February 23, 2022
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Cindy got off to a great fast start spiritually. Well, in a way she did, because it took about two years of her coming to my Campus Life Club before she finally chose Christ as her Savior. But after that she really took off. In fact, she came over to my house not long after she made her commitment and said, "Ron, could you give me an argument to convince my big sister, Megan, that this is real?" What had happened was that Cindy came home talking about Jesus, and Megan said, "Oh, right! Sure, of course! Last week it was a drug, next week it will be a boyfriend. This week it's Jesus. You'll get over it, Cindy."
Well, Cindy needed to know how to convince her. She needed an argument she thought. I said, "Well, maybe I could give you one. But I'd rather you'd do this. Ask yourself this question, 'What change could I ask Jesus to make in me that my big sister, Megan, would have to notice?'" She said, "I've got it!"
Two weeks later she came back, and I said, "Well, how did it go with the Lord and with Megan?" She said, "Oh great! I gave God the chair." Right! "I gave God the chair?" She said, "Well see, we've got this big, red overstuffed chair in our living room. It's right by the picture window and right in front of the TV set. And Megan and I always start by arguing over this chair ... like who's going to get it. So I just said, 'Lord, help me be unselfish about this chair.'"
Wouldn't you know, that began to get Megan's attention. She said, "Cindy, what's happened to you?" Two years later ... I guess these girls are on two year cycles here. Megan came to me. She said, "Ron, Cindy and I just wanted you to know I've just given my life to Christ." I said, "Oh that's awesome!" She said, "Yeah, but we've got a question. Now, who gets the chair?" That is a true story my friend.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Undeniable Evidence."
Our word for today from the Word of God comes from chapter 5, verse 15 of Matthew. "People do not light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Notice here it doesn't say they will hear your good beliefs and praise your Father in heaven. They will see your good deeds.
Now, here's 1 Peter 2:12. It's sort of a companion verse. "Live such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and then glorify God on the day He visits us." So these people who start out criticizing you end up praising your God. Why? It's not the beliefs. It's not meetings that interest people in your Jesus. It's your changed life. It's the difference He makes.
Maybe you need to ask yourself in light of the lost people in your world, "What change could I ask Jesus to make in me that they would have to notice?" So if you're concerned for a parent who doesn't know the Lord, why don't you ask yourself, "How can I give them a better son? How can I give them a better daughter?" That's what they ought to get out of me being a Christian is a better son or daughter, more time with them, more help around the house, more respect. That's a change a parent would notice.
Maybe you're a parent and you've got a son or daughter who doesn't know the Lord. Ask yourself, "What change could I have Jesus make in me as a mom or dad that my son or daughter would sure notice?" Who could be against anything that gives them a better parent or a better child? Maybe you're an employee and you want to reach your employer. Now you get the drift here I think. "Lord, how could I change? Make me more reliable, more on time, more conscientious; whatever they would notice; a better friend, a better neighbor. In other words, be different in the way that would matter most to the lost person you want to take to heaven with you.
Now, for Cindy it was the chair in the living room. Listen! Give the people around you a new and improved model of you, made possible daily by a Savior named Jesus. But be new in their language. It will win you the right to introduce them to the One who's changed you. See, they can't see Jesus, but they're looking at you. So, show them in living color the life-changing difference-making power of Jesus Christ, a change that matters to them. You know why? Because that is undeniable evidence.