WEBVTT

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 J.D. Greer is the current president of the Southern Baptist Convention, the pastor of

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 a very large church in Durham, North Carolina called The Summit.

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 At the beginning of last year, 2018, he asked every member of the church to identify one

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 person in their life who was not a Christian that they could pray for and then seek to

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 bring to faith in Christ during the year.

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 He said the phrase that they kept repeating was, who's your one?

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 Who's your one?

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 Over and over again, they talked about that throughout the year.

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 Well, at the beginning of this year, 2019, Greer said this about what happened.

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 It's not an elaborate or complicated idea, but this simple idea led to our most evangelistically

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 effective year to date.

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 What an incredible joy it was to have people come up to me at church and say, pastor, this

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 is my one.

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 Now, I want you to think about what he's saying.

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 They did not have a campaign, a program in 2018.

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 They just kept it before one another.

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 Who's your one?

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 Who's one person in your life that you know and love, who's not a Christian, that you would

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 be willing to pray for and look for an opportunity to share the gospel with.

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 And in this very thousands of people, very large church, many people took it seriously.

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 They identified their one and prayed and shared the gospel.

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 And it resulted in what he said was their most evangelistically effective year.

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 More people came and confessed their faith in Jesus than any other year.

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 And a lot of those people, people who were already church members, introduced to him the person

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 who was their one.

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 On the second Sunday of this year, I preached a message on the importance of us building relationships

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 with people in our lives who are not Christians and sharing the gospel with them in just a normal

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 way in the context of how we know them, a friend, a neighbor, family member.

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 On the first Sunday of March this month, I pointed out in a message on God's patience that if you

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 have unsaved family members or friends, it may be that God is patiently waiting for you to

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 share the gospel with them.

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 And in that message, I encouraged everyone present that day to ask God to help you to actually

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 share the gospel with one of your friends or family members by Easter Sunday this year,

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 which is April the 21st.

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 That was seven weeks away when I pointed that out, asked you to make that commitment.

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 And so now I don't want you to raise your hand, but what have you done to try to reach at

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 least one of your non-Christian family members or friends?

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 Let me ask you this.

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 Did you identify your one?

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 Did you name that person at least to yourself, maybe write it down, talk to someone in your

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 family about your one?

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 Have you been working on your relationship with them, trying to do more things with them,

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 trying to sort of take your relationship to a deeper level, talk about more serious things

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 than normal?

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 Have you been praying for that person on a regular basis?

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 Have you shared the gospel with them?

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 Today, I want us to look at a story of a man who reached out to his unsaved friends

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 immediately after he became a follower of Jesus.

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 It's found in Luke's gospel, chapter five.

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 And I want you to turn there.

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 We're going to read a short story, verses 27 through 32.

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 And in this story, what I want us to see is that this man reveals what it takes to not

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 only be a follower of Jesus, but what it takes to be the kind of person who encourages other

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 people, people in their life to follow Jesus.

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 Matthew, or excuse me, we're talking about Matthew.

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 We're in Luke chapter five.

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 I want to be clear about what I'm talking about this morning.

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 I am not even mentioning you just having a heart for unsaved people throughout the world.

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 I'm not talking about us thinking about how we could reach unreached people groups in a Muslim

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 country.

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 I'm not talking about how we could reach people in Florida.

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 The whole focus today is we as Christians.

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 We have people who are already in our lives right now who do not know the Lord.

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 They may tell you they don't care to know the Lord, but you love that person.

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 I mean, the same blood is running through your veins, or you're the best of friends, or there's

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 someone that you work with or go to school with that you really care about.

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 This is the kind of person we're talking about investing in this morning, so keep that in mind.

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 Luke's gospel, chapter five, beginning in verse 27.

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 After this, he went out, that's Jesus, and saw a tax collector named Levi.

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 In Matthew's gospel, his name is Matthew.

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 Evidently, he went by both names.

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 Matthew, that's what he called himself.

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 He wrote the gospel of Matthew.

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 This is talking about the way the Lord called him.

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 But both Luke and Mark refer to him as Levi.

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 After this, he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax booth.

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 And he said to him, follow me.

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 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.

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 And Levi made a great feast in his house.

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 And there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them.

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 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying,

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 Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?

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 And Jesus answered them,

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 Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

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 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

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 Let's look at Levi or Matthew.

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 And see how he shows us what it takes to reach other people.

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 Number one, if we're going to reach other people, we must genuinely be committed to Christ ourselves.

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 Before you ever think of anyone else, if we're going to be effective at sharing our faith,

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 we've got to make sure we've got a real commitment to Christ as our Savior and Lord.

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 Levi demonstrated that he did.

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 He demonstrates by the way he responded to the Lord's call,

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 that he made a wholehearted, costly commitment.

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 Look at verse 27 again.

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 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.

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 Levi was a tax collector sitting at his tax collector's booth.

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 Two things stand out about a Jew working for the Romans as a tax collector in the first century.

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 A lot of you know this.

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 He was considered a traitor by his fellow Jews because he is working for their enemy.

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 Rome had conquered the people of Israel.

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 Rome, Roman soldiers were occupying Israel.

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 Every place they looked, there was a Roman soldier.

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 There was something written that reminded them they were no longer a sovereign nation.

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 They were living under the iron fist of Rome.

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 Matthew, or Levi, is working for those people.

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 Well, he was also considered a thief.

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 The Roman government, Roman authorities, when they picked, chose a Jew to become a tax collector,

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 he was told how much he needed to collect.

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 He was told how much he needed to deposit in the Roman treasury.

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 As long as he collected taxes, made the Romans happy with the amount,

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 he could actually charge whatever he wanted to do.

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 And most tax collectors did.

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 A lot of you know the story of Zacchaeus.

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 He was a tax collector.

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 And when he was converted, he told the Lord he'd give back up to four times,

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 basically what he had stolen, what he had taken from people.

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 So it's like the Romans, they told the tax collectors, this is how much we want.

