinking. 00:11:26.633 --> 00:11:27.966 She was a hoot. 00:11:27.966 --> 00:11:29.799 Now my daddy, he's a good man. 00:11:29.799 --> 00:11:32.232 She said, Billy Graham's a good man, but he's not perfect. 00:11:32.232 --> 00:11:33.566 Don't put him on a pedestal. 00:11:33.566 --> 00:11:35.100 He said, a lot of people don't know that. 00:11:35.100 --> 00:11:39.365 Billy Graham, she said my dad was a hypochondriac, almost. 00:11:39.832 --> 00:11:42.000 He always said something wrong with him. 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:46.399 He carried around the medical journal, and the pages were about as frayed as his Bible. 00:11:47.633 --> 00:12:03.666 And she said, in their older years, I asked my mother one night at the house how she was doing, and she briefly told me about some of her issues, but I made the mistake of asking my dad how he was doing, and she said he went on with a litany of problems and diagnosing what was wrong with them. 00:12:03.666 --> 00:12:06.966 And finally my mother interrupted him and said, why don't you quit complaining? 00:12:06.966 --> 00:12:09.966 And die like a Christian? 00:12:10.299 --> 00:12:12.865 I love that story because you know what? 00:12:12.865 --> 00:12:15.865 It made me feel like Billy Graham's real. 00:12:16.200 --> 00:12:23.133 If he's a sinner, just like me, and if God can use Billy Graham, maybe he can use me. 00:12:23.133 --> 00:12:30.200 You know, if you pretend to be perfect, people will admire you from a distance temporarily. 00:12:30.200 --> 00:12:36.633 But if you're authentic, if you're transparent about your own imperfections, people will love you up close permanently. 00:12:37.732 --> 00:12:44.633 Be transparent about your own imperfections and be transparent about what you're trying to accomplish your mission. Paul was. 00:12:44.633 --> 00:12:48.899 Since we know what it is, the fear of the Lord, we're trying to persuade men, he said. 00:12:48.899 --> 00:12:51.666 Paul didn't try to sneak up on anybody. 00:12:51.666 --> 00:12:52.799 He didn't bait and switch. 00:12:52.799 --> 00:12:56.299 He didn't worry about being seeker friendly. 00:12:56.299 --> 00:12:58.399 He was really transparent about what he's trying to accomplish. 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:08.932 In fact, in the previous chapter, second Corinthians four two, Paul wrote, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. 00:13:08.932 --> 00:13:10.200 We don't use deceptions. 00:13:10.200 --> 00:13:11.932 We don't distort the Word of God. 00:13:11.932 --> 00:13:18.533 On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly, we commend ourselves to every one conscience in the sight of God. 00:13:18.533 --> 00:13:22.533 One of my one of my favorite stories about the Apostle Paul is in acts of 26th chapter. 00:13:22.533 --> 00:13:29.066 Paul's in prison, and then he's put on trial for his life, accused of being an insurrectionist and governor. 00:13:29.066 --> 00:13:33.533 Festus and his wife were there, and King Agrippa and his wife Bernice. 00:13:33.533 --> 00:13:35.100 Or. They're all the movers and shakers. 00:13:35.100 --> 00:13:38.832 It's a big trial, and Paul has to defend himself. 00:13:38.832 --> 00:13:42.166 And he said, I used to persecute the church, but I saw the risen Christ. 00:13:42.166 --> 00:13:43.832 I know he came back from the grave. 00:13:43.832 --> 00:13:47.932 And then Paul, right in the middle of his speech, singles out King Agrippa. 00:13:47.932 --> 00:13:49.700 He said, the king knows about these things. 00:13:49.700 --> 00:13:52.000 They were not done in a corner. 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:57.265 And Agrippa said, Paul, do you think in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian? 00:13:58.432 --> 00:14:02.265 And Paul didn't say, oh, I'm sorry, King, I didn't mean to put you on the spot. 00:14:02.265 --> 00:14:04.133 I don't want to impose my values on you. 00:14:04.133 --> 00:14:06.832 You know, King one one religion just as good as another. 00:14:06.832 --> 00:14:08.200 No, Paul said. 00:14:08.200 --> 00:14:10.399 Yeah, I'm trying to persuade you to be a Christian. 