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Location: 6425 Jefferson Rd.
(Hwy. 129) in Athens, Georgia.

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A GATEWAY SERMON SUMMARY


AUDIO


Being a lighthouse:
Witnessing God's way
(pt. 3)

Jerry Varnado, pastor
Gateway Church, Athens GA

October 1, 2006
  • Main Scripture texts: Matthew 5:14-16; Luke 10:1-9
  • We're studying the biblical pattern for witnessing -- taught by Jesus in Luke 10:

    1)     Speak peace to pre-believers;
    2)     Fellowship with them;
    3) Take care of their needs;
    4) Proclaim the Good News.

  • The text doesn't actually say "take care of their needs" -- it says "heal the sick." But some language study reveals a broader meaning.

  • Ed Silvoso, a leader in the community transformation movement, notes that the Greek word translated "heal" is therapeuo. It means: "To wait upon menially" -- conveying the idea of tending to a person's needs as his or her servant.

  • This is the word from which "therapy" is derived -- "the systematic application of remedies to effect a cure." It can apply to virtually any condition that adversely affects one's well-being.

  • Even our English word "heal" has a broad meaning: "to restore to health or soundness; to set right; to make right what is wrong" (American Heritage Talking Dictionary ©1997).

  • The Greek word translated "sick" is also broad. It means "feeble, impotent, sick, without strength, weak."

  • So in Luke 10, Jesus charges us with the task of relating to pre-believers in such a way that way we contribute to the process of restoring them to health -- mentally, physically, spiritually.

  • As we fellowship with them -- as we talked about last week -- we can learn what their needs are.

  • Of course, their biggest need is salvation, but they don't understand that yet. Like Jesus, we must address their felt needs, so that they will trust us to speak to their greatest need.

  • How do we address felt needs in ways that witness to Jesus Christ?

1)

Practical help -- some tangible way that we can provide assistance;

2)

Prayer -- Pray with them, asking God to respond to their need.

Prayer is the most tangible trace of eternity in the human heart. When you pray for their felt needs, you touch your neighbors at the deepest level, the heart level. This is the closest you can get to them.

Sooner or later that touch will register with them. Be patient. Even a master fisherman cannot force the fish to bite. Fishing requires patience.

  • Speak peace to pre-believers, fellowship with them, take care of their needs -- pray for them.

  • That's what Jesus taught; that's what Jesus did. Let's be like Jesus.

A mp3 audio file of this sermon is here (30 min.).
(Download to a PC by right clicking on the link and choosing "Save Target As." Mac users: click, hold, and choose "Download Link to Disk." Depending on your connection speed, the file may take several minutes to download.)

An audio tape of the sermon summarized above is available
free of charge (U.S. requests only).
Request a tape by calling or writing the Gateway Church office.
Please specify tape number 061001a: Being a Lighthouse, pt. 3.


© 2006 Gerald R. Varnado

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