LENT - JESUS AND PLACES: What did Jesus do in ...

Sermon 04-06-2014 Lent #3. You can find Jesus ... On the street

Luke 5:12-13, 18:35-43, 17:11-19

Conversations change

lives

Life offers us opportunities to be God's means of grace to change lives

“Sliding door moments are the seemingly inconsequential everyday moments filled with the words we haphazardly throw back and forth at each other, accompanied by little evanescent pains, frustrations, joys, and laughter, flying through our minds and our hearts, that make or break the most important relationships in our lives.”

“The sliding door moment is when we come face to

face with a choice. In this

moment, we have the possibility of

connection or turning away.”

Jesus turned toward...

The consistent theme of the ministry of Jesus in the scripture is conversation with anyone, anywhere, anytime.

In these conversations, Jesus called them to

repent and live a new life, focusing upon God's

priorities. To be like Jesus means that we carry on

those same conversations with people

Jesus: unstructured, in the moment, in flow. Chance encounters, discussions in the streets.

Walk slowlythrough the

crowd

Bartimaeus: What do you want me to do for you?Zachaeus. Let’s do lunch.Leper: I want to ... Matthew: Follow me.

Jesus responds differently in each situation; there are no predictable patterns, no pat

answers, no recipe or formula; he is speaking out loud what God says in his heart, as he said:

John 14:10b The words that I say to you

I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in

me does his works.

John 8:28 So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know

that I am he, and that I do nothing on myown authority but speak

thus as the Father taught me. 29 And he

who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone,

for I always do what is pleasing to him.“

Conversations … not institutions.

Jesus: unstructured, in the moment, in flow. Chance encounters, discussions in the streets.Not a strategy, but just paying attention.

Walk slowlythrough the

crowd

“Dan,” I said, “you just walked past

your work ...”

We should have these conversations like Jesus. We do not need to script them or rehearse.

Just respond to the situation with your your heart open to the other person and your mind open to the guidance of the Spirit.

Witness at all times; if necessary, use words. What you are to say will be given you in that hour.

Mark 13:11 ... do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say; but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

I believe in a Savior who says to blind men: What do you want me to do for you?

What would you say to someone like that?

Let your heart speak

into their

hope.

I go to a church that prays for people who ______________________ .

Would you mind

if we prayed

for you?

have a problem like yours

Conversations

Lives

One Minute

for God

Walk slowlythrough the crowd.

Attribution Page

Judy Baxter Old Shoe Woman---

'Rome, Oct 2013 - 11' was taken by Ed Yourdonhttp://flickr.com/photos/72098626@N00/10326574846/

'Prayer - The Rock Church @ Music' was taken by Old Shoe Womanhttp://flickr.com/photos/83955435@N00/50905349/

http://psbible.blogspot.com/2011/06/healing-of-man-born-blind.html

"Change" by Sebastien Wiertzhttps://farm9.staticflickr.com/8456/8011916658_471d99d5b7_b_d.jpg

http://www.modernus.com/product/albero-pocket-sliding-doors/

"Crowd Outside Busch Stadium" by cgs's photoshttps://farm1.staticflickr.com/22/27091842_c8a076887e_z_d.jpg?zz=1

Thank you to these artists for allowing their work to be shared!

Jesus responds differently in each situation; there are no predictable patterns, no pat answers, no recipe or formula; he is speaking out loud what God says in his heart and he said so ... John 8:28 So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him."

John 14:10b The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.

Walk slowly through the crowd …John Maxwell: walk slowly through the crowd

Dan Reiland, who was my right-hand man for many years, is an excellent leader and values people highly. But when he first came to work for me, he didn’t show it. One day when he was new on the job, I was chatting with some people in the lobby, and Dan came in, briefcase in hand. Dan walked right past all of us without saying a word and went straight down the hall toward his office. I was astounded. How could a leader walk right by a group of people he worked with and not even say hello to them? I quickly excused myself from the conversation I was having and followed Dan to his office.

“Dan,” I asked after greeting him, “how could you walk right past everybody like that?”

“I’ve got a lot of work to do today,” Dan answered, “and really want to get started.”

“Dan,” I said, “you just walked past your work. Never forget that leadership is about people.” Dan cared about people and wanted to serve them as a leader. He just didn’t show it.

Life offers us opportunities to be God's means of grace to change lives

Conversations change lives