Isolation
Based on “Get Jesus to People”
by Pastor Mark Balmer;
“Isolation"
Preparing the Soil (Introduction):
Throughout history there have been isolationist groups.
Many monasteries have been built for the sole purpose of isolating people from the world. We can even see it during the time of Jesus. There was a Jewish sect that did not agree with the religious rulers in Jerusalem, so they left and ended up in Qumran, the place where the Dead Sea scrolls were eventually found.
This group was called the Essenes.
Now the Essenes believed in many of the same things we believe today. They believed their messiah was coming, and the world would be judged on the last day.
One of the differences between us and them was the fact that the Essenes were isolationists.
They thought if someone wanted to know about what they believed, that person would come to them and ask. After a three year probation, then the person could be given the opportunity to join, if they were found worthy.
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth):
Today we go out to dinner with our church friends. We go to the mechanic we met at church. We go to the movies with our church friends. We play in the church softball league. We go shopping with the girls we met at church. Game night is also with our church friends. So how does someone get into our group? Well, they come to us, or at least to church. Many times we find ourselves in the same place as the Essenes.
We think if someone wants to know why we are different, they will ask.
Or if they see joy in us, they will ask ‘why?’ I recall times in my life when I was hurting and I would see someone with joy, the last thing going through my mind was actually asking them why they were happy. Usually I would just avoid them. If I had asked them, it would have been in a confrontational way, because I was hurting and apparently they were not.
Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): As the video this weekend emphasized, people all around us are hurting, searching, just looking for that one thing that will give their lives purpose. We, as Christ followers, have exactly what they need. Are we going to be like the Essenes and wait for people to come to us?
Or are we going to be like Matthew and those in the early church and talk openly about who Jesus is and what He has done for us?
I have often heard people say their testimony was a very private matter. But, what God has done in our lives is something we should proclaim to the world! We have found a living God who cares enough to work personally in our lives today.
The world we live in would never be the same if Christ followers would start being more open about what God has brought them through in their personal lives. The world is hurting and without answers. Do not forget we were all in the very same place at one time in our lives.
Who reached out to you and told you there is a God who cares?
Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" They came out of the town and made their way toward him. John 4:28-30
Cultivating (Additional Reading): John 4:4-42
