What others see

1. A team of researchers spent four years studying people who were “unchurched.”

2. By “unchurched” we mean people who do not believe in Christianity or practice some form of it.

3. Researchers wanted to know how the “unchurched” saw (view) people who believe in the Bible.

4. What goes through the minds of non-Christians as they see others who are religious?

THIS MORNING I AM GOING TO PRESENT 6 OF THE MOST COMMON THINGS THAT NON-CHRISTIANS THINK ABOUT THOSE WHO CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS. IN THIS LESSON I AM USING “CHRISTIAN” IN A VERY BROAD WAY INSTEAD OF THE SENSE FOUND IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

a) The first conclusion reached by the researchers came to is quite favorable.

b) Many non-believers view Bible believing people in a positive light.

2) One 28 year old man from Florida summed up the feelings of many in with these words:

3) “I personally don’t have a close friend who is a Christian, but I know some of them fairly well.”

4) “I respect their views, and most of them seem to be good people.

5) “Maybe there are a few that act like religious fruitcakes, but the ones I know are okay.”

6) A lot of people who have no faith see religious people in a good way.

7) As God’s people this is the kind of conclusion we want to make and leave with non-Christians.

a) Eph. 5:8 tells to “walk” (live) “as children of light.”

b) We heard a similar point from our Scripture reading.

c) Christians live in a crooked and perverse world.

d) Thus, others are to see us as “lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15-16).

8) We often hear how people professing to be Christians are hated and not infrequently ridiculed or harassed.

9) There are plenty of cases where people of faith are mistreated.

10) We also have a lot of other people in society who think Christians are good people.

NOT ONLY DO THE UNCHURCHED THINK THOSE WHO PROFESS TO BE CHRISTIANS ARE GOOD PEOPLE, THEY THINK ANYONE WHO CALLS HIMSELF OR HERSELF A CHRISTIAN IS AN EXPERT IN THE SCRIPTURES.

a) The average Christian may not feel like a Bible scholar, but this is how the non-religious perceive them.

b) This past week Beth called me for some help on a term paper.

c) I sent her some information from some of my studies that she wants to use.

d) She will be required to defend all her cited sources as being “scholarly.”

e) She is planning on citing me as a source.

2) I do not and would not try to pass myself off as an expert or a scholar.

3) I would, however, claim to have a fair amount of competency in the Scriptures.

4) This should be the goal for every Christian.

a) Timothy knew the Scriptures from a small child, 2 Tim. 3:15.

b) “And that from a babe thou has known the sacred writings.”

c) We also think about the people in Acts 17:11; people who “examined the Scriptures daily.”

d) At various times our attention is called to the Old Testament prophets.

e) Many of us may look at these men and think of them as preachers, and they were that.

f) Were not the Old Testament prophets people who studied the Word of God?

5) 1 Pet. 1:10 says the prophets “sought” and “searched diligently.”

6) What did they “search”?

7) These men may have studied their own writings as well as other prophetical books or Moses’ law.

8) As Christians we should desire to be the best Bible students we can be.

9) We need to do this for ourselves and so we can have the knowledge to help others

a) This means being familiar with large portions of the Bible, especially the New Testament.

b) Not only do we want to be familiar with the words, we want to know what passages mean.

c) We can help ourselves by being familiar with the tracts in the foyer.

d) We further benefit ourselves by being familiar with the other resources available to us.

10) If people know we are a Christian, they expect us to have a significant knowledge of the Bible.

11) If we do not have that knowledge, we should have a pretty good idea on where to go and get it.

IF WE THINK ABOUT THE FIRST TWO POINTS, THE THIRD IS A NATURAL CONSEQUENCE. IF NON-CHRISTIANS SEE BIBLE PROFESSING PEOPLE AS GOOD PEOPLE WHO ARE COMPETENT IN THE SCRIPTURES, THEY WILL LIKELY HAVE AN INTEREST IN SEEING WHAT CHRISTIANITY IS LIKE AND LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE.

a) One of the places where this can be done is at or in the local congregation.

b) Researchers found that numerous non-Christians were often puzzled.

c) Here is an unchurched person. He or she sees an individual who professes to be a Christian.

d) The unchurched individual knows this person reads the Bible and attends worship.

e) Yet, this non-Christian ponders how he or she has never received an invitation to worship.

f) Off goes the Christian to a Bible study or services, but they never offer to take anyone with them.

2) This lack of an invitation can involve coworkers.

