Relational Evangelism
1st Corinthians 9:19-23 – Victory Fellowship
July 21, 2024 - Rev. Roderick Grabski
I. Introduction: Fred Rogers would be 96 if he were alive today. (March 20, 1928 – February 27, 2003)
"It happens so often. I walk down the street and someone 20 or 30 or 40 years old will come up to me and say, 'You are Mr Rogers, aren't you?' And then they tell me about growing up with the neighborhood, and how they're passing on to the children they know what they found to be important in our television work... And invariably we end our little time together with a hug.
a. Before you think I’ve entered a second childhood, Let me remind you of what C.S. Lewis said, “Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.”
b. God says we must have child-like faith to enter the kingdom.
c. A growing and compassionate church seeks to meet the needs of the neighborhood (church & unchurched).
d. To do that we need to like people the way we find them, knowing that it is Christ Who will finish His good work in them.
Rogers: "Love isn’t a state of perfect caring. It is an active noun like struggle. To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now."...
II. RELATING THE TEXT:
a. (verse by verse exposition)
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (The Message): Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!
III. APPLICATION:
a. An excellent way to show we like the folks in our neighborhood is to do our best with our God-given abilities and resources to Meet Their Needs.
b. Do we agree with JESUS? PAUL? Mr. ROGERS?
c. It can indeed be a beautiful day when we do our best to be a good neighbor.
d. When we strive to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves, we will prosper as individuals and as a church.
e. John Wesley said, “We should be rigorous in judging ourselves and gracious in judging others.”
f. Remember, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. That proves God’s love for us.
IV. CONCLUSION:
a. C.S.Lewis said, “The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.”
b. The reason we are to like, even love, our neighbor is so that we may at some time in the future have a credible enough relationship with them that through our efforts, witness, and good works, we will point them to Jesus!
PRAYER
SONG: Pass it On
1st Corinthians 9:19-23 NLT
19 Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. 20 When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. 21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. 22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. 23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.