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:14.600 I wish everybody in this room were as I am, except for these chains. 00:14:14.932 --> 00:14:20.666 Paul was very obvious and open about what he's trying to accomplish. 00:14:20.666 --> 00:14:25.633 I think we could use a little more of that kind of honesty about who we are as Christians. 00:14:25.633 --> 00:14:31.299 What we do, we excuse our timidity and we say, well, I don't say anything. 00:14:31.299 --> 00:14:32.966 I just let my light shine. 00:14:32.966 --> 00:14:37.600 And I hope that people will not see Christ in me and they'll become Christian. 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:43.832 You know, Saint Francis of Assisi said, preach the gospel and if necessary, use words. 00:14:43.832 --> 00:14:47.500 Well, the problem is words are almost always needed. 00:14:47.500 --> 00:14:49.100 When was the last time somebody came up to you? 00:14:49.100 --> 00:14:52.700 Said, you know, I've been observing your life and I'm really impressed with how good you are. 00:14:52.700 --> 00:14:54.232 Can you tell me how to become a Christian? 00:14:54.232 --> 00:14:58.832 It doesn't happen very often, and we don't have to be obnoxious. 00:14:58.832 --> 00:15:05.332 But we can make the teaching about God our Savior attractive and look for clever ways to talk about it. 00:15:05.332 --> 00:15:11.765 I like the fact that the quarterback for the Indiana Hoosiers, what's his name? 00:15:11.765 --> 00:15:13.332 Fernando Mendoza. 00:15:13.332 --> 00:15:17.000 By the way, are you winning the national championship in football? 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:18.765 That's one of the signs of the Second Coming. 00:15:18.765 --> 00:15:20.765 I mean, that's just unusual. 00:15:22.200 --> 00:15:33.166 But Fernando Mendoza, Heisman Trophy winner, as every time he gets in front of a microphone, he's talking about his faith in Christ, and he does it smiling in an attractive way. 00:15:33.166 --> 00:15:35.600 Now he's got a platform we don't have. 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:45.000 So we've got to find little clever ways to bring up the subject of Christ with the people around us and be transparent. 00:15:45.000 --> 00:15:47.399 We're trying to persuade you to become a Christian. 00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:53.966 Did you see in the NCAA tournament, there's a player by the name of Chase Johnson for High Point, North Carolina. 00:15:54.332 --> 00:15:56.732 That was their best three point shooter. 00:15:56.732 --> 00:15:59.732 And he wears in basketball number 99. 00:16:00.299 --> 00:16:02.533 And nobody wears 99 in basketball. 00:16:02.533 --> 00:16:04.799 So may I ask why 99. 00:16:04.799 --> 00:16:07.332 He said well my favorite Bible stories of the day. 00:16:07.332 --> 00:16:11.232 The shepherd who left the 99 the fold went out to look for the one that was lost. 00:16:11.232 --> 00:16:13.399 And I'm looking for lost people. 00:16:13.399 --> 00:16:14.299 Pretty clever. 00:16:14.299 --> 00:16:26.100 I met a guy in Louisiana, name of Don Robertson, who is kind of a man's man, but, I mean, he wear sandals and his toenails are painted and his toenails are painted. 00:16:26.100 --> 00:16:28.799 The color of the rainbow. 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:32.600 And I said, did your grandchildren do that to you? 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:38.932 He said, no, I did it myself because I was on a cruise and somehow it happened. 00:16:38.932 --> 00:16:40.966 And all the grandkids did paint the first time. 00:16:40.966 --> 00:16:44.365 And he said, everybody asked me about my toenails. 00:16:44.365 --> 00:16:47.865 And so I just say, no, my grandchildren and I painted them. 00:16:47.865 --> 00:16:58.432 And because that the color of the rainbow, you know, the real story of the rainbow, that God destroyed the world because of wickedness by a flood, and he put a rainbow in the sky to promise he wasn't going to do it again, but he's going to destroy the world someday by fire. 00:16:58.432 --> 00:17:00.666 And all of a sudden he's able to talk about his faith. 