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 But you can give yourself a commission.

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 You can charge more.

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 And the Jews knew that, and so he was considered a thief as well as a traitor.

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 We can think of Levi as having traded the respect of his fellow Jews for the financial security of a stable but corrupt foreign government.

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 That's what he did.

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 Now, that makes his commitment or his response to Jesus' call stand out even more than some of the other disciples who followed Jesus.

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 For an example, Peter, James, John, Andrew.

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 They followed the call of Jesus, just like Levi did.

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 But they followed or they left a career as fishermen.

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 James and John were working for their dad.

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 This is the beginning of Jesus' ministry.

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 They don't know a whole lot about him.

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 Peter, Andrew, James, and John, they left their fishing business to follow Jesus.

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 And it had to be in the back of their mind, if it doesn't work out, we can go back.

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 We can go back and fish.

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 In fact, they did go back and fish after Jesus had been crucified and before the resurrection.

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 They were not stepping out as far as Levi was.

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 Think about it.

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 He was leaving his government job without even giving a notice.

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 If things didn't work out for him, he couldn't go back to that job.

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 And nobody would want to employ him because he had been a traitor.

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 He'd been a thief.

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 And so for Levi, he was taking a giant step of faith and commitment in leaving that tax booth to go and follow Jesus.

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 Now, I want us to think about this.

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 In all likelihood, Levi knew who Jesus was.

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 He'd had interaction with him before this day.

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 Most likely, he had heard Jesus preach.

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 Probably had numerous conversations with him.

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 And I say that because if you read through the Gospels, the beginning of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,

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 you find that Peter and Andrew and James and John and Nathanael,

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 they all had encounters with Jesus before he called them to follow him like Jesus called Levi.

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 The other disciples that we can read about in the Gospels, they heard Jesus preach.

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 They had conversations.

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 They knew something about what was involved, who they were getting involved with before they answered Jesus' call to follow me.

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 Another reason I say that, Jesus taught people.

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 Jesus instructed people.

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 You count the cost involved before you start out to follow me.

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 That's in Luke's Gospel, chapter 14, verse 25 and following.

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 Jesus talked about, you wouldn't go out and build a tower and just start out.

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 Excuse me, I'm sorry.

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 Just start out and build a tower if you didn't know you had enough money to finish it.

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 I mean, if you just started out and built something and didn't finish it, you'd look foolish.

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 So you wouldn't do that.

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 You've got to learn to count the cost of everything you do, including following me.

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 Jesus does not want blind followers.

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 So my point is, Levi did not make a spur of the moment decision to follow Jesus.

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 He had taken time to think it through.

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 Therefore, when he got up from that tax booth that day to follow Jesus, he knew what he was doing.

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 He understood that he was leaving everything literally behind him.

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 And he made a conscious, intentional, life-changing commitment to follow Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

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 He didn't know what all that would involve.

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 But he counted the cost and did it.

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 Now, that is the kind of commitment that Jesus calls every single one of us to make

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 when he calls us to follow him as Savior and Lord.

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 There's only one kind of commitment that Jesus over and over again required, a total.

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 Be willing to die.

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 Take up your cross and follow me, he said.

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 He's saying, be willing to die.

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 You've got to be willing to die.

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 Put it all on the line if you're going to follow me.

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 Now, the circumstances of our lives are different from Levi's.

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 The commitment is the same, but the circumstances are different.

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 The Lord does not call most people to quit their jobs or leave their community to follow him.

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 I want you to understand that.

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 There may be someone in this room that God's going to call you to leave Pickens, your family,

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 and serve him as a missionary in the Middle East one day.

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 But in the big scheme of things, God rarely calls that many individuals to do that.

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 Most people he calls, he calls to follow him where they are in life.

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 He calls us to be his disciple and stay in your family.

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 Stay in your school.

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 Continue to work your job.

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 Remain in Pickens County.

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 You've got to be totally committed.

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 You've got to live for me.

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 Pay a cost if necessary in your community, in your family, at your job, with your friends.

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 But he calls most people to stay where they are.

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 A good example of this is down in Mark chapter 5.

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 Jesus healed a demon-possessed man.

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 He was totally changed.

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 He was like an animal before Jesus changed him, cast out the demon.

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 Well, as soon as this happened and the man came to himself, it's natural.

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 He wanted to follow Jesus.

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 Jesus had totally transformed his life.

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 So he wanted to follow Jesus, go wherever he was going to go.

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 I want you to look at how Jesus responded.

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 It's on the screen.

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 Matthew 5.

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 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.

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 Jesus did not let him, but said,

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 Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.

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 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him.

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 And all the people were amazed.

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 That man's life was changed.

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 He made a real commitment to Jesus.

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 How do you know?

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 He obeyed Jesus.

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 He did what he was told.

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 In this case, Jesus called him to go home and tell his own people.

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 Tell your family.

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 Tell your friends what the Lord has done for you.

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 And he did.

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 And when he went back to his people that he'd not been able to be around because of the animal-like condition that he had been living in as a demon-possessed man,

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 when he went back, people saw he has changed.

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 There's nothing about him that's the same.

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 They sat up and took notice.

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 That's radical life change.

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 But what I want us to see in this, the testimony of a changed life is powerful.

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 Some of you, your spouse may think at some point you've been demon-possessed.

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 Some of you, your parents may think you've acted like a demon-possessed person.

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 But most likely, none of us in this room have ever been demon-possessed.

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 Most likely, most of us in this room have never been the embodiment of just plain meanness and evil.

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 But still, if we're Christians, the Lord works in us through his spirit and through everything that happens.

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 And it should be that you and me, as people are around us, they see that God has and is doing some good things in our life to change and develop our character and make us more Christ-like in our character.

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 And as we're involved with people, as you're involved with people, and they see you're not perfect, but you certainly are someone that's a little bit different from somebody who's not a Christian.

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 You're someone in whom God is working.

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 You're not the same this year as you were two years ago.

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 There's something happening in your life.

