The Pursuit | Pursuing Others | Pastor Rodney Thrift
The Pursuit
Pursuing Others
Pursuit: To follow or chase in order to overtake or capture.
Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV) 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
1 John 4:19 (ESV) 19 We love because he first loved us.
Soul Tattoo: We pursue others, because God pursued us.
“Life is a laboratory for learning how to love.” Pastor Rick Warren
Proverbs 11:30 (NKJV) 30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
- Jesus’ mission.
Luke 19:10 (ESV) 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” - Jesus’ mandate.
Acts 1:8 (ESV) 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” - Our Primary Purpose is to reach people that are far from God.
- Accept the personal responsibility.
God puts us in a sphere of influence. Family, friends, coworkers, class mates and God’s hope is that you would influence them. God says that their blood is on our hands. It is our job to reach them. The Bible says that we are Christ’s ambassadors. - Build a personal relationship.
People want to know that we care. They do not care how much we know, until they know how much we care. Once we build a relationship with people we need to look for opportunities to… - Share your personal story.
Evangelism is not telling a person what is wrong with them, it is about telling them the difference Jesus has made in you. We are not accusers but witnesses of how God has touched our lives. - Give a personal invitation.
If you know how to lead them to Christ, then do it. If you don’t, then invite them to church. And be in partnership with us. We lead people to Jesus almost every Sunday.
- Accept the personal responsibility.
We pursue others
- By praying for them. By name.
Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV) 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
- By going out into the world.
Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV) 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
- By being bold.
Acts 4:29-31 (ESV) 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
- By extending a personal invitation.
Luke 19:5 (ESV) 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.”
- By doing life with them on their turf.
Luke 19:6 (ESV) 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.
- By sharing your story with them. (The woman at the well)
John 4:28-30 (ESV) 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.
1 Peter 3:14-16 (ESV) 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
- By practicing hospitality. (Acts of kindness)
Matthew 3:8 (NLT) 8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.
- By sharing the Good News or the Gospel with them.
Acts 8:26-40 (ESV) 26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. 33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” 34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
- By encountering Jesus together.
Matthew 10:1-4 (ESV) And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
- By teaching them to pursue others.
2 Timothy 2:1-2 (NLT) Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. 2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.
Soul Tattoo: We pursue others because God pursued us.