00:17:00.666 --> 00:17:02.033 I'm here to persuade men. 00:17:03.466 --> 00:17:08.465 Now, I wouldn't recommend you do that, but I'm just telling you, find some clever way. 00:17:08.465 --> 00:17:18.465 Charles Swindoll told about an ophthalmologist that was a outspoken Christian, and he did a lot of, critical surgery, eye surgery. 00:17:18.465 --> 00:17:25.066 And when people had their cataracts removed, or they could they could see he had an eye chart instead of a big E at the top. 00:17:25.066 --> 00:17:33.133 He's got a big F, and then the next line reads your g-o-d declining letters and they say, read it to each other. 00:17:33.133 --> 00:17:36.232 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son. 00:17:36.232 --> 00:17:39.400 And then the doctor says, now I want. 00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:41.766 I'm glad that you can see physically. 00:17:41.766 --> 00:17:44.766 I want you to see spiritually. 00:17:45.133 --> 00:17:54.133 And he finds a way to say, I'm here to persuade men very transparent about who he is and what he wants to accomplish in their life. 00:17:54.133 --> 00:17:55.032 Transparency. 00:17:55.032 --> 00:17:58.099 The second word is the word intensity. 00:17:59.133 --> 00:18:02.932 Be passionate in your effort to represent the truth. 00:18:02.932 --> 00:18:08.133 Paul said, if we're out of our mind, as some say, it's for God. 00:18:08.133 --> 00:18:12.066 If we're in our right mind, it is for you. Christ's love compels us. 00:18:12.066 --> 00:18:15.066 We're convinced the one died for all. 00:18:15.965 --> 00:18:16.200 What? 00:18:16.200 --> 00:18:21.900 Paul was intense about evangelism ever since he met the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. 00:18:21.900 --> 00:18:23.032 He was on fire. 00:18:23.032 --> 00:18:31.133 In fact, in Romans the ninth chapter, verse three, he said, I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers. 00:18:31.133 --> 00:18:34.965 He saw blood, earnest, and a desire to evangelize. The. 00:18:34.965 --> 00:18:37.000 Some of some people didn't understand it. 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:39.599 They thought Paul had lost it. 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:47.365 In that trial I mentioned Festus, the governor said, Paul, you're much learning has driven you insane. 00:18:47.365 --> 00:18:49.400 Paul said, no, I'm not insane. 00:18:49.400 --> 00:18:51.865 What I'm telling you is true and reasonable. 00:18:53.932 --> 00:18:59.333 Intense Christians may seem to have lost it to the world. 00:18:59.700 --> 00:19:04.965 Well, doesn't mind lukewarm Christians, but you get too intense about your faith. 00:19:04.965 --> 00:19:09.532 They think you're out of your mind because we don't share the same values. 00:19:09.532 --> 00:19:11.032 We don't share the same goals. 00:19:11.032 --> 00:19:12.766 We don't share the same beliefs. 00:19:12.766 --> 00:19:16.532 We believe differently than that world out there believes now. 00:19:16.532 --> 00:19:21.865 We believe that we're here by divine creation, not evolutionary accident. 00:19:21.865 --> 00:19:28.000 We believe that life is sacred from conception, that God is forming the baby in the womb. 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:33.532 We believe that God made man and woman is two genders. 00:19:33.532 --> 00:19:40.066 We believe that marriage is to be between a man and a woman, and it constitutes the basic building block of society. 00:19:40.066 --> 00:19:44.266 We believe the Bible is a source of absolute truth. Truth isn't fluid. 00:19:45.232 --> 00:19:56.032 We believe that every person inherits the sin nature of Adam, and we naturally gravitate to evil, regardless of how good the environment may be. 00:19:56.032 --> 00:20:01.732 We believe there's only one way to be forgiven of our sins, and that is through trusting Jesus death on the cross to save us. 00:20:01.732 --> 00:20:06.066 We believe there's only one way to go to heaven, and that is through Jesus Christ, who conquered the grave. 