This is my porridge packet. I like porridge! But I had an uncomfortable experience a little while ago

Instead of the recommended 40 grams of porridge I only wanted to use 25. That means that instead of 275 mls of milk I needed 25/40ths of 275 mls

Now (at the risk of showing off) I hold three academic degrees in mathematics, I’ve taught at a University, I’ve worked as a research mathematician in industry. I know my sums!

But could I work out 25/40ths of 275? No I couldn’t It’s not rocket science and a few years ago I’d have calculated it in my head without hardly thinking! … and that really worried me! My basic mental arithmetic needs a bit of sharpening up!

This morning I’m going to be teaching what some of you will regard as the basic mental arithmetic of the Christian life, But it may well be that we’ve regarded these things as obvious, as givens, for so long we need to sharpen them up again.

I want to talk about reaching our to people in our world.

(and for any of you who are worried, you need 172 (171.875) mls of milk to cook 25 grams of porridge!)

This is part of 40 days of community and

My prayer is that you will use your group over these next 6 weeks to reach out to some people who otherwise would not have had Jesus touch their lives through anyone

and He has chosen you to do this.

We can’t do this alone, which is why we are partnering together in small groups

In Luke 10 Jesus sent out 70 disciples in pairs to prepare the way for him to come.

You may say to me “Ian, I’m feeling rather uncomfortable about this. Are you really expecting me to do things I wouldn’t normally get into or talk to people I wouldn’t naturally gravitate to?”

“For the sake of the gospel, yes!”

“For the sake of the building the kingdom – perhaps only by a single brick, yes!”

… and the reason I say this comes out in the first two words of our reading from Luke 10 – “After this …”

After what?

The previous verses in chapter 9 Jesus is talking to his followers about the cost being a disciple. Being a Christ follower will disturb out natural rhythms of living – but hopefully in such a way that we have that amazing joy of seeing God at work through our hands

That’s what happened to the disciples in Luke 10:17 “the disciples returned with joy and said “even the demons submit to us in your name”

This name – this message – is powerful stuff – we didn’t have to force it, we just talked about you, Jesus, or we helped someone and told them we were doing it for you, or we prayed for someone in your name – and all sorts of things happened. Your name is powerful!

Most of us have a perfectly normal, contented, routine pattern of living life – and Jesus is asking us to modify or disturb that pattern for the sake of getting the message about Jesus Christ out there.

Do you think the disciples were a little unnerved by Jesus request? Of course they were! They were just as unnerved about moving outside their normal living-pattern as we are today!

Society may be different, technology may be different, but the fears of the human heart about doing something new or unknown are much the same!

What is it that will help us, give us confidence to partner together to reach out so people experience God’s love

This morning I’m going to give you an acrostic (an angry twig)

The first way to help other people experience God’s love is

Pray for each other

V2 “Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.

One of the things you’ll be doing in your small groups is praying for your friends – friends who haven’t yet stepped over the line or who are in particular need. And, as James says in the NT “The prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective”

The sceptic can reject your arguments but they are powerless against your prayers.

We see thing throughout the Bible! People praying and God acting. Even Paul knew he couldn’t exercise his ministry without the prayers of the people who partnered with him. Here he is in Colossians

“Pray for us that God may open a door for our message so that we may proclaim Christ” Colossians 4:3

That’s what we’re praying for in 40 days!

Action step

I’m going to suggest you make a groups prayer list. If you’re following the devotional you’ll be doing this anyway >>>

Each person in the group, name at least one person that you would really like to know the Lord, but they’re not there yet. And them pray for them and keep an eye open for moments when that contact can be made.

I think you’ll find, like the disciples did in Luke 2 that God will have some surprises up his sleeve if you do this genuinely.

The second way to help other people experience God’s love is

Appeal to common interests

Before you can share good news with someone you have to find some common ground. “What do they like?, What do they like talking about, Whom do they admire?” “What do they life eating”

Twice in Luke 10 Jesus told his disciples to eat whatever was offered them for the sake of the gospel!