3) It can also occur in a neighborhood.

4) There may be a family that goes to worship once, twice, or three times a week.

5) They drive by all their neighbors and perhaps others, and everyone knows where the family is going.

6) Those who are passed are never invited.

7) When the unchurched were surveyed, 7 out of the 10 said had never been invited to worship.

8) More than two thirds of people Bible believing people know never get an invitation to services.

a) When we go home today and drive the last half or quarter mile to our house, do some looking.

b) Are there any neighbors we have never invited to a Sunday service or another church activity?

c) One unchurched member (Frank) summed up this point pretty well. He said,

9) “Bill is my neighbor and he is very outgoing about his faith.

10) “He is always talking about church activities. His life is filled with church stuff.

11) “Bill, however, has never asked me to attend worship with him.”

12) Would you like to know what Bill (the religious neighbor) said about non-religious Frank?

13) Here is the quote:
a) “I have known Frank for more than six years; he has never asked me to take him to services.

b) As the believer Bill said, “Doesn’t that seem a little strange?”

14) Unsaved people often ask themselves, “Why am I not invited?”

15) If we invite people, some will come. We might be surprised at those who will attend.

a) At least twice in the Bible we have the words “come see.”

b) We see this expression in Mt. 28:6 and Jn. 4:29.

c) In both cases people responded.

AS WE THINK ABOUT WHAT IS GOING THROUGH THE UNCHURCHED WE FIND SOMETHING ELSE IN THE HEADS OF THESE PEOPLE THAT IS FAVORABLE.

a) Many non-believers see good role models as they look at Bible believing people.

b) It is not hard to find terrible role models in today’s world.

c) We have corruption, brokenness of all types, and poor examples on every hand.

d) People want someone or something to look up to, and Christian families are often chosen.

2) Many in the world want a model for a healthy family.

3) Many non-Christians look at Christians as being people who have their act together.

4) Everyone who is here who works outside the home can tell a similar story.

5) Someone at their workplace has a broken family, problem children, or another heartache.

6) Non-Christians often look to Christians for hope, encouragement and even help.

7) People are looking so we need to consider what we are offering.

a) I am not going to name any names this morning, but I will say this much.

b) Over the years I have had people here contact me throughout the week and say something like this.

c) “There is this person who works with me and they are having a problem with _________.”

d) “I would like to have them talk with you if that is okay.”

e) Certainly that would be okay.

f) Why was a non-Christian being sent my way?

g) The unsaved person (family) saw something attractive in the life of that Christian.

h) They saw a Christian life or a Christian family that was appealing.

i) If things seemed to be working for the Christian, they wanted to check it out as well.

j) Here is one more way we can be a light to the world.

8) Non-Christians think something else about Christians: they make good friends.

9) Researches found out that this is another conclusion many non-religious people come to.

a) If we are living by Bible principles, we are going to be a pretty good friend.

b) We will not be jealous or hateful.

c) Neither will we stab people in the back; there will be kindness and honesty.

d) As God’s people we will be adhering to the golden rule.

e) Non-Christians often see Christians as wonderful friends.

10) Unchurched peo0ple typically want good friends and Christians can excel at that.

11) Being a good friend can make an eternal difference in the life of someone else.

VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING FROM THE PREVIOUS FIVE POINTS HAS BEEN POSITIVE. IN SO MANY WAYS, NON-CHRISTIANS SEE CHRISTIANS IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY.

a) There is one thing that is not positive and I have saved that for last.

b) This final point is summarized with four words: “did you see that?”

c) Non-Christians do struggle with one big thing when watching believers.

d) They sometimes see inconsistency.

e) When Christians sin, non-Christians notice and it makes an impression.

2) There can be sins from the tongue (our speech).

3) It may be something we do or fail to do.

4) What non-Christians see is right.

5) Rom. 3:10 and 23 say, QUOTE.

6) Hopefully the unchurched see the good before they see the bad.

7) They do need to see both because both exist.

8) Not one person is perfect.

9) Christians who live according to the New Testament are the finest people in the world.

10) Fine does not mean flawless living.

11) Today we hope that each one here believes that Christians are the best people on the planet.

12) If we are a Christian, we want to do the very best we can and this includes helping non-Christians.

13) If we are not a Christian, perhaps the 6 points given make a lot of sense to you.

14) Today we hope you not only realize the attractiveness of Christianity, but realize you can become a Christian too.