My sermon...

Here are my notes:

There are three things I want you to know about me.

1. I decided to follow Jesus because of people who invested time in me.

A. Peter Layton-I was a sophomore and not a Christian when Peter invited me to a bible study. But he did more than that—he was my friend first. The Bible study was not an event, but an extension of our friendship. He delighted to share his life with me.

B. Peter invited me to spend the summer with the Navigators in Burlington, Vermont. Shortly after I became a Christian, I was able to hang out with a group of people who were all passionate about Jesus, and who were interested in growing in their faith. They shared not only the gospel with me, but their lives as well.

Through these people, I didn’t just receive a message. I saw a message acted out. I didn’t just hear the name of Jesus, but I saw Jesus alive in them.

2. I grew because people invested time in me.

A. A man named Jeff Kraines drove from Connecticut to Boston every week to share with me his wisdom. He taught me how to study the Bible, how to pray. He taught me the value of memorization.

B. When I transferred to the University of Arizona, a man named Bryce Bouchard began to invest time in me. He taught me about sharing the gospel with others, about how to lead an investigative Bible study, and he showed me areas of my life where I needed to repent.

I grew not simply from the information that these men shared, but from observing their lives. What I saw in them, I imitated. If it were just information I was seeking, I could have read a book. But they delighted to share not only the gospel with me, but their lives as well. It was a time investment, and it had a cost, but it was not a burden but a delight.

3. These experiences have given me a desire to share my life with others.

A. Story of David.

a. Jewish, no knowledge of Christ

b. Began to read the Bible together

c. Growing interest

d. Christmas break, came back unexcited

e. Started just hanging together.

f. Began to grow excited by the Word

g. Became a Christian, and immediately began sharing the gospel

B. Story of William

a. From Colombia, always been rejected because of his skin color

b. Came to Mexico on Spring Break

c. Was surprised because of the love and acceptance that he experienced.

d. Became a Christian and is taking the gospel back to Colombia with him

Conclusion—

This is a spiritually dark generation. There is no concept of sin, no concept of guilt. Consequently, there is a great deal of immorality and perversion. The dominant emotion is not guilt, but shame. Students are lost and hungry for something deeper, but they do not know where to look. There is a freshness to the gospel, and when students see it active, lived out, change begins. Like David and William, they are attracted to the gospel because it is shared with them not just verbally, but with our lives.

I will be spending the next two years at the University of Arizona sharing my life with students. This summer, as I prepare, I am raising up a team of financial and prayer supporters. I would love to share more about what I will be doing and how you can support me.