September 20, 2009 - A Front Porch People:

Speaking Truth to People's Hearts (Ephesians 4:15, 25)

Key Focus:

• Background Thoughts:
  • Jesus speaks truth into people's hearts!   It is part of his preaching, teaching, & healing ministry
    • John 8 Jesus defends then "carefronts" the woman
    • Mark 2 Friends who bring friend to Jesus. Jesus forgives then heals!
    • Mark 5 Heals then gives a call to witness.
    • John 6 Feeds, then confronts with the truth. Not always successful, but ...
    • John 4 Leads to salvation, then woman shares her faith!
    • John 9 Heals then calls him to believe in the Son of Man
    • Luke 19 Jesus eats with Zacchaeus, who then turns his life around
  • While I believe that most folks don't care what you know until they know how much you care, I also believe that most folks are wanting us to be genuine more than agenda driven. Having strong views doesn't put them off. But identifying with a group that hasn't practiced what it preaches, or to have a friend share a message they haven't lived, does put them off!
    • We can't hide our values if we hang around them long enough, so we have to love Jesus and love like Jesus and live our lives for Jesus -- that's got to be our agenda.
    • When we do that, that genuineness comes through. That opens the door for us to make a difference in the lives of people.
    • And as long as they let us into their lives, we are to be that presence of Jesus. cf. 1 Corinthians 7 -- unbelieving spouse, the image of light, leaven.
  • Really, this is the call of the Great Commission -- the incarnation of God's message

    Jesus was not shy about showing His love and speaking His truth.

    We shouldn't be either. But they go together: speaking the truth in love

    1. They're not two things, but really one in the same. We are to "speak the truth in love."
    2. We can't speak the truth without loving because we are not what we preach!
    3. We cannot love without speaking the truth because love won't leave people in their messes without God's hope

  If we love people where they are, we can't help wanting them to get to a better place. Salvation is not just saving people from something, but saving them for something -- giving them that purpose, that joy, that perspective, that community that opens the door for Christ's work. Ephesians 2:1-10 We have to pray for ...

  1. The opportunity to share
  2. The wisdom to see the opportunity
  3. The courage to seize the opportunity
  4. The love to use the opportunity to convey the message of Jesus
  5. The confidence that Jesus will be there to help us use the moment as He would use the moment.

• Core Ideas:
  • One of the things a trusted friend does is speak truth to the heart of a friend (Proverbs 27:6). Another way to say this is "speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15, cf. vs. 25).
  • Jesus didn't leave people unchanged. In fact, the first message Jesus preached was "repent and believe the good news for the Kingdom of God is here" (Mark 1:15).
  • God's truth is to change people's lives so they align with God ("your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven") and so they can receive His blessings and be part of His work in the world. (Might use the story of Micaiah here. "I don't want him, he only says negative things about me.")
• Specific Exercise:
  Learn to share Acts 2 presentation of the Gospel. Assignments would need to come out of Bible class assignments and mentioned during the sermon.

• Back to School: Gaining momentum, looking for visitors, inviting friends
• Cordinated Emphasis with Adult Classes on Being the Front Porch People of God
• Preparing for our Front Porch Outreach Efforts
  • Civic Center Service next week
  • Front Porch Series: invite our friends to Civic Center, Celebration Sunday, Church, Groups
  • Celebration Sunday

• Ephesians 4:15 & 25 tniv

• Mark 1:15
• Proverbs 27:6

Drama, Media, & Connecting Pieces:

• Pre-video:
• Video Piece: Video Link
  • Direction
• Scripture readings
  • Scripture Directions
    1. Ref - Thoughts about use
       

Time in the Word Focus:

• Key focus of the Time in the Word
  • Key Ideas
    • Point

Daybreak Focus: (See emphasis above! Team Working on Planning Order - Names)

Refresh Focus: (See emphasis above! Team Working on Planning Order - Names)