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 It's the result of what God's doing, but they may not understand what that is.

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 But they see your changed life.

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 You can be a powerful tool in the hands of God to get people's attention and to show people the difference, the good difference that being a follower of Christ makes in your life and can in theirs.

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 Let's return to the story.

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 Levi shows us next what it takes to be a faithful witness.

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 Look at number two.

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 We must be genuinely concerned for our unsaved friends and family members.

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 The next section, verses 29 through 32.

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 Levi demonstrated that he was serious about being a follower of Jesus.

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 He was serious about his relationship with Jesus because he wanted to introduce his friends to Jesus.

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 Look at verse 29.

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 And Levi made him a great feast in his house.

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 Jesus had called Levi.

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 Levi made a commitment.

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 He was excited about it.

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 And so he threw a party at his house.

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 Jesus was the guest of honor.

00:22:18.380 --> 00:22:25.480
 And he invited his tax collector friends and some other probably lowlifes in the community to meet Jesus.

00:22:25.480 --> 00:22:28.800
 Now, let me show you how that's normal.

00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:43.299
 When we have a special relationship with someone, we want other people to know that person.

00:22:43.299 --> 00:22:51.200
 Most people in this room, you are married, you have been married, or you would like to be married.

00:22:53.119 --> 00:23:01.119
 What do you do when you first get engaged or you get real serious about the guy you're dating or the girl you're dating?

00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:05.979
 What do you do in relation to your friends maybe that you don't see all the time?

00:23:07.679 --> 00:23:13.279
 Don't you want to introduce your fiancé to your friends?

00:23:14.579 --> 00:23:16.779
 I mean, some people probably don't.

00:23:18.139 --> 00:23:20.019
 Some people may think, well, they're ashamed.

00:23:20.119 --> 00:23:23.339
 This is the best I can do, but I don't want anybody to know it, so they keep it low-key.

00:23:23.339 --> 00:23:28.619
 I can guess who might have done that in this room, but I'm not going to.

00:23:30.339 --> 00:23:32.859
 Lisa is not here now, so I'm not going to worry about that.

00:23:34.159 --> 00:23:35.079
 But you do.

00:23:37.159 --> 00:23:42.619
 When I started dating Lisa and we were getting serious, I wanted her to meet all my friends and all my family.

00:23:42.659 --> 00:23:43.699
 I was proud of her.

00:23:45.179 --> 00:23:48.659
 And I'm sure you did the same thing.

00:23:48.660 --> 00:23:54.920
 And if there's other people in your life that's special, you're proud of, you want people to know.

00:23:56.279 --> 00:23:58.680
 You don't hide it.

00:23:59.480 --> 00:24:01.160
 You're certainly not ashamed.

00:24:03.080 --> 00:24:05.540
 Levi made such a commitment to Jesus.

00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:10.300
 He was so proud of that new relationship with the Lord.

00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:16.900
 He threw a party for his friends to come and meet Jesus.

00:24:16.900 --> 00:24:20.120
 That's exactly what happened here.

00:24:20.440 --> 00:24:21.259
 And it's normal.

00:24:21.560 --> 00:24:22.480
 That's what I'm showing you.

00:24:23.600 --> 00:24:32.740
 Now, he invited his friends who were like him, not well-respected members of the community.

00:24:34.120 --> 00:24:37.160
 He knew that was the only way that he was going to be able to introduce them to Jesus

00:24:37.160 --> 00:24:41.019
 because they weren't going to go and hear him in the synagogue preach.

00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:45.300
 They wouldn't have been welcome in the synagogue, number one.

00:24:45.299 --> 00:24:47.119
 But number two, they probably didn't want to go.

00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:48.859
 They weren't religious type people.

00:24:49.139 --> 00:24:51.279
 They were sellouts, the tax collectors.

00:24:52.079 --> 00:24:59.839
 And so Levi's friends, they came to his house for the gathering, the close fellowship around the table.

00:25:02.419 --> 00:25:05.759
 And it's all because Levi wants them to meet Jesus.

00:25:06.579 --> 00:25:08.039
 Now, look in the story again.

00:25:08.039 --> 00:25:10.200
 There's a third group.

00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:14.379
 The party crashers, we'll call them.

00:25:15.059 --> 00:25:15.879
 The Pharisees.

00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:16.980
 Look at it in verse 30.

00:25:17.500 --> 00:25:22.259
 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples saying,

00:25:22.779 --> 00:25:24.879
 Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?

00:25:24.880 --> 00:25:33.060
 They were the self-righteous or self-appointed religious overseers of the day.

00:25:34.340 --> 00:25:38.200
 And they were the Pharisees in the eyes of the average Jew.

00:25:38.500 --> 00:25:41.380
 They were the most morally upright men they knew.

00:25:43.860 --> 00:25:46.200
 And they were hypocrites, a lot of them.

00:25:46.200 --> 00:25:49.980
 They were jealous of Jesus.

00:25:50.779 --> 00:25:52.319
 Always trying to make him look bad.

00:25:52.380 --> 00:25:54.100
 Always trying to find something wrong with him.

00:25:54.120 --> 00:25:55.799
 And they found something wrong they thought here.

00:25:57.019 --> 00:25:59.299
 And so they confront his disciples.

00:25:59.500 --> 00:26:00.759
 But Jesus hears about it.

00:26:02.819 --> 00:26:06.640
 And so they condemn Jesus and his disciples

00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:10.920
 for associating with these low-life tax collectors and sinners.

00:26:11.340 --> 00:26:12.700
 Now, let's pause here for a moment.

00:26:12.700 --> 00:26:15.680
 Where do you fit in this picture?

00:26:18.100 --> 00:26:20.940
 Where would you be in this setting?

00:26:22.059 --> 00:26:26.460
 We have Jesus and his disciples crowding around a banquet table

00:26:26.460 --> 00:26:28.640
 with some of the roughest people in town.