00:20:06.066 --> 00:20:08.000 And he said, I'm the resurrection and the life. 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:11.000 Whoever believes in me will live even though they die. 00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:12.599 We believe there's a heaven. 00:20:12.599 --> 00:20:13.766 We believe there's a hell. 00:20:13.766 --> 00:20:15.000 We believe there's a hurry. 00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:21.099 Now, 60 years ago, when I first started preaching, almost everybody believe those basic things. 00:20:21.099 --> 00:20:27.900 But today, if you hold on to those tenants and you're intense about them, world things you've lost. 00:20:27.900 --> 00:20:34.032 You remember a joy bearer of the view said about vice President Mike pence. 00:20:34.133 --> 00:20:37.133 Mike Pence says that he practiced the Billy Graham rule. 00:20:37.133 --> 00:20:42.232 He never is alone with another woman other than his wife on the View. 00:20:42.232 --> 00:20:46.633 Joy Behar said, I think our vice president is mentally ill. 00:20:48.665 --> 00:20:49.066 Who's there? 00:20:49.066 --> 00:20:59.566 The ninth chapter, verse seven says to Israel, because your sins are so many and your hostility so great, the prophet is considered a fool and the inspired person a maniac. 00:20:59.566 --> 00:21:04.032 The world may accuse you if you're really intense of having lost your mind. 00:21:04.032 --> 00:21:08.066 They accuse you of being intolerant or a hater. 00:21:08.099 --> 00:21:13.532 Derek Johnson said truth sounds like hate to those who hate the truth. 00:21:13.532 --> 00:21:15.532 Now we know that. 00:21:15.532 --> 00:21:17.932 So you know what we do as Christian people. 00:21:17.932 --> 00:21:22.633 We come to church and we sing about our faith, and we're so excited about our faith. 00:21:22.633 --> 00:21:29.599 And then we go out in the world and we circulate in the world, and we clam up so we don't offend anybody. 00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:31.432 We don't want anybody to think we're out of our mind. 00:21:31.432 --> 00:21:42.665 We don't want to make anybody feel uncomfortable so we can talk about our grandkids, and we can talk about sports, and we can talk about restaurants and movies, but we never bring up Jesus Christ and our values. 00:21:42.665 --> 00:21:45.865 So we get along with people and we got casual friends. 00:21:45.865 --> 00:21:48.232 We are spiritual isolationists. 00:21:49.299 --> 00:22:00.566 Professor Monty Smith of Hope International University in California did his doctorate a few years ago on evangelism, and he tried to figure out how most people today become Christian. 00:22:00.965 --> 00:22:14.965 He discovered that even in this age where we talk about missional churches versus the traditional churches, that most people become Christian because somebody in the church invites a friend to come to church with them, and they come and they kind of like it. 00:22:14.965 --> 00:22:26.500 They feel comfortable, and they come back and they hear the gospel, and slowly their hearts are turned, and months later they give their life to Christ and are baptized and become Christian. 00:22:26.932 --> 00:22:33.532 But man Smith went a step further in his survey, and he asked, who invited you to church? 00:22:34.465 --> 00:22:37.133 And the results were very interesting. 00:22:37.133 --> 00:22:39.465 I'm going to round the figures off, except the last one. 00:22:39.465 --> 00:22:46.633 About 40% of the people who were first invited to church were invited to the church by people who were a Christian for one year or less. 00:22:47.766 --> 00:22:54.165 About 30% were invited by people who were Christian for two years or less, and the percentages continued to decline until. 00:22:54.165 --> 00:22:56.965 Here's the alarming statistic. 