Daily Dose of the Word of God - Beyond Sunday Ep. 110

Jeff Klein, Pastor of Outreach

Transcript

Jeff Klein  0:06  

Welcome to Elmhurst CRC's Daily Dose in the Word of God. It's Monday, January 12. This is Jeff Klein reminding you that your faith is not just for Sunday, but for Monday through Saturday also.

Jeff Klein  0:19  

I love the reality TV series Survivor. If you're not an avid fan, let me bring up to speed: Season 49 just wrapped up and Pam and I watched it again. I have to admit, I've watched almost every one. I like the competition, the personal dynamics that emerge within the tribes and the crazy cast of characters assembled each go round. This past survivor, Savanna (who is a little girl) won the whole thing - it was amazing. I'm hooked.

Jeff Klein  0:51  

Survivor is a survival game. You start with a tribe and little by little, you vote people off the island in order to be the sole survivor and win the million dollars. In order to do this, you have to be a little conniving (and yes, you sometimes have to lie!). You have to compete really well and find ways to build relationships in order to get people to trust you so that they will vote with you. Inventiabily, something will eventually get you voted off the island. It might be your annoying habits. It might be something you do wrong that irritates your tribe members. Or, the group might just turn against you for their own selfish reasons and to advance themselves in the game. Watching Survivor gets me thinking and reflecting on outreach. I think Survivor gets played out in real life, both outside the church and inside. We are constantly writing people off and getting annoyed with each other. However, outreach is built in the premise that no one deserves to be voted off the island. Everyone deserves the chance to experience the love of God. It's built in the premise that the ground is level at the foot of the cross. This happens through the people of God. It happens through the way we look at people and treat people and see people. This impacts the power of our witness.

Jeff Klein 2:10  

 Who is in your sights to vote off the island? Is it someone at work, an annoying neighbor, a person on your kid's sports team? Reaching that person with the hope of Jesus means learning to see them as someone who was worth something, who was a child of God, who Jesus would never vote off the island or give up on. If I'm being honest, I've written people off over the years. Then God surprises me. Former students that I would have kicked to the curb are now following Jesus with great passion and commitment - Jesus will always surprise us. This week, ask Jesus to give you his eyes for the people you run into day in and day out. Ask him what he thinks, and then ask him for the opportunity to be Jesus to someone here on the island.

Jeff Klein  3:01  

Let's pray, Jesus, give us new eyes, a new heart to see the people around us. Give us the courage to see them in a new way and to realize that you love them and that you have great hope for all people. In your name Jesus we pray, Amen.