“Let’s Talk” (Matthew 4:12-23)

This passage in the Gospel of Matthew is full of information.  First, we learn of the arrest of John the Baptist.  We know that John was the instigator of a new movement . . . we know of the success of his ministry as he is preparing the way for the one who is to come to lead the people into the Kingdom of God.  And, this morning, we learn that he has been placed in prison.  Placing a mover and shaker like John—the leader of a growing movement—kind of puts a damper on the future of what he is preaching.  But, remember, as the Baptist himself proclaims . . . he is not the leader, he is only the one who points to the one who is to come . . . the true leader.

Thus, it should not come as a surprise that Jesus steps up into the leadership position abruptly vacated by John.  We learn that Jesus left the Nazareth area and head over to the area of Galilee . . . in particular, he goes to Capernaum.  There he begins preaching.  Jesus has picked up the reins of the movement for the Kingdom of God.

It is interesting that Jesus chooses to go to Capernaum.  Capernaum is the largest town on the Sea of Galilee.  It also had the largest harbor from which boats came and went regularly, plying their trade.  They also carried news to and from distance places throughout the region.  In this sense, Capernaum was an excellent communications center.  Word would travel swiftly from Capernaum throughout the entire region.  What better place is there to start and continue a movement!  News of Jesus . . . his preaching and message . . . would spread quickly throughout the area.  Thus, Jesus begins.

Jesus has come out of the wilderness.  He has heard the news about John, and he deliberately steps into the leadership void caused by John’s arrest.  Before he can fully articulate his message . . . before he can completely offer his invitation . . . he knows that there is one more thing that he must do . . . he needs to form a community—the new community.  The community will bear witness to his message and invitation of the Kingdom of God.

Thus, he begins . . . he begins to build this new community.

We need to understand that this new community is not like other communities.  This community is not based on family or economic ties . . . not based on politics . . . not based on education . . . race or gender.  No, this new community is based on Jesus . . . his words and witness of God’s Kingdom.  It is based on Jesus.

The message and invitation are shared through the “Word” . . . the “Word” is shared through the preaching, teaching, and conversations that Jesus has with others.  Jesus talks . . . Jesus communicates.  Communication builds relationships.  Relationships build communities.  Communities fuel movements.

Jesus spoke to people.  He spoke to people in open and honest ways that conveyed to them respect and trust.  In such a way he was able to build a relationship.  This was the key for his ministry . . . and, it is the key to our ministry as his followers. 

So, it all comes down to talking.  Now, I know that we all think that we know how to talk because we do it all the time . . . some of us more than others.  The bottom line is that we all know how to talk . . . but, do we know how to talk like Jesus talked?  Maybe, maybe not, but we can all learn how to talk like Jesus.

I want to share a simple model of communication that is simple and honest that conveys respect and builds trust . . . that create relationships.  It is called the O.A.R.S. model . . . O . . . A . . . R . . . S.  Let me explain what each of the letters represent in the acronym.

“O” . . . open-ended questions.  These are questions that allows others to share their experiences, thoughts, feeling, beliefs, and hopes.  These are not questions that can easily be answered with “yes” and “no”.  These are questions that help us gain an understanding of another person’s world . . . it shows others we are willing to learn and care about others.  So, for example, when we encounter someone who we see is angry, we do not ask them whether they are angry—are you angry?  No, we ask them what is making them angry. 

Think about it . . . if I ask you if you are angry, you are going to answer with a “yes” or “no”.  But, if I ask you why or what you are angry about . . . well, the odds are going to be that you will tell me.

Another part of good communication is “affirming” . . . that is the “A” in O.A.R.S.  Affirming another builds respect, understanding, and acceptance.  It is demonstrating empathy.  When we use affirmation in our communicating with others we are stepping toward a relationship. 

The “R” stands for “reflective listening”.  Reflective listening is tough because it asks us to listen in such a way that we begin to get a deeper understanding of another person’s life.  Thus, we have to listen, observe, and share our perceptions of what others share.  This is not just echoing back what is said to us, but it is sharing how we connect with others . . . it is sharing how we connect to what is said and who is saying it.