00:26:30.340 --> 00:26:34.940
 And then we have the religious leaders of that day

00:26:34.940 --> 00:26:39.400
 standing in the doorway criticizing Jesus and his followers

00:26:39.400 --> 00:26:41.140
 for being in such bad company.

00:26:41.140 --> 00:26:43.200
 Now, you be honest.

00:26:45.660 --> 00:26:46.820
 Where would you be?

00:26:48.940 --> 00:26:50.280
 How do you live today?

00:26:51.940 --> 00:26:53.580
 Where are you the most comfortable?

00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:56.759
 Where do we find you most today?

00:26:58.759 --> 00:27:00.140
 Are you most comfortable being,

00:27:00.680 --> 00:27:03.040
 or would you be most comfortable being with Jesus?

00:27:03.900 --> 00:27:05.920
 Talking to those unsaved people?

00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:07.340
 Because you cared.

00:27:07.339 --> 00:27:12.259
 Or would you be with those religious leaders

00:27:12.259 --> 00:27:14.379
 criticizing Jesus

00:27:14.379 --> 00:27:16.819
 for developing relationships

00:27:16.819 --> 00:27:22.839
 with such repulsive characters?

00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:27.039
 Whether we're comfortable or not,

00:27:27.799 --> 00:27:29.459
 whether we like it or not,

00:27:30.139 --> 00:27:31.459
 we need to be building relationships

00:27:31.459 --> 00:27:33.799
 with people in our lives,

00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:35.399
 outside the church,

00:27:35.400 --> 00:27:37.120
 who do not know Christ.

00:27:38.560 --> 00:27:41.300
 They may not talk right or live right.

00:27:43.960 --> 00:27:46.019
 Why would we expect people who are not Christians

00:27:46.019 --> 00:27:48.900
 to talk like Christians or act like Christians?

00:27:50.660 --> 00:27:53.060
 You may have people where you work,

00:27:53.140 --> 00:27:54.180
 you go to school with,

00:27:54.860 --> 00:27:57.500
 people that you know, that you like,

00:27:57.540 --> 00:27:58.500
 you have a relationship with,

00:27:58.540 --> 00:27:59.400
 you have some things in common,

00:27:59.400 --> 00:28:02.019
 they're rough as they can be.

00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:05.540
 They like to cuss and tell foul stories.

00:28:09.120 --> 00:28:12.320
 Why would you expect better

00:28:12.320 --> 00:28:15.800
 when they have no relationship with God,

00:28:16.100 --> 00:28:17.500
 maybe no consciousness

00:28:17.500 --> 00:28:20.560
 about doing sinful things?

00:28:21.560 --> 00:28:23.019
 If you really care about them,

00:28:23.060 --> 00:28:24.080
 you're ever gonna reach them,

00:28:24.680 --> 00:28:26.180
 you don't have to get on their level

00:28:26.180 --> 00:28:27.259
 and talk like them,

00:28:27.259 --> 00:28:28.759
 but you've gotta relate to them.

00:28:29.900 --> 00:28:31.119
 You can't be offended

00:28:31.119 --> 00:28:32.859
 at every little word you hear,

00:28:33.420 --> 00:28:34.220
 every little thing

00:28:34.220 --> 00:28:35.400
 that you think's off color.

00:28:36.900 --> 00:28:38.599
 Do you think these guys

00:28:38.599 --> 00:28:41.400
 were sitting around at Levi's house

00:28:41.400 --> 00:28:42.740
 singing hymns

00:28:42.740 --> 00:28:43.759
 and drinking soft drinks?

00:28:46.700 --> 00:28:47.059
 You know,

00:28:47.220 --> 00:28:48.079
 one place in Scripture,

00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:49.400
 Jesus is described as

00:28:49.400 --> 00:28:50.839
 a friend of sinners.

00:28:51.940 --> 00:28:53.460
 Jesus never sinned,

00:28:53.660 --> 00:28:54.960
 don't misunderstand here,

00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:57.460
 but I'm sure Jesus

00:28:57.460 --> 00:28:58.460
 was in some settings

00:28:58.460 --> 00:28:59.860
 and he heard some rough talk

00:28:59.860 --> 00:29:02.920
 and I'm sure

00:29:02.920 --> 00:29:04.660
 he didn't shy away from it.

00:29:05.559 --> 00:29:06.880
 He related to people.

00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:08.019
 People are related to him.

00:29:10.920 --> 00:29:12.340
 The idea here is

00:29:12.340 --> 00:29:14.519
 this man Levi,

00:29:15.079 --> 00:29:17.240
 he felt comfortable enough

00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:18.660
 about who Jesus was

00:29:18.660 --> 00:29:19.460
 and how he was

00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:21.200
 to invite his rough

00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:23.600
 social outcast friends

00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:24.439
 to be there

00:29:24.439 --> 00:29:25.779
 and he wasn't worried

00:29:25.779 --> 00:29:27.039
 about Jesus being offended.

00:29:28.459 --> 00:29:29.919
 He was more concerned

00:29:29.919 --> 00:29:31.259
 about those people

00:29:31.259 --> 00:29:33.879
 listening to Jesus,

00:29:34.599 --> 00:29:37.740
 hearing the truth,

00:29:37.939 --> 00:29:39.039
 hearing the gospel.

00:29:40.419 --> 00:29:41.179
 He was more concerned

00:29:41.179 --> 00:29:41.959
 about there being

00:29:41.959 --> 00:29:43.279
 a spiritual awakening

00:29:43.279 --> 00:29:44.719
 in these guys

00:29:44.719 --> 00:29:46.959
 as a result of being

00:29:46.959 --> 00:29:47.719
 around Jesus.

00:29:47.720 --> 00:29:52.240
 We need to learn

00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:54.339
 to do the same.

00:29:55.259 --> 00:29:55.720
 By the way,

00:29:55.819 --> 00:29:57.180
 Jesus defends

00:29:57.180 --> 00:29:58.019
 his actions.

00:29:58.079 --> 00:29:58.880
 He's not hiding.

