Mayday, Mayday!

It has been nearly ten years since the 9/11 attacks. The attacks used airplanes loaded with innocent people as “living missiles.” People were probably doing a lot of screaming as planes were headed downward or into one of the buildings, or as they were impacted by the planes hitting different buildings.

“Mayday” comes from a French word m’aider, which means “come help me.” Whether it was 9/11, the Titanic, earthquakes, tsunamis, or countless other emergency situations, people are needing help.

One of the cool mysteries of the Bible is the lineage or genealogy of Jesus. From Adam and Eve, clear through Joseph and Mary, Jesus’ lineage has been filled with some interesting characters. Also intertwined in this lineage are situations that, to you and me, almost caused Jesus to not happen, but God prevails through any situation.

Sunday, we looked at this “emergency” side of the lineage of Jesus – times when Jesus was in trouble, in one form or another. However, though it all, God prevailed. Here are some applications to choose from to use this week… (to review the texts/subjects covered, click here to listen/watch the recap)

• Out of Control Life, In Control God ~ Within the texts, we see situations like Cain killing Abel or Hezekiah getting sick or Jesus so hungry He needs bread. There are situations in our life that makes it seem like things are just totally out of control. However, even in the midst of any chaos, God is always in control – not only in the lives of “Bible” people, but in ours as well.
• Tempted? Resist! ~ I cannot imagine what hunger Jesus must have felt after being in the desert for 40 days! It would have been real tempting to fall into that first temptation. I think we all have been in a situation where you feel you can eat about anything due to hunger. Jesus was probably there. He resisted, so can we…let’s do it – even if it seems life is going down in a hurry.
• Do Something With Your Salvation ~ If there was no Jesus (Click here to watch Acappella’s song on YouTube of “If There Were No God”) then we’d be without a future, without hope, without eternal joy…just plain WITHOUT! Since there is a God and His Son, let’s do something with our salvation by bringing a light to someone’s day. Use your talents to make someone see your faith!

Can you hear it??? People hollering out as their life is going down…Mayday, Mayday! aka come help me!!!  Let’s go and help them!!!

Being So Good That People Want to Know

News spreads because it is interesting. A great sale going on at the grocery store - tell someone. Peter and Pam are having a baby - tell someone. You just won the lottery - tell someone. "Did you hear about..." - tell someone. A famous person dies - tell someone. You get the point?

Just the other day the President's comment about Kanye West's stunt on the VMA's leaked out. It didn't just "drip out" it spewed out. Didn't take long for people to know what the President said. So, news spreads because it is interesting.

If you want to be successful in a business venture, your church, or life, you must make it interesting, and the news will travel. Word of mouth is trusted. A friend tells a friend who tells a friend and by the end there is success. This brings us to this week's quote...

If you want to be successful, begin by being so good that those with whom you
are in the closest contact cannot wait to recommend you to their friends and
grow your circle. ~Scott McKain

Speaking as a church leader, I have a continual goal of numerical growth. Don't misunderstand to think I don't have a goal of qualitative growth, too. However, the numerical growth isn't going to take place by me being the sole 'worker'. All those involved must be a part of the 'net' that is cast every day; hoping for a catch. Partly, the way that we are going to grow isn't simply by invitation. Those that come to the church must be excited. Their excitement will be seen in their friends, whom are in their close circle. They will be continually sharing about the good things happening at their church. Then, those people may want to be a part of what their friends are a part of.

We must be "so good" that we are the "talk of the town", in a good way. We must be excited, otherwise people aren't going to want to come to something our church isn't excited about. If you suggested a restaurant where the food was horrible, I'd be a fool to try it. But if you tell me of a restaurant where it was "so good", I'd be a fool not to try it.

If you want have something successful, you must make it so good that those involved can't help but to tell one person after another about the great thing you are a part of.

Let's make it "so good"!

Wanting others to know...