For SCC - The Single Greatest Gift 9-9-07

We started a new series this month called titled Just Walk Across The Room. The goal of this series is for us to begin walking across rooms, develop friendships and give away what God has given to us. The series is about you and me sharing with others how they can enter into a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The series verse is John 3:16. Jesus speaking to a person in a one on one conversation said the following: "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." This past Sunday service was well received and many positive remarks were made after the service. I can tell that you and I are going to have fun together just walking across rooms.

Sunday the worship service focused on The Single Greatest Gift. The single greatest gift Christ-followers can give to the people around them is an introduction to the God who created them, who loves them, and who has a purpose for their life. THIS is what walking across the room is all about - constantly watching for ways to give that gift to someone living far from God. Let me write that again. The single greatest gift Christ-followers can give to the people around them is an introduction to the God who created them, who loves them, and who has a purpose for their life. You and I like to give gifts. We like to receive gifts also, but most of us find it fulfilling and rewarding to give gifts to loved ones, family members, and friends. We find it exciting to celebrate a persons birthday with them and give them a gift we know they will enjoy and appreciate. There is something about shopping for, finding, purchasing and giving the gift that is fun and adds a little pep to our step. For those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ the single greatest gift we can give is to a person, friend, family member or acquaintance is an introduction to the God who created them, who loves them, and who has a purpose for their life. Giving away the single greatest gift is exciting and and will definitely place some pep in your spiritual step. We have the opportunity to give a life and death changing gift. Three steps that you and I can take to begin to give away the single greatest gift are:

1. Be willing to enter the Zone of the Unknown.

2. Listen to the Spirit's promptings.

3. Just Walk.

Be willing to enter the Zone of the Unknown. Just be open to move out of your circle a comfort for a brief time and walk across the room, your street, the office, the hall, a field and meet a new person and begin a conversation with them. You never know how God might take your willingness to move into the Zone of the Unknown and move the person you met into eternal life through your friendship and story. Be aware of God. Listen to the Spirit's promptings. God will speak to you and prompt you to share His live with others if we a just open. Begin to look at people as more than just people. Begin to see them as God's priority. Begin to see them as God's most important creation. Begin to see them as John 3:16 " For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." As you do this God will prompt you and nudge you to speak to them about His love in a very casual, everyday way. Just be willing to listen to the Spirit's promptings and then Just Walk. Take some action. God will go before you. God will walk with you. Just Walk. Walk across the room, say hello and see what God does as you seek to give away what God has given to you. As we begin to grasp that God has given to us the single greatest gift of eternal life and a real and vibrant relationship with Him we will be willing to enter the Zone of the Unknown, listen to the Spirit's promptings and begin walking. I look forward to the stroll through this series and walking with you as we all begin to walk across rooms, develop friendships and give away what God has given to us.