As we saw last Sunday, most everyone aspires to win friends and influence people. Unless, of course, you are a sociopath. In that case, you just want to create chaos and suffering! But if you are a Christian, you hope to win friends and influence people for Jesus, for the good of every man and woman, and for the glory of God.
A lot of Christians will tell you, that they really struggle in this area. If that’s you, I am hoping this August series will encourage you. Last week we laid a critical foundation. We said that our evangelistic temperature directly correlates to (1) getting deep in the Word and (2) getting down on our knees in Prayer. How many times, when the advance of the church was threatened, or encountered some obstacle, do we see the Church give priority to the Word and Prayer? These are like two pedals on a bike. If you don’t pump both pedals you lose momentum.
Why does getting deep into the word matter? Because the Bible gives us our mandate (marching orders) to go! Because the Bible gives us the life-changing gospel of message, which is powerful for the salvation of man. Because the Bible gives us methods. We can see how people throughout the ages have gone about changing God's world. Our supreme example of course being Christ Jesus our Lord. The World has never had a greater friend, and no one has so profoundly influenced the world for the good of man and glory of God than Jesus. And the Bible is our means of mission. God Word awakens faith, it brings about spiritual birth. We talked all about it last week.
Why does getting down on our knees in prayer matter? Well first of all, in 1 Timothy 2:1 Bible says, “First of all then. . .” (i.e. As a matter of priority!) “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone…” Paul even mentions politicians. If ever there was bunch of “unredeemables” to be named, how about those in power? But, coming back to prayer. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 says, “[prayer for everyone] is right and acceptable before God our Savior. . . who desires [wills and wants] everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all. . .”
Half of Christendom (our reformed brethren) believe in a kind of spiritual determinism. That a person’s salvation is pre-determined by God, their eternal fate sealed, before they were ever born, and God’s will in the matter is final and set. God wills that all men be saved. Friends it’s right and acceptable to pray, “Father, thy will be done…thy kingdom come…” It’s always right to contend for our fellow man in prayer, that they be reconciled to God, that they come to knowledge of truth.
2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting (willing or wishing) any to perish but all to come to repentance.” If a person doesn’t have a prayer for being saved, that’s on you and me. I doubt those who think prayer is useless have ever really read the prayers of the Bible. In Scripture, we're invited to pray along the full scope of possible transformation. Again, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. What you bind or loose on earth in prayer, will be bound or loosed in heaven. I pray that God given you a spirit and wisdom and revelation to know him better. That your heart may be enlightened to know hope, to know the incomparably great power of God available to those who believe. That God grant you repentance, leading you to know the truth, that you come to your senses and escape the trap of the Devil. That God open a great and effective door for the gospel. That whenever I open my mouth God gives me the words, and the courage, that I fearlessly make known the gospel. Pray that the Word spread rapidly and be honored by all. That God raise up more workers for his harvest. That we be wise in way we act toward outsiders, that our conversations be full of grace and seasoned with salt, that we know how to answer everyone. That God open minds, open hearts, give us a new heart and a new mind, cause us to obey, cause us to will and act according to his good purpose. That we grasp how wide, long, high, deep is the love of Christ. Talk about raw pedal power. Word and Prayer. Any church’s momentum is so quickly and easily regained. Word and Prayer. Pump, Pump, Pump those pedals.
I didn’t say it. The Bible did. “CONTENDING" is a matter of first priority in winning friends and influencing people for Jesus. Now if there is a second missional priority, a kind of second ring of impact to be realized, I'd say it’s “CARING.” There are two dynamics to CARING that matter. First, there is an inner dynamic of caring. Remember how in Exodus God “heard” the cries of his people, God “saw” their affliction and pain, and God “knew” and “understood.” The inner frame of kindness is seen in Jesus, weeping over the city of Jerusalem. It's seen in Jesus having compassion on the crowds, seeing how harassed and helpless they were, like sheep without a shepherd.
The Bible is a like a mirror, that we can gaze into, to see an accurate reflection of ourselves and our fellow man. They Bible makes us weep for our fellow man. I’ve been pouring over Isaiah, we’re doing a series called Awesome God this Fall. But in Isaiah God gives Isaiah vision after vision, he paints portrait after portrait, of the true condition of humankind, of the nations, even of God’s people. An ox knows its master, but God’s people don’t know their God. Isaiah 59. The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save. His ear is not too deaf to hear. Your iniquities are separating you from your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he does not listen. Your hands, your fingers, your lips, your tongues, your works, your acts, your feet, your thoughts, your path… there is no fear of God. Isaiah 59:16 says in part, “The Lord was amazed that there was no one interceding. . .” We’re tempted to always blame God, but in the Bible, God keeps showing us the man in the mirror. Until we investigate God’s testimony about man in Scripture, we’ll always be going about thinking were more just than God, were more good, more great, more kind, more loving, more knowing…
Scripture and Prayer—the two peddles on the bike—move us to have deep, inner understanding, and thus true empathy, for our fellow man. Now of course there is more to CARE than mere sympathy. Everywhere we turn in Scripture, mere sincerity, mere sympathy, is condemned. James 1:8, “If you really keep [obey, do] the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.” But, says James 1:12, “judgement without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgement.” James 1:14-17, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
You might be surprised to learn, that there is a whole theology of kindness that emerges in Scripture. Kindness doesn’t come down to good intentions, but also godly action. God is kind. How do we win friends and influence people for Jesus? Well, there is prayer, but then there is also kindness. Here is something to mull over. The Bible invites us into something I’d like to call “Conscientious Kindness.” Conscientious implies a sense of duty, to doing what is right always, and to doing what is right well. It suggests a deep sense of moral obligation, so like the good Samaritan (remember him?), providing the best possible care for others. To ensure our help is truly effective, and not detrimental.
Kindness is a whole new mode of being. It is principle-driven behavior. Kindness is to be planned, deliberate, widespread, like second-nature. Kindness is not a gimmick to manipulate people—Kindness goes to the core of who God is. It goes to the core of who the Father is, the Son, even the Holy Spirit!” Kindness isn’t some lightweight, second-rate, back storeroom doctrine. Its central to who God is!
What do we learn about the Father’s Kindness in Scripture? Jeremiah 31:3, “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.’” Hosea 11:1-4, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned in-cense to images. It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.” Luke 6:36, Jesus commands us, “But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. For he is gracious [KIND!] to the un-grateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” Not satisfied? Titus 3:4-8, “But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. He poured out his Spirit on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior so that, having been justified by his grace, we may become heirs with the hope of eternal life.”
What do we learn about the Son’s Kindness in Scripture? Well, we have his example, going through all the towns and villages, teaching, preaching, healing every disease and sickness, having compassion. The Son didn’t come to be served, but to serve and give up his life for sinful mankind. Jesus was rich, yet for our sake became poor. In Romans 2:4 Paul asks that question, “Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?”
And then there is the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23, “But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. . .” Titus 3:3-8, God’s kindness and love didn’t just manifest itself when the Son appeared… but also in the generous outpouring of the Spirit, rebirth and renewal.
What happens when the Church is salt and light? It evokes praise for our Father in heaven. What happens when the Church loves? By this all men will know you are my disciples, IF you love one another. Galatians 6:9-10, "Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith." Romans 12:21, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." God’s advice to exiles in Jeremiah 29:4-7, “This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their produce. Find wives for yourselves, and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and give your daughters to men in marriage so that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease. Pursue the well-being of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it thrives, you will thrive.” Contending Prayer; Conscientious Kindness. These haven’t been tried and found untrue; they’ve been left untried.