Scenario: You have the opportunity to speak to a group of skeptics who love to talk and argue, but ultimately reject God. (They might even be some of your family or friends). What would you tell them?
An extraordinary example of seeking a point of connection is the apostle Paul speaking to philosophers on the Areopagus in Athens:
“Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you…” Acts 17:22-23
Paul then proceeded to tell them about God, and Jesus Christ who came and died for their sins. The Word says some mocked but others believed. Everyone did not embrace Paul’s message; we shouldn’t expect anything different. Our job is to spread the truth and love of Christ, and leave the results to the Lord.
After listening and asking, the next step for us to consider is to SEEK. Because we have listened and asked questions of another person, we are now able to seek a point of connection – between that person’s life and the message of Jesus Christ.
Three steps to seeking a point of connection with others:
An extraordinary example of seeking a point of connection is the apostle Paul speaking to philosophers on the Areopagus in Athens:
“Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you…” Acts 17:22-23
Paul then proceeded to tell them about God, and Jesus Christ who came and died for their sins. The Word says some mocked but others believed. Everyone did not embrace Paul’s message; we shouldn’t expect anything different. Our job is to spread the truth and love of Christ, and leave the results to the Lord.
After listening and asking, the next step for us to consider is to SEEK. Because we have listened and asked questions of another person, we are now able to seek a point of connection – between that person’s life and the message of Jesus Christ.
Three steps to seeking a point of connection with others:
1. Seek the Holy Spirit; ask Him how we should respond to another person.
2. Be attentive to the ways and means by which we can effectively speak of Jesus.
3. Seek a connection to their head, heart, or hands, based on how the person connects and communicates. So our conversation might be primarily intellectual, emotional, or focused on practical considerations.
4.
Finally remember: Jesus tells us to seek, and that it will lead to blessings in our lives:
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7: 7-8