00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:01.579
 He doesn't give a rip

00:30:01.579 --> 00:30:03.019
 what the Pharisees think.

00:30:04.019 --> 00:30:05.120
 Look how he defends himself,

00:30:05.200 --> 00:30:06.079
 verses 31 and 32.

00:30:06.440 --> 00:30:07.420
 And Jesus answered them,

00:30:07.539 --> 00:30:08.539
 those who are well

00:30:08.539 --> 00:30:10.140
 have no need of a physician.

00:30:10.400 --> 00:30:11.339
 It's those who are sick

00:30:11.339 --> 00:30:11.640
 who do.

00:30:12.059 --> 00:30:12.940
 I have not come

00:30:12.940 --> 00:30:13.920
 to call the righteous

00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:14.980
 but sinners to repentance.

00:30:14.980 --> 00:30:19.660
 We need to guard

00:30:19.660 --> 00:30:20.559
 against spending

00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:21.880
 all of our time

00:30:21.880 --> 00:30:22.660
 with other Christians.

00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:25.700
 If we're serious

00:30:25.700 --> 00:30:26.120
 about being

00:30:26.120 --> 00:30:27.740
 a follower of Jesus,

00:30:29.539 --> 00:30:31.240
 we need to get serious

00:30:31.240 --> 00:30:32.839
 about finding time

00:30:32.839 --> 00:30:33.799
 to spend with people

00:30:33.799 --> 00:30:34.620
 who are not Christians

00:30:34.620 --> 00:30:35.700
 just like Jesus did.

00:30:38.620 --> 00:30:39.660
 Think for a moment.

00:30:40.140 --> 00:30:40.960
 Do you have a genuine

00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:42.180
 heartfelt concern

00:30:42.180 --> 00:30:45.400
 for some specific people

00:30:45.400 --> 00:30:46.360
 in your life

00:30:46.360 --> 00:30:48.820
 who are not Christians?

00:30:49.299 --> 00:30:50.220
 They don't live

00:30:50.220 --> 00:30:50.900
 like Christians.

00:30:51.560 --> 00:30:52.420
 They don't care

00:30:52.420 --> 00:30:53.340
 to live like Christians.

00:30:55.279 --> 00:30:56.700
 Do you really care?

00:30:58.380 --> 00:30:59.519
 Do you care enough

00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:00.820
 to get involved with them?

00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:03.360
 To do something with them?

00:31:04.640 --> 00:31:06.580
 To try to reach them?

00:31:08.200 --> 00:31:09.000
 Are you trying

00:31:09.000 --> 00:31:09.759
 to build a relationship

00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:10.160
 with them?

00:31:10.160 --> 00:31:10.720
 First,

00:31:13.160 --> 00:31:14.480
 are you seeking

00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:15.759
 to live a consistent

00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:16.320
 Christian life

00:31:16.320 --> 00:31:16.900
 before them?

00:31:18.200 --> 00:31:19.480
 Jesus never compromised.

00:31:19.980 --> 00:31:21.019
 He was who he was.

00:31:21.360 --> 00:31:22.320
 You need to not compromise.

00:31:22.540 --> 00:31:22.900
 You need to be

00:31:22.900 --> 00:31:23.460
 who you are

00:31:23.460 --> 00:31:25.320
 as a child of God.

00:31:26.700 --> 00:31:27.180
 But are you trying

00:31:27.180 --> 00:31:28.200
 to live a faithful life

00:31:28.200 --> 00:31:28.860
 before them?

00:31:29.120 --> 00:31:30.300
 Are you praying for them?

00:31:32.300 --> 00:31:33.019
 Are you looking

00:31:33.019 --> 00:31:33.580
 for opportunities

00:31:33.580 --> 00:31:34.460
 to share the gospel

00:31:34.460 --> 00:31:35.259
 with them?

00:31:37.259 --> 00:31:39.140
 If you have not been

00:31:39.140 --> 00:31:41.259
 I want to ask you

00:31:41.259 --> 00:31:41.700
 right now

00:31:41.700 --> 00:31:43.540
 will you

00:31:43.540 --> 00:31:44.240
 beginning

00:31:44.240 --> 00:31:45.460
 this moment?

00:31:47.800 --> 00:31:48.960
 I want to encourage you

00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:49.980
 if you've not done so

00:31:49.980 --> 00:31:51.220
 if you're not doing this

00:31:51.220 --> 00:31:53.420
 identify one person

00:31:53.420 --> 00:31:54.259
 in your life

00:31:54.259 --> 00:31:55.700
 who is not a Christian.

00:31:58.700 --> 00:31:59.280
 Name them.

00:32:00.520 --> 00:32:01.360
 Write it down.

00:32:03.740 --> 00:32:05.180
 Start praying for them.

00:32:05.180 --> 00:32:07.880
 You and your spouse

00:32:07.880 --> 00:32:08.539
 can do it together.

00:32:08.660 --> 00:32:09.140
 You and a friend

00:32:09.140 --> 00:32:09.900
 can do it together.

00:32:11.000 --> 00:32:11.900
 Then strengthen

00:32:11.900 --> 00:32:12.620
 your relationship

00:32:12.620 --> 00:32:13.120
 with them.

00:32:15.060 --> 00:32:15.740
 Talk to them

00:32:15.740 --> 00:32:17.039
 start talking

00:32:17.039 --> 00:32:17.600
 to them

00:32:17.600 --> 00:32:18.720
 about something

00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:19.940
 more than sports

00:32:19.940 --> 00:32:21.900
 or politics.

00:32:23.900 --> 00:32:25.200
 Sort of wade

00:32:25.200 --> 00:32:25.980
 into a little bit

00:32:25.980 --> 00:32:26.779
 deeper water

00:32:26.779 --> 00:32:27.539
 and start talking

00:32:27.539 --> 00:32:28.000
 to them more

00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:29.140
 about what's going

00:32:29.140 --> 00:32:29.960
 on in their life.