00:22:56.965 --> 00:23:05.566 Less than 2% were invited to come to church by somebody who had been a Christian for six years or more. 00:23:05.566 --> 00:23:10.566 How many of you have been a Christian for six years or more on. Oh, good. 00:23:10.566 --> 00:23:12.099 High percentage of it. 00:23:12.099 --> 00:23:26.032 I'm not going to embarrass you, but I dare say that most of you who raised your hand, it has been a long time since you invited anybody even to come to church with you. 00:23:26.032 --> 00:23:30.133 We lose our intensity about evangelism. 00:23:30.165 --> 00:23:31.133 Oh, we excuse, I would say. 00:23:31.133 --> 00:23:33.232 Well, the new Christian has more contacts in the world. 00:23:33.232 --> 00:23:34.900 The new Christian has more enthusiasm. 00:23:34.900 --> 00:23:40.333 But the bottom line is we've lost our intensity about those who are outside of Christ. 00:23:42.732 --> 00:23:46.700 I taught at what we believe classes southeast for many years. 00:23:46.900 --> 00:23:48.932 And one night after the class. 00:23:48.932 --> 00:23:51.165 What is Christianity all about? 00:23:51.165 --> 00:23:58.665 A college girl came up and she introduced me to a friend she had brought to the lesson from the University of Louisville. 00:23:58.665 --> 00:24:06.465 She said, I brought my friend tonight in hopes that she would become a Christian the way I did a year ago, but she has some questions. 00:24:06.465 --> 00:24:07.365 I said sure. 00:24:07.365 --> 00:24:09.165 She asked me a question about evolution. 00:24:09.165 --> 00:24:09.865 I tried to answer it. 00:24:09.865 --> 00:24:12.732 She asked me a question about why God permits so much suffering. 00:24:12.732 --> 00:24:13.465 Try to answer that. 00:24:13.465 --> 00:24:23.400 She asked me a question about why so many different denominations, and I could tell she was asking questions, not because she had intellectual doubts. 00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:30.400 She was asking questions because her heart wasn't ready yet. 00:24:31.032 --> 00:24:32.266 And I recognized that. 00:24:32.266 --> 00:24:39.299 And I said to her, I'll tell you what, I want to give you a book called A case for Christ by Lee Strobel. 00:24:39.299 --> 00:24:40.432 How would you read the book? 00:24:40.432 --> 00:24:43.165 And then let's talk. She said, okay. 00:24:43.165 --> 00:24:47.766 I turned to the college girl who had brought her with her. 00:24:47.766 --> 00:24:55.799 And I'm telling you, folks, tears were streaming down her face and she looked away, embarrassed, and she said, I'm sorry. 00:24:55.799 --> 00:24:59.900 I just want her to become a Christian so bad I can taste. 00:25:02.965 --> 00:25:12.066 Every one of you in this room have relatives and friends and coworkers and fellow students who are so lost. 00:25:12.833 --> 00:25:13.799 You can't judge people. 00:25:13.799 --> 00:25:14.833 That's God's job. 00:25:14.833 --> 00:25:18.333 But you can tell by their lifestyle and their habits and their language. 00:25:18.333 --> 00:25:22.865 They don't know the Lord and they're lost for eternity. 00:25:22.865 --> 00:25:25.266 When is the last time you wept over them? 00:25:25.266 --> 00:25:30.133 Or you prayed for them or you invited them to church? 00:25:30.133 --> 00:25:33.032 I want to challenge you at Valley View. 00:25:33.032 --> 00:25:37.700 So many people out there don't know the Lord and you know them. 00:25:37.700 --> 00:25:40.566 You find some way to invite them. 00:25:40.566 --> 00:25:41.333 Be in. 00:25:41.333 --> 00:25:47.633 Paul says, don't lose your spiritual fervor serving the Lord. 00:25:47.633 --> 00:25:53.732 T is transparency, ie is intensity, and P is perceptive. 00:25:53.833 --> 00:25:57.665 Be perceptive about the spiritual potential in people. 00:25:57.665 --> 00:26:02.333 Paul says from now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view. 00:26:02.333 --> 00:26:04.165 We once regarded Christ in that way. 00:26:04.165 --> 00:26:05.266 We do so no longer. 00:26:05.266 --> 00:26:08.200 Therefore, anyone, anyone is in Christ. 00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:09.799 He's a new creation. 00:26:09.799 --> 00:26:13.700 You see, the world out there evaluates people by externals. 