Being a Christian:
isn’t visiting a building on Sunday morning
isn’t telling people you’ll pray
isn’t posting to social media
isn’t hoping for change
Being a Christian:
is actually being the church 24/7
is actually praying for needs
is actually connecting with people
is actually being the change we want to see!
Being a Christian is not merely influencing, impressing, inspiring or exciting others.
Influencing someone may cause them to act differently.
Impressing someone may cause them to see differently.
Inspiring someone may cause them to think differently.
Exciting someone may cause them to evaluate differently.
But impact leaves it’s mark!
We’ve had many leaders in this world. All leaders have influence. But some have had impact!
I have a dream!
Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy…
Ask not what your country can do for you, ask …
Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall.
BEING A CHRISTIAN IS ABOUT HAVING IMPACT!
That’s not influence, that’s impact!
In Jesus’ time salt was a curative, a preventative, a tool, a powerful force that impacted anything it touched. Who is the salt?
The phrase for “lost its saltiness” by definition means more literally to lose one’s wisdom or strength, in other words to become simple or lose the ability of its original purpose.
And when salt was in contact with the ground or exposed to rain and sun it became insipid, or useless, and was only good as gravel for footpaths.
Jesus’ intent is for us to have the power and the purpose of impact!
JESUS HAD A MINISTRY OF IMPACT
When Jesus went to “church” He didn’t just warm a pew!
He healed people in church – Matthew 12:9-14, Luke 13:10-13
He even made some people mad at church – Luke 6:6-7, 13:14
He cleared profiteers out of the temple – Matthew 21:12-13
People were amazed at Him, one time even in an uproar – Matthew 22:33, Matthew 7:28-19, Matthew 21:10-11
He was healing every sick person – Matthew 10:1, 4:23, 8:16, 9:35, 12:15, 14:35-36, 20:32-34, 15:30-31
JESUS HAD A MINISTRY OF IMPACT AND HE LEFT IT FOR US TO CONTINUE!
We weren’t given a certificate or a Bible bookmark or a gold star.
We have been given power and authority over evil powers and to heal diseases.
Church 29:11 