Posted on April 2, 2009 - by Stephen Murray
Excited about Jesus?
What do you get excited about? Listening to an audio talk of DA Carson’s this morning (I forget where the link is: sorry) on the way to work I was struck by a statement he made about what his students actually end up learning from him. Basically he said they don’t always retain all the content but the do tend learn what ever their given teacher is excited and passionate about. I think that’s essence behind this quote that Justin Buzzard posted:
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
So if our convictions are that Jesus is most important person in the history of the universe and his gospel is the only message that makes sense of everything in this world then surely in our public teaching and our casual conversations our excitement must bubble over infectiously. Telling people what to do can become tiring and joy-less – making people excited about Jesus, now that’s something worth giving your life to. Personally, I’m tired of getting my cheap excitement, joy and satisfaction from trite fleeting pleasures. I want an excitement and a joy that reaches far deeper than that.
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Stephen Murray
Christian, husband to my beautiful Robin, missional dreamer, pastor, church planter, Arsenal, Sharks and Springbok supporter, surfer (in the real sea), patriotic South African, Capetonian.
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April 2, 2009
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Jenny Hillebrand said:
I agree with you and it works. Where I am now (cross-cultural ministry training) I have little opportunity to offer teaching, but I can be excited about Jesus. And every now and again I can see that someone has caught the excitement. It is progress in tiny steps, but progress.
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April 3, 2009
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Dion Forster said:
Spot on Stephen!
I am becoming increasingly convinced that we need to elevate the place of non-propositional evangelism (not at the expense of other forms of evangelism, but in tandem with them) in order to bring more persons into a living relationship with Jesus!
Of course, we need passionate discipleship as well!
The singer Andre de Villiers spoke of this as the work of the Holy Spirit as an ‘interior decorator’ – working from the inside out! I often explain it in this way… When I was 8 I didn’t like bathing much! I preferred getting muddy, dirty and then jumping into the pool! It used to drive my parents crazy. Then one day they couldn’t get me away from the deodorant, cologne etc.,! What had changed!? Well, I had met a young lady at 12 and fallen in love! The inner shift changed my outer behaviour.
So, I agree passion changes everything!