HOW TO BEAT THE HATERS: You Can Change the World
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There is a lot of hate going around these days:
- Radicals vandalizing Pro-life centers.
- Children shooting other children.
- White supremacists vomiting hate.Angry blacks spewing hate in response.
- Trans folks who advocate vengeance upon those who disagree with them.
- Self-righteous Christians who condemn pagans for acting like pagans.
- Politicians calling people fascists, Nazi’s, racists, misogynists, or deplorables.
- College students attacking visiting speakers they don’t like.
There is plenty of blame to go around. We see it every day.
What is the solution to Hate? But the even better question is…what is God’s solution to Hate?
- More Laws?
- More Programs?
- More Strategies?
- More Preachers?
- More Churches?
NO
YOU!
God gave YOU the power to be the solution. God gave YOU the power to change the course of history! And yes, I literally mean to change the course of history.
I’ll bet no one has ever told you that… And if they have, I’ll bet they haven’t told you how.
That is going to end today!
I don’t care whether you are white, black, brown or green. I don’t care if you are the -President, a waitress, -a PhD, or a janitor. Your skin color or day job makes no difference.
Do you know how Christianity ultimately came to dominate the Roman Empire?
You’ve probably heard it was through the preaching of the gospel. That’s what most Christians think. If that is what you think, you are wrong.
It spread RELATIONALLY. VIRALLY. Person to person.
“The gospel was spread in the early church by personal conversations and life examples. Not through programs, not even through preachers.” – Tim Keller
God’s solution for secular culture is YOU!
But in order to understand how you are the solution, we must go back the beginning when Jesus first gave us God’s Strategy.
JESUS’S PARTING WORDS:
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore 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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
QUESTIONS ABOUT MATTHEW 28:18-20
Who was Jesus talking to? His disciples.
What did he tell them to do? Go make more disciples.
How were they supposed to do that? Baptizing & teaching “everything I have COMMANDED you.”
What did he just COMMAND them to do? Go make disciples
In other words, every true disciple of Jesus is a discipler.
Every DISCIPLE of Jesus is a DISCIPLER who DISCIPLES DISCIPLES to be DISCIPLERS.
The goal is not to create a disciple. The goal is to create a DiscipleR.
I call this discipleRship. Discipleship is MULTIPLICATION! That is God’s strategy.
Let’s look an example of what this looked like in the book of Acts.
EXAMPLE: PAUL IN EPHESUS
Acts 19:9-10 Paul at Ephesus
Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussion daily [TRAINING] in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.
Ephesus: 2nd largest city in the Roman Empire. Sat on the main trade route…. New York City. Province of Asia – Location: modern Turkey is today. Size of Connecticut.
UNPACK….
Preached 3 months. Discipled 2 years—Daily DISCUSSIONS.
They probably read the scriptures, then Paul would ask:
- What does it say?
- What does it mean?
- What does it teach you about God?
- What should you do?
- Who can you tell?
KEY: It didn’t stop in the province of Asia. It kept spreading VIRALLY.
CITY OF ROME
300 AD 2/3’s of Rome were Christians.
ROMAN EMPIRE
350 AD 52% of Roman Empire Xns
380 AD: Christianity became the official religion of Rome.
400 AD Gravestones: majority had Xn names.
Men: 50%
Women: 85%
The gospel spreads primarily through relationships.
Does that give you a hint as to how to turn America back to God? It’s not through preaching. Not everyone can preach. It’s through relationship. Everyone can build relationships.
CHINA today:
1.4 billion Chinese
90 million members of Communist Party
Over 100 million Christians. More Christians than Communists.
2030: 250 million Christians
2040: 625 million Christians (more than US population)
2050: China is a majority Christian nation.
APPLICATION:
It’s not your pastor’s job to reach your neighborhood for Jesus Christ. It is yours.
Let me talk about what that looks like…
If you introduce one person to Christ this year…. In 28 years, you will reach all of America for Jesus Christ.
If 1,000 people started doing that today, it would only take 18 years. The point: It can happen in your lifetime!
In Ephesus, it all began with Paul training the disciples. Are you trained? If not, I am going to make a suggestion at the end of this podcast.
The problem is not that there is too much darkness. The problem is not that there are too many haters. The problem is that there is not enough light. That’s where you come in.
DO YOU WANT TO HELP CHANGE AMERICA? You can, if you do it the way Jesus commanded.
God’s solution for HATE is you.
THE PROBLEM:
UNLIKE THE FEDERAL GOV’T, YOU CAN’T GIVE AWAY WHAT YOU DON’T OWN JESUS PROMISED us his joy and his peace.
HE PROMISED. If that is not your normal….
3 Simple QUESTIONS:
MIRROR
- Do you have problems?
- Do you believe God loves you?
- Do you believe God is all-powerful?
If God loves you, and he is all-powerful, how is it that you have problems?
Unpack
STORY: Bill BRIGHT & REPORTER
“WE CAN TRACE ALL OUR HUMAN PROBLEMS TO OUR VIEW OF GOD.”
Is a flat tire a problem?
A friend in Phoenix said…. Do you have problems, or do you have opportunities to see God work?
What makes the difference? Your view of God and your FOCUS.
Either your circumstances will determine how you see God, Or your view of God will determine how you see your circumstances.
Do you know what the primary purpose of the Bible is? To teach us who God is. God reveals himself to us.
If you have never done a study on the character and nature of God, let me strongly encourage you to do so. Preferably with a friend….
Ask the “so what” questions. Why do I even want God to be holy? If God is holy is there any hope for me? Why do I want God to be perfectly just? Why doesn’t He grade on a curve? The Bible says, “God is love.” What does that really mean?
You can’t fix yourself. I know. I tried. But you can fix your view of God. If you do, you will wake up in the near future and realize, “I’ve changed!.” If you deepen your view of God, you will naturally change in response.
Where do you start?
A number of years ago, my dad wrote a book on the attributes of God called, God, Who Are You Anyway?I encourage you to order a copy either on Amazon or at BrightMedia.org.
I encourage you to read through it and discuss it with at least one other person.
Talking about it helps you to kick the tires. (School of Tyrannus—daily discussion)
I’d love to hear from you afterward, to hear how it made a difference in your life.
Story: Atty in Orlando.
CLOSE:
I wish the same for you. You are the solution. You are God’s solution to Hate. Jesus said, Love the Lord your God with…. Love your neighbor as yourself.
If you have found this podcast helpful, please share with someone else who you think might benefit from it as well.
Remember, God is the issue—in every issue.
