Investing in People

Introduction

We are busy folk. We have a lot of things which occupy our time. We started this series with a plea that we would all begin to look for the people in our lives already to influence for Christ rather than trying to create a new program designed for evangelism. That plea has not changed. But I do not want to leave the impression that not creating a program means then that evangelism just happens. The point of last week’s lesson was to motivate us to think intentionally about people. We need to think of ways to intentionally involve those around us in our lives. This means time and energy must be expended with a focus on leading another person to Jesus. There is no substitute for the personal touch. If a program helps you to do that, then design a program and work it. But one of the emphasis of this series has been to look at people in your life with an intent of building a relationship with them so that you can help them to know Jesus. We don’t need a program for that. We just need a heart that is set on developing relationships which we want to last throughout eternity.

Tonight’s lesson is to serve as a way to encourage us and to motivate us to invest our lives in people. This lesson is not designed to produce guilt but to lead us to think more seriously about people who are already in our lives and how important it is to think about people. To help us think more clearly about this encouragement let me ask this question: when you die, what will last beyond your life? What has the potential for lasting for an eternity? You know the answer to those questions. You probably have no problem answering in the affirmative that people matter. Tonight we renew our focus about what is truly important and we will focus on people.

Jesus’ Challenge

In Matthew’s last recorded words, Jesus leaves some instructions which have often been taught and dissected. While we can appreciate the nuance of words we must not miss the intent of the words. Spoken to his disciples, Jesus challenges this small group to speak to others about him. In a summary statement, Jesus says that his work is finished. All authority has been given to him. Jesus is king of the kingdom. No one else demands this respect. And it is because of this authority—because he is king—Jesus tells his disciples to go and teach. This is the challenge to all who come to the kingdom and serve the king. Loyal subjects of the king go and teach. We are to go and teach.

When we have been with Jesus, he changes us. We become people who see others in the same way as God sees them. We become authentic people. We become people who love and care about others. Our hearts change. There is a genuineness about us. We go because recognize not only Jesus’ authority but we go in order to build relationships. We go with the intent of getting close to people. We go not to live in isolation, not to withdraw from people, nor do we go with the intent of being silent. We go to teach. We go with a clear communication about Jesus. We are committed to Jesus. We are convinced of who he is and want to share that with others. We go realizing that Jesus is going to be with us. All of this is included in the word “go.”

We go telling people that sin is made right with God. We go spreading the news that grace and forgiveness can be found in God. We go teaching that reconciliation with God is possible. We go with the intent of making an impact. We go with a vision of what can be in people’s lives. We hear the stories that people tell us. The stories of broken lives and relationships; the stories of setbacks and failures; the stories of struggles with sin and we listen to the stories and we want to make an impact for good.

Jesus gives us a vision for what can be. The world can be changed one person at a time. We make an impact in this world when we invest ourselves in the lives of people. Is this investment easy? Is this investment comfortable? You know the answer to those questions. Investing in others means moving beyond our comfort zones; it means being in disturbing situations; it means being hurt sometimes; it means the possibility of embarrassment, being taken advantage of, and having your heart broken. But investing in people also means making a difference in this world. Steve Jobs started Apple Computers. Its initial growth demanded an experienced executive to run the day to day operations. So he went after John Sculley, one of the top executives with Pepsi-Cola. Jobs wined and dined Sculley and began to get the feeling that he was going to be turned down. So Jobs took Sculley to the top of an apartment building overlooking Central Park in NYC and made his final effort to get him to join Apple. But Sculley didn’t seem interested. In final and total exasperation, Steve Jobs looked John Sculley in the eye and said to him, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want a chance to change the world?” Wow! That’s powerful.

And that’s what we do when we invest in people—we change the world little by little. Here is what impact looks like. A love starved person hears about the grace of God the first time. A lonely person discovers that true companionship can be found with Jesus. A guilty person finds forgiveness and a clean conscience. A wandering person finds purpose for life—all of these demonstrate the impact Jesus can have when we go and teach. How does all of this start? A wife impacts her husband. Parents impact their children. Friends tell friends. Coworkers impact colleagues. Neighbors celebrate with neighbors. It is one person at a time; a little at a time, but there is no doubt impact is being made. As Christians we find ways to invest ourselves in the lives of people for it is an investment which will last beyond our lives. It is an investment which will last for an eternity.

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