Lastly, “S”.  “S” stands for “summarizing”.  This is moving the conversation to a conclusion . . . of letting the other know that you understand . . . that you understand the person and what his or her goals and preferences are.  It lets others know that we have connected to them.

Jesus was an excellent communicator . . . he knew how to connect to people . . . how to understand them . . . and, how to build a relationship with them that conveyed belief in them.  Such was the tool that he used to build his community.  First, he began with the four that we see mentioned in this passage this morning.  He paused, spoke to them, and invited them to come and join him.  Jesus understood them as individuals . . . understood their situations of living in an oppressive situation . . . and, he understood their desires to have something better. 

Because of this he built respect . . . he gained support . . . and, he conveyed a message that fit the hopes and dreams of those he was speaking to . . . and, he invited them to join him . . . to join him and build a “new community”.  First came Peter and Andrew.  Next came James and John.  One by one, the community grew . . . and then, it exploded.  It exploded as Jesus began to share his message as he preached and taught.  From the shores of Capernaum the news spread . . . the community was growing . . . the Kingdom was coming.

The Kingdom of God was coming.  It was coming because Jesus said, “Let’s talk.”  Then it was a matter of talking in such a way that conveyed to others that cared about and understood where others were coming from . . . their experiences, thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and hopes.  It was a matter of affirming them that they were important, desired, and necessary to what God wanted.  It was sharing empathy that let others know that the conversation was not mere rote, but that it truly touched the heart . . . that a connection was created.  And, lastly letting the other know that you understood and are supportive.  Through this a relationship was born.

As Jesus steps up to take the leadership of the movement that John the Baptist started, he moves it beyond mere rhetoric into the realm of action.  It is action that is built on relationship . . . one knowing another . . . caring and loving . . . wanting the best for the other.  In this method a movement grows . . . a community is built . . . and, a kingdom begins.

Once again, Jesus shows us the way.  It is simple . . . we begin as we encounter another with the simple phrase, “Let’s talk.”  This is how community is built . . . how the Kingdom of God is established.  We talk.  Amen.  

“Come and See” (John 1:29-42)

The scariest four-letter word in Christianity is “evangelism”.  True, it is not a four-letter word, but it carries the same gut reaction as any vulgar, profane word known to humanity.  It is a word that makes people feel anxious, uneasy, and scared.  It is a frightening word for many of the faith.  Some religious experts believe that most of the faithful in North America are frightened by the word, and that this has led to the decline of the church in North America. 

Typically, this fear comes from the receiving end of someone else’s “evangelism” . . . whether it is being asked “Have you accepted Jesus?” by some domineering family member or “Do you know where you are going when you die?” by some well-meaning passerby or co-worker, too many people experience “evangelism” as coercive, even threatening.  For others it might be bound to the conviction that religion is not something that polite people talk about . . . or that one’s faith is private . . . or simply the desire to not be thought as one of those pushy people we described earlier.

Whatever the case, most people not only have little experience with “evangelism” but are downright frightened of it.  And, that cripples our ability to reach out and share the good news.  Such an understanding of “evangelism” freezes us in our tracks and keeps us from sharing our faith.

Thank goodness then for our reading this morning in the Gospel of John . . . the story of Jesus’ baptism.  It might be just the thing that we need to admit our unease with “evangelism” and to begin to overcome it.  Here we can find a truer meaning of the word “evangelism” and discover a more honest means of sharing the good news.

One of the first things we notice about the writer of John’s version of the baptism story is that it is not like the other three gospels.    In the other three gospels the writers record that Jesus comes to John the Baptist to be baptized, describe the descent of the dove, and share the message of the heavenly voice.  But the fourth writer, the writer of the Gospel of John, does no such thing.  Instead we get a second-hand account from the testimony of John the Baptist.  Interestingly, he does not actually baptize Jesus in this gospel . . . instead he only shares what he sees.

This is the more important point of the story—that when it comes to our relationship with Jesus, our primary job is to see and share.  Our job is not to threaten, intimidate, woo or wheedle or plead, but to simply see and share.  That is what the Baptist does here . . . he tells others what he sees.  Later we witness Andrew do the same thing.  He tells his brother what he and the other disciple saw—the person they believe to be the Messiah—and invites Peter to come along and see for himself.