00:26:13.700 --> 00:26:20.932 If you're rich, if you're attractive, if you've accomplished something of significance, then you're of value in that world. 00:26:22.365 --> 00:26:27.099 And if not, not so much. 00:26:27.099 --> 00:26:31.400 And Paul says the world takes pride in what is seen rather than what is in the heart. 00:26:31.400 --> 00:26:33.032 He said, I used to look at Christ that way. 00:26:33.032 --> 00:26:37.700 I dismiss Jesus because he didn't have worldly credentials, but I don't do that. 00:26:37.700 --> 00:26:39.700 Do that anymore. 00:26:39.700 --> 00:26:43.200 If we're going to be contagious ambassadors, it's important. 00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:45.299 We see the potential in people. 00:26:45.299 --> 00:26:47.700 We see the people can be transformed. 00:26:47.700 --> 00:26:50.032 That was so what was so great about Jesus? 00:26:50.032 --> 00:26:52.799 He saw people's hearts. 00:26:52.799 --> 00:26:54.400 He saw what they could become. 00:26:54.400 --> 00:27:13.732 Who have ever guessed that the vacillating personality, Simon Peter could become a rock like leader in the church, or the the hateful persecutor, Saul of Tarsus would become an evangelist, and the Apostle Paul could never guess that Mary Magdalene, who had seven demons in her, would be the first to witness the resurrected Christ. 00:27:13.732 --> 00:27:23.032 But the woman at the well, who was divorced five times and living with a man she wasn't married to, that she would become the evangelist of Sacre, a follower of Jesus. 00:27:23.032 --> 00:27:26.766 The world saw her as a degenerate. 00:27:27.833 --> 00:27:30.665 Jesus saw her as an evangelist. 00:27:30.665 --> 00:27:35.932 What do you see in the hearts of people you associate with regular? 00:27:35.932 --> 00:27:41.732 You put him in to put them in a box, categorize them and dismiss them all. 00:27:41.732 --> 00:27:55.599 There is foul mouth, intellectual snob, drunken slob, Wheeler dealer, liberal, progressive, fraudulent, Somali obnoxious UK fan. 00:27:55.665 --> 00:27:59.700 You can dismiss people for all different kinds of reasons. 00:27:59.833 --> 00:28:04.165 Be perceptive about what God can do in them and through them. 00:28:04.165 --> 00:28:06.165 If anyone is in Christ, new creature. 00:28:06.165 --> 00:28:19.732 We've got a guy in our church and Kent Evans, businessman, five boys and Kent is intense about his faith and he decided he wanted to evangelize his own sons. 00:28:19.732 --> 00:28:22.066 So he's going to read the Bible, study the Bible with his boys. 00:28:22.066 --> 00:28:25.700 But he couldn't find any literature, so he began to write his own literature. 00:28:25.700 --> 00:28:28.965 Here's how you can study the Bible with your children. 00:28:28.965 --> 00:28:31.665 And other people asked for that literature. 00:28:31.665 --> 00:28:36.299 And that led to him starting a church organization called Manhood Journey. 00:28:37.432 --> 00:28:39.799 And the literature became more and more popular. 00:28:39.799 --> 00:28:48.333 And eventually, several years ago, Kent quit his secular job and he became a the director of Manhood Journey. 00:28:48.333 --> 00:28:54.400 He told me that a couple of years ago, he got a telephone call from a guy who said, my name is Ben Roethlisberger. 00:28:54.400 --> 00:29:06.266 I live in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, and I've been reading your material, and I'd like to have a personal meeting with you, because I'm thinking about starting a camp for boys to disciple them in Christ. 00:29:06.266 --> 00:29:11.532 And when he told me that, my jaw dropped because I grew up in Pennsylvania, I was a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. 00:29:11.532 --> 00:29:17.032 I knew Ben Roethlisberger, the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, had a terrible reputation. 00:29:17.365 --> 00:29:23.232 He'd been a Playboy in college, and he got suspended in the NFL for abusing women. 00:29:23.232 --> 00:29:28.432 And now Ben Roethlisberger once manhood journey material. 