00:32:31.080 --> 00:32:31.539
 Some things

00:32:31.539 --> 00:32:32.759
 they really care about

00:32:32.759 --> 00:32:33.840
 have concerns about

00:32:33.839 --> 00:32:34.859
 show interest.

00:32:37.579 --> 00:32:38.539
 And then as you're

00:32:38.539 --> 00:32:39.259
 praying for them

00:32:39.259 --> 00:32:40.639
 you really do care.

00:32:40.720 --> 00:32:41.039
 We're not talking

00:32:41.039 --> 00:32:41.859
 about playing a game

00:32:41.859 --> 00:32:42.099
 here.

00:32:42.919 --> 00:32:43.839
 You really do care.

00:32:45.039 --> 00:32:45.679
 You're trying to

00:32:45.679 --> 00:32:46.339
 grow in your

00:32:46.339 --> 00:32:47.179
 relationship with them.

00:32:48.859 --> 00:32:49.759
 Look for opportunities

00:32:49.759 --> 00:32:50.619
 that would you

00:32:50.619 --> 00:32:51.240
 make a commitment

00:32:51.240 --> 00:32:52.139
 to look for the

00:32:52.139 --> 00:32:52.679
 opportunity

00:32:52.679 --> 00:32:53.859
 to share the gospel

00:32:53.859 --> 00:32:54.679
 with them

00:32:54.679 --> 00:32:58.699
 because you care

00:32:58.699 --> 00:32:59.619
 enough to take

00:32:59.619 --> 00:33:00.319
 a risk.

00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:01.899
 You care enough

00:33:01.900 --> 00:33:03.940
 to be shunned.

00:33:04.740 --> 00:33:05.600
 You care enough

00:33:05.600 --> 00:33:06.140
 to be

00:33:06.140 --> 00:33:08.519
 turned away

00:33:08.519 --> 00:33:10.720
 because you care

00:33:10.720 --> 00:33:11.180
 enough about

00:33:11.180 --> 00:33:11.600
 where they're

00:33:11.600 --> 00:33:11.960
 going to spend

00:33:11.960 --> 00:33:12.500
 eternity.

00:33:13.180 --> 00:33:13.780
 You care enough

00:33:13.780 --> 00:33:14.620
 about their life

00:33:14.620 --> 00:33:16.519
 today where it is.

00:33:17.820 --> 00:33:18.540
 Levi gives us

00:33:18.540 --> 00:33:19.380
 a great example

00:33:19.380 --> 00:33:20.460
 of what it takes

00:33:20.460 --> 00:33:21.560
 to be a faithful

00:33:21.560 --> 00:33:22.460
 witness.

00:33:23.460 --> 00:33:24.340
 He really did

00:33:24.340 --> 00:33:25.300
 have a genuine

00:33:25.300 --> 00:33:25.880
 heartfelt

00:33:25.880 --> 00:33:27.400
 commitment to Christ

00:33:27.400 --> 00:33:28.019
 that caused him

00:33:28.019 --> 00:33:28.640
 to care about

00:33:28.640 --> 00:33:29.940
 the people around him,

00:33:30.220 --> 00:33:31.440
 their spiritual condition.

00:33:31.440 --> 00:33:34.840
 And he saw

00:33:34.840 --> 00:33:35.620
 reaching out

00:33:35.620 --> 00:33:36.200
 to them

00:33:36.200 --> 00:33:38.160
 as his responsibility

00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:39.059
 and he did it

00:33:39.059 --> 00:33:39.759
 on his own.

00:33:41.500 --> 00:33:42.440
 There's a Christian

00:33:42.440 --> 00:33:43.180
 ministry called

00:33:43.180 --> 00:33:44.600
 Nine Marks

00:33:44.600 --> 00:33:45.880
 that is focused

00:33:45.880 --> 00:33:47.320
 on helping churches

00:33:47.320 --> 00:33:49.019
 be biblically

00:33:49.019 --> 00:33:49.940
 sound and healthy.

00:33:50.460 --> 00:33:50.920
 It's a part of

00:33:50.920 --> 00:33:51.620
 the ministry of

00:33:51.620 --> 00:33:52.539
 Capitol Hill Baptist

00:33:52.539 --> 00:33:53.500
 Church in Washington,

00:33:53.680 --> 00:33:54.080
 D.C.

00:33:54.180 --> 00:33:55.559
 where Mark Dever

00:33:55.559 --> 00:33:56.519
 is pastor.

00:33:57.400 --> 00:33:58.420
 In a recent

00:33:58.420 --> 00:33:59.200
 article,

00:33:59.200 --> 00:34:00.340
 they pointed

00:34:00.340 --> 00:34:01.140
 out how

00:34:01.140 --> 00:34:02.900
 effective evangelism

00:34:02.900 --> 00:34:04.240
 most often

00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:05.140
 occurs.

00:34:05.480 --> 00:34:06.100
 Look at this.

00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:08.320
 The New Testament

00:34:08.320 --> 00:34:09.099
 book of Acts

00:34:09.099 --> 00:34:10.840
 records that

00:34:10.840 --> 00:34:11.659
 believers would

00:34:11.659 --> 00:34:12.440
 meet in one

00:34:12.440 --> 00:34:13.400
 another's homes

00:34:13.400 --> 00:34:15.019
 and share meals.

00:34:16.099 --> 00:34:16.900
 Much of our

00:34:16.900 --> 00:34:18.380
 evangelism occurs

00:34:18.380 --> 00:34:19.840
 as we simply

00:34:19.840 --> 00:34:21.000
 occur,

00:34:21.380 --> 00:34:23.079
 occurs as we,

00:34:23.159 --> 00:34:24.179
 we're simply

00:34:24.179 --> 00:34:25.699
 living intentionally

00:34:25.699 --> 00:34:27.460
 in our spheres

00:34:27.460 --> 00:34:28.779
 of influence.