E.g. Polish dish – chicken fat, aspic jelly, peas. – but my translator said “it’s a delicacy, you’d better eat it!”

Missionary’s grace “Lord, I’ll put it down, you keep it down!”

This was Paul’s method too

“Whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him. I do this to get the Gospel to them and also for the blessing I myself receive when I see them come to Christ.” 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 (Living Bible)

Action Step: Discover the common interests in your group. Or between you and the people you’re praying for.

Is there something you like doing that you can invite some friends in on? Then make that your aim! – and see what God brings out of it.

The third way to help other people experience God’s love is

Reach out in love

I remember a lady in my last church whose husband was not a Christian, but she dearly wanted him to find Christ.

She said to me one day “Ian, Steve will talk to you – he’s got some questions about Christians and wants to talk to the boss(!)” – so we had a coffee – and we talked.

Steve was a manager in a local factory and during the conversation he said

“There’s a man in my factory who keeps putting cheesy leaflets on my desk, and trying to button-hole me with religion. He’s just obnoxious – but you’re different. Tell me, if I become a Christian do I have to be like him?”

… here’s the catch – this obnoxious individual was a member of my church! There’s a pastoral dilemma for you!!

When you reach out, to people, reach out in love – in genuine interest.

People won’t care about what we know until they know that we really care.

In 1 Thessalonians Paul says this:

We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.1Thessalonians 2:8

It’s a basic church leadership principle too – love the church you lead!

Action Step:

Ask God to give you a deeper love for others.

The 4th way to help other people experience God’s love is

Tell your story

This is what Jesus told his disciples to do in Luke 10

They had been travelling with Jesus for long enough to know what he was doing and what he stood for so he told them to alert the people they encountered to the arrival of God’s kingdom.

“pray for people, Heal the sick” he told them

Telling your story is a simple, non-complicated way of spreading god’s word. You may not be an expert in theology, but you are an expert in your story – because it was you who lived it!

You are a chosen people, … belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

Action Step:

Write out your story & share it with your group

The fifth way to help other people experience God’s love is

Nurture friendships

Matthew’s method of getting people in touch with Christ was very simple – he held a party.

It seems that his philosophy was this: I will get Jesus and the disciples in a room, I will also get my friends there and the pray and expect that spiritual sparks will be ignited that God will one day turn in to flames.

Levi (=Matthew) held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. Luke 5:29

Action Step:

Bring a friend to your group. >>>

Plan a party. >>>

Expect God to act

I get the impression from Luke 10 that the disciples didn’t expect God to act initially, and then were amazed when they saw that He did!

Elsewhere in Luke’s gospel, there was a moment when a paralysed man was let down through a roof to meet with Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” Luke 5:20

this interesting aspect of this incident is that it was the faith of the friends that opened the channel of God’s power into the man’s life!.

The friends did something (unpack a roof) in order that God could work in their friend. They expected God to work sufficiently for them to do some engineering work on the roof. (I wonder if they made it good afterwards?!) (please not necessary here! – mention chairs for Tuesday)

Action Step:

Never give up on anyone.

Represent Christ with your life

Whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of Jesus Christ.

We are audiovisual people – our friends see and hear Jesus in us. They will form a view, an opinion of what we think about Jesus

Initially that may seen scary, actually it’s an enormous privilege

God pins his reputation on his people – he talks to his world through the mouths and the lives of his children! – that’s us!

Here’s Paul again

Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

Action Step:

Pray to God, “Use me”

E.g. Isaiah

 

Will you do it?

Pray. “Dear God, I realise that you’ve put specific people in my life because you want me to share your love with them. Today I accept my mission. I want you to use me. Help me to be concerned about people around me who don’t know you. Help me to take these seven steps of partnering with my small group. I realize that they are not going to know unless we show them. And help me to remember that no one is hopeless and nobody is beyond reach of your love. And the people that I think are so far from you, really your love is still farther and can reach out to them. So in faith, I ask you to help our group reach one more for Jesus during the next 40 days. In your name, we pray. Amen.”