00:29:28.432 --> 00:29:37.566 You know why somebody invited Ben Roethlisberger to Church of God or the small group somewhere? 00:29:37.566 --> 00:29:38.865 And he came to know Christ. 00:29:38.865 --> 00:29:46.799 And if you saw his last interview after the Steelers were defeated when he retired, the reporter asked him, what are you going to do in retirement? 00:29:46.799 --> 00:29:51.000 He said, I'm going to do whatever I can to advance the kingdom of God. 00:29:51.365 --> 00:29:56.633 You don't know who may respond and who won't. 00:29:56.633 --> 00:30:00.066 The sower goes forth to seed and he just scatters seed everywhere. 00:30:00.066 --> 00:30:08.665 And you go out in that culture as an ambassador, and you invite as many people as you can to come to know the Lord and come share in his church. 00:30:08.665 --> 00:30:08.900 All right. 00:30:08.900 --> 00:30:18.566 The last word is the word service, transparency and intensity, perceptively and service. 00:30:19.266 --> 00:30:22.865 We have this ministry of reconciliation. 00:30:23.865 --> 00:30:30.400 Let's say you you have a couple friends and you discover that they are deeply in debt. 00:30:30.400 --> 00:30:39.266 Their car is about to be repossessed, their house about to be foreclosed on, and you discover their $250,000 in debt, hopelessly in debt. 00:30:39.266 --> 00:30:40.633 And you're not a person of resource. 00:30:40.633 --> 00:30:41.833 You'd like to help them, but you can't. 00:30:41.833 --> 00:30:44.099 But you got a wealthy friend who hears about it. 00:30:44.099 --> 00:30:46.066 He comes to you and says, I've heard about your friends. 00:30:46.066 --> 00:30:46.865 I want to help them. 00:30:46.865 --> 00:30:51.032 Here's a check for them for $500,000, $250,000. 00:30:51.032 --> 00:30:56.766 Pay off all their bills, $250,000 to get them a jumpstart in the next chapter of life. 00:30:56.766 --> 00:30:59.500 How long would it take you to get that check to them? 00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:07.732 You couldn't get there fast enough because they can be reconciled to their and their debtor, and they can have a jumpstart in the next chapter. 00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:14.032 Now, the people in the world out there are hopelessly in debt to God because of their sin. 00:31:14.032 --> 00:31:16.599 We cannot repay that debt. 00:31:16.599 --> 00:31:24.566 But Jesus came in all of his riches, and on the cross of Calvary he paid the price in full. 00:31:24.566 --> 00:31:28.200 And when he died he said, it is finished, is paid in full. 00:31:28.232 --> 00:31:36.833 And not only that, when we accept Christ and give our life to him, and we're baptized into him, he imputes to us his righteousness. 00:31:37.000 --> 00:31:44.833 The Bible says, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 00:31:45.232 --> 00:31:54.965 And Christianity becomes contagious when we see ourselves as reconciled, as ministers of this new covenant, as servants to other people. 00:31:54.965 --> 00:31:59.633 We're not prima donnas on a platform trying to get applause. 00:31:59.633 --> 00:32:02.200 We're not like Westboro Baptist people. 00:32:02.200 --> 00:32:06.232 I went to the Kentucky Derby a few years ago here in Westport Road. 00:32:06.232 --> 00:32:12.432 Baptist people out there, from Kansas with signs of the wicked will be cast into hell. 00:32:13.665 --> 00:32:15.133 Well, where's the grace? 00:32:15.133 --> 00:32:16.032 You know what I'm saying? 00:32:16.032 --> 00:32:18.400 You're not winning anybody by that. 00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:22.000 That's not where we're not high pressure salesmen twisting people's arms. 00:32:22.000 --> 00:32:30.032 We are contagious ambassadors, servants, ministering to people, loving people, caring for people. 00:32:30.032 --> 00:32:36.965 And when you serve other people, it is amazing how that humble spirit can soften hearts. 00:32:37.066 --> 00:32:45.799 I've got a son who's a preacher in a place called Port Charlotte, Florida, and he's been there now for 15 years. 