00:34:30.299 --> 00:34:31.819
 Most of our

00:34:31.819 --> 00:34:32.460
 evangelism,

00:34:32.539 --> 00:34:33.119
 or much of our

00:34:33.119 --> 00:34:33.659
 evangelism,

00:34:34.019 --> 00:34:35.379
 occurs as we're

00:34:35.379 --> 00:34:36.419
 simply living

00:34:36.419 --> 00:34:37.980
 intentionally in

00:34:37.980 --> 00:34:39.099
 our spheres

00:34:39.099 --> 00:34:40.139
 of influence.

00:34:41.039 --> 00:34:41.879
 That's what J.D.

00:34:41.939 --> 00:34:42.539
 Greer emphasized

00:34:42.539 --> 00:34:43.299
 at the Summit

00:34:43.299 --> 00:34:44.699
 Church last year.

00:34:45.480 --> 00:34:46.699
 It's not a program.

00:34:46.699 --> 00:34:46.719
 It's not a program.

00:34:46.719 --> 00:34:50.159
 It's about

00:34:50.159 --> 00:34:51.159
 relationships.

00:34:53.279 --> 00:34:54.299
 One more time,

00:34:54.359 --> 00:34:54.980
 let me ask you.

00:34:56.039 --> 00:34:57.339
 Who is your

00:34:57.339 --> 00:34:58.279
 one?

00:35:00.439 --> 00:35:01.419
 And if the honest

00:35:01.419 --> 00:35:02.099
 answer is I don't

00:35:02.099 --> 00:35:02.599
 have one,

00:35:02.739 --> 00:35:02.899
 well,

00:35:03.419 --> 00:35:04.159
 who will you

00:35:04.159 --> 00:35:05.980
 make your

00:35:05.980 --> 00:35:06.719
 one

00:35:07.259 --> 00:35:09.039
 right now?

00:35:11.500 --> 00:35:12.599
 The truth is

00:35:12.599 --> 00:35:13.399
 if we have a

00:35:13.399 --> 00:35:14.500
 genuine relationship

00:35:14.500 --> 00:35:15.299
 with Jesus,

00:35:15.300 --> 00:35:17.260
 we will have

00:35:17.260 --> 00:35:18.220
 genuine concern

00:35:18.220 --> 00:35:20.240
 for our unsaved

00:35:20.240 --> 00:35:21.019
 family members

00:35:21.019 --> 00:35:21.640
 and friends

00:35:21.640 --> 00:35:22.180
 and people we

00:35:22.180 --> 00:35:22.800
 know in our

00:35:22.800 --> 00:35:23.420
 spheres of

00:35:23.420 --> 00:35:23.980
 influence.

00:35:24.980 --> 00:35:26.019
 So I want to

00:35:26.019 --> 00:35:26.640
 encourage you.

00:35:27.860 --> 00:35:29.160
 Identify your

00:35:29.160 --> 00:35:30.900
 one now.

00:35:32.539 --> 00:35:33.300
 Pray for him

00:35:33.300 --> 00:35:33.840
 or her

00:35:33.840 --> 00:35:35.200
 every day.

00:35:37.120 --> 00:35:37.620
 Develop,

00:35:38.120 --> 00:35:38.760
 deepen your

00:35:38.760 --> 00:35:39.840
 relationship with

00:35:39.840 --> 00:35:41.120
 them so that you

00:35:41.120 --> 00:35:41.800
 can talk about

00:35:41.800 --> 00:35:42.620
 more serious

00:35:42.620 --> 00:35:43.340
 things.

00:35:43.340 --> 00:35:45.840
 and then

00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:46.780
 ask God

00:35:46.780 --> 00:35:48.000
 to help you

00:35:48.000 --> 00:35:50.340
 to share the

00:35:50.340 --> 00:35:51.059
 gospel with

00:35:51.059 --> 00:35:51.440
 them

00:35:51.440 --> 00:35:53.900
 as soon as

00:35:53.900 --> 00:35:54.360
 possible

00:35:54.360 --> 00:35:56.760
 while you have

00:35:56.760 --> 00:35:57.600
 the opportunity,

00:35:58.600 --> 00:35:59.620
 while they

00:35:59.620 --> 00:36:02.680
 are able to

00:36:02.680 --> 00:36:03.079
 hear

00:36:03.079 --> 00:36:05.140
 and respond

00:36:05.140 --> 00:36:06.320
 to the good

00:36:06.320 --> 00:36:07.059
 news of Jesus

00:36:07.059 --> 00:36:07.579
 Christ.

00:36:08.280 --> 00:36:08.880
 Let's pray

00:36:08.880 --> 00:36:09.220
 together.

00:36:09.219 --> 00:36:10.939
 dear God,

00:36:11.939 --> 00:36:15.019
 help every

00:36:15.019 --> 00:36:15.439
 one of us

00:36:15.439 --> 00:36:15.879
 in this room

00:36:15.879 --> 00:36:16.439
 right now

00:36:16.439 --> 00:36:18.980
 to do what

00:36:18.980 --> 00:36:19.419
 we're talking

00:36:19.419 --> 00:36:19.739
 about,

00:36:20.319 --> 00:36:21.759
 to identify

00:36:21.759 --> 00:36:23.159
 their one

00:36:23.159 --> 00:36:25.379
 and pray

00:36:25.379 --> 00:36:25.919
 for them,

00:36:27.439 --> 00:36:28.000
 develop a

00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:28.399
 relationship

00:36:28.399 --> 00:36:29.000
 with them

00:36:29.000 --> 00:36:32.339
 and prepare

00:36:32.339 --> 00:36:33.019
 and seize

00:36:33.019 --> 00:36:33.719
 the opportunity

00:36:33.719 --> 00:36:34.639
 to share the

00:36:34.639 --> 00:36:35.559
 gospel with

00:36:35.559 --> 00:36:35.899
 them.

