Matt's House Church: Arbutus, MD

Part IV: Jesus Valued

Review: So far in our journey through the 4 Gospels, we’ve…
• Seen Jesus labeled by the religious a Glutton, Drunk and Friend of Sinners
• Compared Jesus, Attitude-Mission-Heart, against that of the religious.
• Identified that Jesus was Un-shockable when in came to the mud.

Sox & Dennis Story (Illustration)
• How you see & think about people matters, the MENTAL FRAMEWORK.
• Remember, studies show that only 10-15% of communication is words; Body
Language: eye movement, facial expressions and tone (NON-VERBAL)
communicate 85-90% of what you really think and feel about a person; it exposes
the HEART!
FACT: Genuine Relationship - (4 decades of research, over 100 studies) The only
factor that leads to real change for a patient is genuine relationship: a warm,
listening, caring, understanding counselor that respected and truly liked them.
Point: People know how you see them, think about them and hold them in your
heart without you saying a word.

Examples
• A boss…using active listening techniques on you, to come a crossed caring.
• A marriage…with spouses using communication and conflict resolution skills,
doomed, if their hearts are against each other.
• Christians…peddling latest arguments proving their right, tracts or good books
can help or hurt dependent on how they hold another within their hearts!

Question: When you engage people, far from God, how are you toward them? Do
you value them…are you for them…do you hold good will toward them in your
heart?
Question: Or is your heart set against them…devaluing, judging, condescending,
manipulative, or self-centered?

The Power of Jesus’ Heart Toward People…
Question: How can we be “For People” in our hearts, and not “Against” them?
Reading: Luke 4:18-21 (Jesus’ Mission)
• vv.21 - Jesus is “For People,” not “Against” them.
Interesting Truth - Jesus, STOPPED and Rolled up the scroll in mid-verse…
Isaiah 61:2 concludes with these words, “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and
the day of vengeance of our God.”
Point: Jesus leaves out “vengeance and judgement.”
John 12:47 - “I did not come to judge the world, but to save (Restore and Set Free)
the world.
Reading: John 3:16-18
• vv.16 - Perish (GK-To Destroy, Lose, Fail to Get, Die, Disappear); Have (GKPossess,
Wear, Experience); Eternal Life (GK-Life That Never Ends & Has Always
Existed)
• vv.17 - Send (GK-Apostello: Send someone, a message, begin a harvest);
Condemn (GK-Krino: To judge as guilty); Save (GK-Sozo: Rescue, Restore/Heal)

John Burke, put it like this in his book, “Mud and the Masterpiece, Jesus said, ‘I’ve
come to let struggling people, brokenhearted people, people held captive to
addictions, people stuck in spiritually dark places know that now is the time of
God’s favor…God is for you, not against you!”
• Question: Do people perceive you value them? Those that you DON’T identify
with, have something in common with, easily connect with or have a different
world view than you?
Illustration: FaceBook Comment to a post of mine last week…(Read Ty’s Comment)

Challenge
God describes Himself this way to Moses in Exodus 33 & 34…
Exodus 33:19, “I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have
mercy on whom I will have mercy.”
Exodus 34:6, “He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The Lord, the Lord, the
compassionate and gracious God.’”
Romans 2:4 ends like this, “God’s kindness leads you toward repentance.”
Jesus said these words to an unmerciful servant who had been shown mercy by his
master concerning a debt, “Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant
just as I had on you?”
Point: If you don’t choose mercy, compassion, kindness in the context of
relationship you are not “For People,” but “Against.”
• Question: How do you describe God? How do you represent Jesus to a lost and
hurting world?
Point: A God who demands you manage your own mud, or a God who is “For” you,
and by His power miraculously cleans up your mud to reveal a work His work of “Art,”
His Masterpiece?

Closing - Handout with Questions & Suggested Reading (See Online “Click
On” rotator image.

Corporate Closing - Doxology