00:32:46.099 --> 00:32:54.900 And, he got involved with the high school football program in Port Charlotte. 00:32:55.266 --> 00:32:59.066 And high school football was big in Florida. 00:32:59.066 --> 00:33:01.599 I went to one game, 5000 people. 00:33:01.599 --> 00:33:04.432 But he is not just a chaplain of the team. 00:33:04.432 --> 00:33:09.932 He's on the coaching staff and, is paid part time. 00:33:09.932 --> 00:33:17.133 I said, rusty, how did you get so involved in the football program when you didn't play a day of high school football in your life? 00:33:17.133 --> 00:33:18.932 He said it was pretty easy there. 00:33:18.932 --> 00:33:21.432 I just went to the coach and said, is there any way I can help you? 00:33:21.432 --> 00:33:24.965 And about second time, he gave me a list of things that he wishes volunteers would do. 00:33:24.965 --> 00:33:30.665 And one of the hardest things on the list was we need somebody to launder the uniforms every week. 00:33:30.833 --> 00:33:34.465 The coaches every Saturday spend all the London uniforms. 00:33:34.465 --> 00:33:35.865 Rusty said, we'll do that. 00:33:35.865 --> 00:33:45.766 So after every game, he goes and collects all the dirty uniforms, puts them in his car, takes them to his house, puts them in the vestibule of his house after fumigate the house. 00:33:45.766 --> 00:33:48.333 But some people in church come and help him out. 00:33:48.333 --> 00:33:50.400 And he told me after ballgames. 00:33:50.400 --> 00:33:52.732 Hey. Hey, dad. Come on with me. 00:33:52.732 --> 00:33:56.432 So I go with him into the locker room after the high school football game. 00:33:56.432 --> 00:34:00.900 Have you ever been in the high school football locker room after I'm tell you, it is putrid. 00:34:00.900 --> 00:34:02.932 You burn the hair out of your nose. 00:34:02.932 --> 00:34:04.833 And here I am, here I am. 00:34:04.833 --> 00:34:06.400 I'm a megachurch preacher. 00:34:06.400 --> 00:34:09.065 Been to them, picking up these wet, sweaty uniforms. 00:34:09.065 --> 00:34:13.733 Stuff them in a sack, carrying 50 pound bags up of the car coming back from the second stack. 00:34:15.000 --> 00:34:18.000 And we're getting the next load in the. 00:34:18.032 --> 00:34:20.733 The high school football coach walks by the doors. 00:34:20.733 --> 00:34:22.599 Thanks a lot, Pastor rusty. 00:34:22.599 --> 00:34:25.599 See you in church Sunday. 00:34:27.833 --> 00:34:29.632 There you go. 00:34:29.632 --> 00:34:37.166 It's amazing how people soften when you wash feet or uniforms. 00:34:37.166 --> 00:34:47.032 And over a period of time, he's got four coaches from the team in his church and number of football players filtered in. 00:34:47.032 --> 00:34:50.000 He lifts weights with these kids, serves them. 00:34:50.000 --> 00:34:59.666 They come to church and two years ago, suddenly, a 27 year old coach who was just married one month died of a heart attack. 00:34:59.666 --> 00:35:02.833 Shocked the team, shocked the school, shocked the community. 00:35:02.833 --> 00:35:14.000 They had a huge funeral at my son's church and after the funeral, some of the young men on the team began asking questions about what happens when we die. 00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:15.532 Where is God in all of this? 00:35:15.532 --> 00:35:17.632 And Russ, you just start answering questions. 00:35:17.632 --> 00:35:19.965 And so the boy said, I want to become a Christian. 00:35:21.233 --> 00:35:23.432 And they had 30 some players. 00:35:23.432 --> 00:35:25.266 Here's a picture of. 00:35:25.266 --> 00:35:37.465 They go to the ocean and they they are baptized into Christ because of the influence of what happened. 00:35:41.865 --> 00:35:44.865 I wonder some of these empty seats. 00:35:47.500 --> 00:35:54.800 Whose life could be transformed, whose marriage kept together, whose kids kept off drugs. 00:35:54.800 --> 00:35:56.932 Whose life was filled with hope? 00:35:56.932 --> 00:36:02.965 Because you invited somebody and they came in and found the Lord. 00:36:02.965 --> 00:36:11.833 Therefore we are Christ ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. Thank you.