00:36:35.900 --> 00:36:37.840
 Lord,

00:36:37.900 --> 00:36:38.200
 help us

00:36:38.200 --> 00:36:38.420
 to do

00:36:38.420 --> 00:36:38.660
 this

00:36:38.660 --> 00:36:39.099
 because

00:36:39.099 --> 00:36:39.760
 it's

00:36:39.760 --> 00:36:40.079
 just

00:36:40.079 --> 00:36:40.539
 within

00:36:40.539 --> 00:36:40.980
 us.

00:36:41.160 --> 00:36:41.320
 Give

00:36:41.320 --> 00:36:41.519
 us

00:36:41.519 --> 00:36:41.740
 that

00:36:41.740 --> 00:36:42.380
 desire.

00:36:45.440 --> 00:36:45.920
 Help

00:36:45.920 --> 00:36:46.160
 us to

00:36:46.160 --> 00:36:46.400
 do that

00:36:46.400 --> 00:36:46.680
 because

00:36:46.680 --> 00:36:47.240
 we truly

00:36:47.240 --> 00:36:47.960
 care

00:36:47.960 --> 00:36:49.619
 about

00:36:49.619 --> 00:36:50.240
 these

00:36:50.240 --> 00:36:50.660
 people,

00:36:51.660 --> 00:36:52.539
 about

00:36:52.539 --> 00:36:53.180
 the quality

00:36:53.180 --> 00:36:53.480
 of their

00:36:53.480 --> 00:36:54.200
 life now

00:36:54.200 --> 00:36:55.079
 and about

00:36:55.079 --> 00:36:55.539
 where they're

00:36:55.539 --> 00:36:55.740
 going to

00:36:55.740 --> 00:36:56.000
 spend

00:36:56.000 --> 00:36:56.639
 eternity.

00:36:59.840 --> 00:37:00.320
 Lord,

00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:01.220
 help us

00:37:01.220 --> 00:37:03.420
 to demonstrate

00:37:03.420 --> 00:37:04.260
 the kind

00:37:04.260 --> 00:37:04.980
 of commitment

00:37:04.980 --> 00:37:05.679
 that we see

00:37:05.679 --> 00:37:05.960
 in this

00:37:05.960 --> 00:37:06.619
 passage this

00:37:06.619 --> 00:37:06.940
 morning.

00:37:08.320 --> 00:37:09.000
 And help

00:37:09.000 --> 00:37:09.460
 us to see

00:37:09.460 --> 00:37:10.059
 that if we

00:37:10.059 --> 00:37:10.960
 truly do

00:37:10.960 --> 00:37:13.659
 have this

00:37:13.659 --> 00:37:14.360
 genuine

00:37:14.360 --> 00:37:15.099
 commitment

00:37:15.099 --> 00:37:16.320
 to Jesus,

00:37:16.920 --> 00:37:18.920
 we can't

00:37:18.920 --> 00:37:19.400
 help but

00:37:19.400 --> 00:37:21.139
 have genuine

00:37:21.139 --> 00:37:23.559
 concern for

00:37:23.559 --> 00:37:24.000
 the people in

00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:24.519
 our lives

00:37:24.519 --> 00:37:25.159
 that don't

00:37:25.159 --> 00:37:25.699
 know Jesus.

00:37:28.519 --> 00:37:29.500
 You respond

00:37:29.500 --> 00:37:30.079
 to the Lord

00:37:30.079 --> 00:37:30.699
 as He speaks

00:37:30.699 --> 00:37:31.159
 to you in

00:37:31.159 --> 00:37:31.460
 just an

00:37:31.460 --> 00:37:31.960
 attitude of

00:37:31.960 --> 00:37:32.240
 prayer.

00:37:32.239 --> 00:37:32.279
 prayer.

00:37:33.719 --> 00:37:34.419
 If I could

00:37:34.419 --> 00:37:34.819
 pray with

00:37:34.819 --> 00:37:35.259
 you during

00:37:35.259 --> 00:37:35.619
 this time,

00:37:35.679 --> 00:37:36.079
 I'd be

00:37:36.079 --> 00:37:36.599
 happy to

00:37:36.599 --> 00:37:37.039
 do that.

00:37:37.899 --> 00:37:38.239
 Let's just

00:37:38.239 --> 00:37:38.619
 use this

00:37:38.619 --> 00:37:39.139
 time to

00:37:39.139 --> 00:37:40.039
 make the

00:37:40.039 --> 00:37:40.339
 commitments

00:37:40.339 --> 00:37:40.739
 we need

00:37:40.739 --> 00:37:41.179
 to make

00:37:41.179 --> 00:37:42.739
 about

00:37:42.739 --> 00:37:43.359
 reaching

00:37:43.359 --> 00:37:43.879
 our

00:37:43.879 --> 00:37:45.119
 one or

00:37:45.119 --> 00:37:46.559
 about

00:37:46.559 --> 00:37:47.039
 you

00:37:47.039 --> 00:37:48.319
 coming to

00:37:48.319 --> 00:37:48.839
 know Christ

00:37:48.839 --> 00:37:49.219
 as your

00:37:49.219 --> 00:37:49.639
 Lord and

00:37:49.639 --> 00:37:50.899
 Savior or

00:37:50.899 --> 00:37:51.179
 to get

00:37:51.179 --> 00:37:51.899
 serious

00:37:51.899 --> 00:37:52.659
 about your

00:37:52.659 --> 00:37:52.959
 commitment

00:37:52.959 --> 00:37:53.379
 to Him.

00:37:53.380 --> 00:37:55.700
 he

00:37:55.700 --> 00:37:57.680
 One or

00:37:57.680 --> 00:37:57.940
軍

00:37:57.940 --> 00:37:58.260
 will

00:37:58.260 --> 00:37:59.380
 in

00:37:59.380 --> 00:38:13.880
 seven or

00:38:13.880 --> 00:38:14.079
 two or

00:38:14.079 --> 00:38:14.700
 one

00:38:14.700 --> 00:38:15.599
 in

00:38:15.599 --> 00:38:15.800
 the

00:38:15.800 --> 00:38:16.760
 one

00:38:16.760 --> 00:38:17.980
 in