That’s it!

That is how simple “evangelism” is.  At its heart . . . it’s very foundation . . . “evangelism” is noticing what God is doing in our lives, sharing that with others, and inviting them to come and see for themselves.  It is that simple.

Why is it that simple?  Well, think about it.  That is what John the Baptist is doing . . . that is what Andrew is doing . . . and, that is what Jesus does.  When Jesus notices that some of John’s disciples are following him, he asks them what they are looking for.  In return they ask where he is staying.  But Jesus does not answer them, instead he tells them, “Come, and you will see.”  There are no further questions, just an invitation . . . an invitation to “come and see”. 

Notice.  Share.  Invite.  Those are the three elements of “evangelism”, sharing the good news of what God has done and is still doing through life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for us and all the world.

So, the challenge is that most of us have little experience in any of these activities.  It is time that we change that.

We begin with “notice” . . . where in our lives have we seen or felt the presence of God in our lives and in the world around us?  Take five minutes a day and answer that question.  Was it in the glorious sunrise or sunset of the day?  Was it in that moment when caring for a neighbor?  Was it in the first responder responding to the needs of someone in crisis?  Was it in the smile of a child, or tear of a friend, or even in that moment when we could not find words to describe the feelings and emotions we were feeling?  We need to develop the capacity to see God in our lives and world.

Sharing our faith is never easy.  It might be because of the things I mentioned earlier, or it makes us uneasy and nervous because we have never really done it before.  This is something we can learn.  It is something that we need to learn . . . we need to learn to share . . . to share who we are, what we feel, what we believe, how we live, who God created us to be.  We need to learn how to be open and honest about our lives . . . the good, the bad, the happy, and the sad . . . all of it!  This is not something that we are comfortable with.

Think about it.  How do you greet people that you know when you encounter them on the street?  Do you say, “Hi”, or do you say, “How ya doing?”  Well, I learned that living in a small town, that you never say, “How ya doing?” unless you have thirty minutes to hear the response.  Instead I learned to just say “hello” and keep on moving . . . or to cross to the other side of the street to avoid any encounter.  In sharing, we come to open ourselves to others and to receive others.

Which brings us to “invite”.  This might be the most difficult of all because it feels intrusive, and because it calls upon us to follow through.  And, yet, we do it all the time.  We are always inviting people.  We invite them to go somewhere with us . . . to go to a meeting or party . . . to attend a school event . . . to come over to dinner.  We are good about inviting people to things, we just are not always good at inviting people to things that involve our faith.

But I want us to stop and think about it . . . this thing we call “faith”.  God surrounds us like the air that we breathe . . . we cannot escape the presence of God.  God is everywhere.  In each and everything that we do . . . God is there.  So, what are we inviting people to do?  We are inviting them to come into our lives and to come into their lives where together we begin to notice God’s presence.  We invite others to “come and see”.

“Come and see”.  It is as simple as that.

John the Baptist invites those who listen to “come and see”.

Jesus invites the two disciples to “come and see”.

Andrew invites Peter, his brother, to “come and see”.

Too often we spend our lives looking for God in the big things of life.  We forget the wonder of God’s presence in all things, especially the small things.  Yet, God takes delight in the little things—things that the world deems to be nothing—and then doing something wonderful through them.  So, we begin simply . . . we share with others the touch of God—God’s presence—in what we have seen and felt.  In the sunrise or sunset, in the smile of a friend, in the beauty of a flower, or even in that person who asks how we are doing and actually stands there as we tell them.  God is there.  The God who brought light to darkness, raise the dead to life, is also there in the everyday moments of life that reveal love and grace over and over again.  Even through the smallest things, God does marvelous things.

“Evangelism” is not a four-letter word.  Nor is it scary.  It is quite simple.  It is the invitation to another to “come and see”.  “Come and see” what?  Nothing more than who we are as we live our lives to the best of our abilities relating to God.  Jesus invites us to “come and see”.  “Come and see” and see for yourself . . . nothing more, nothing less.  It might be simple, but God does marvelous things through the simple things of life.  Amen.