Introducing People to Jesus.

Who do people see when they meet you? Watch the movie.

Find out how to introduce people to Jesus. Part 2 of the B.I.G. Mission at PTC3.
Some people consider meeting a celebrity a big deal. Millions of people eagerly read tabloids or watch entertainment news hoping to capture some insight into the personal lives of the “stars.” But these lives are not always shinning examples of how we should live. In fact, the celebrities that get the most attention are usually the worst examples. But people continue to tune in anyway and seem eager to see their destruction. What is it that attracts society to watch these train wrecks? Wouldn’t it be nice if all the good deeds made the headlines? I know good examples are out there. We just have to look for them. As Christians, our best example of how to live comes from Jesus. Imagine if you could meet Jesus! What would it be like?

Our B.I.G. Mission at PTC3 is to “Build relationships, Introduce people to Jesus, and Grow disciples.” In this series we will be revisiting our B.I.G. Mission and focusing on what it means to “Introduce people to Jesus.” Before Jesus left earth and ascended into Heaven, He left us with instructions to Go! and introduce people to Him. We refer to that as the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20).

We will be studying how Jesus told us to “Go!” Most people are familiar with the Great Commission in Mt. 28, but there are at least four variations of the commission to the church throughout the Gospels and Acts (Mk. 16:14-18; Lk. 24:44-49; Jn. 20:19-23; Acts 1:4-8). We will share how and where Jesus wants us to go by looking at the commission that He gave to His disciples to be “witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8), and talking about the “Jerusalems,” “Judeas and Samarias,” and “the ends of the earth” in our lives.

In the book of Acts, Luke provides a more detailed narrative of the ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:6-11) than he did in his gospel (Lk. 24:50-53). After Jesus ascended into the heavens, the apostles stood on the Mt. of Olives “looking intently up into the sky” (v. 10). Because they just stood there gawking, an angel appears to them and says, “Why do you stand here looking into the sky?” (v. 11) Rather than going out into the world and being fishers of men, they stood there staring into the heavens, wide eyed, and opened–mouthed like dead fish!

Now, if we witnessed such an amazing event, we’d probably stop and stare too. But as the church, Christ has commissioned us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Mt. 28:19-20). The question is, “Are we going? Or are we just standing there gawking?”

The way the world is introduced to Jesus is by meeting the church, or meeting a Christian. Are people meeting Jesus when they meet you? I love to see Jesus in the kindness of strangers! I’ve seen Him in teachers, nurses, doctors, bus drivers, even in a check-out line in the grocery store. He’s the person that let’s you go ahead. He greets you with a smile and conversation. It’s important for us to look for Jesus and to recognize His presence. It’s important for other people to see Jesus in us and in our church. It is often said that our lives may be the only Bible some people will ever read. Therefore, we introduce people to Jesus by the way we live.

Approximately 80% of people in America claim to be Christians, but the large majority of people in our society do not live by Christian standards. Living by Christian standards does not mean living a perfect life – no one is perfect. The Christian standard should always be lifted up, not lowered down. We shouldn’t look down on people from this standard either. Instead we should extend a hand and lift people up. You don’t have to be perfect for God to use you! You just have to be willing.

Jesus teaches his disciples how to live in a non-Christian world at the end of his Beatitudes in Mt. 5:13-16. He says they must be salt, to flavor the world, to impede the corruption of the world, and to heal the wounds of the world. In a similar metaphor He tells the disciples that they must be light to dispel the darkness of the world. When we live as salt and light in the world, we become witnesses by the way we live. Jesus says that when we do this, people will see our good deeds and praise our Father in Heaven.

In order for us to carry out the B.I.G. Mission, we must love others because we introduce people to Jesus by the way we live and by the way we love. We invite you to join us for this exciting series, and we look forward to meeting you!

WORSHIP SERIES: Introducing People to Jesus, June 15 – June 29
Dr. George S. Dillard, Senior Minister

Sunday Morning Worship Times:
9:30am Café
9:45am Traditional
10:45am Café
11:00am Contemporary

We also offer Children’s Worship, Student Classes and Adult Bible Studies in conjunction with our Sunday services. Visit our website for directions and more information.