Black Friday Gospel 2010

11/26/2010 BLACK FRIDAY GOSPEL

Black Friday is a time when businesses have these outrageous deals on everything from blue ray players to LCD TVs to vacuum cleaners. Well, I was talking to a friend of mine about going out and sharing Jesus on Black Friday (the day after thanksgiving…today). He thought it was a great idea. He sent me a text inviting people to come with him to share Jesus with the super early bird special patrons. I was in! We met up at a strip mall with Target, Best Buy, and some other stores. IT WAS FREEZING COLD! When I pulled up there had to be already about 60+ people outside one of the stores. The store opened at 0400 hrs and it was 0200 hrs and some change when I parked my van. I prayed. I sang. I worshipped the Lord in preparing my heart and mind to embrace and have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way (Hebrews 5:2).

As time drew near for the others to come the line got longer and longer and more cars were busy circling the parking lot. There were several Memphis police cars and a blue crush trailer for all to see. When the others got there we huddled together in the freezing cold and prayed. After prayer we split up and went to share with the different patrons in front of the different stores. Here are some of the responses I was told by the masses today:

It’s too early in the morning for this…
This is not a good time right now….over dinner….
Why are you asking me so many questions….
Why are you talking to me….
I’m Jewish…I was told not to debate with you…we do not believe in Jesus…
I don’t go to church…
I go to the church over there….

Out of all the people I talked to and prayed with there were, as usual, only a few sincere hearted persons toward God. I did not speak or share to get a profession of faith intentionally. I’ve learned that if you want a profession of faith you can say certain things to make that happen. This was a Mark 4 and Matthew 13 sowing seed initiative and, when the truth is preached God will draw a person to Himself…not a person. Too often, people want to see immediate fruit from their labor so they manufacture results apart from God. Faith and patience obtain promises (Hebrews 6:12). I have learned after speaking with many and “getting” professions of faith that professions of faith people are just talkers. They have bought into the set up and said the right thing for the right place and time. But after being connected to the True Vine, Jesus, God has purged me to bear much fruit and be His disciple (John 15:8).

As usual, the great majority of people looked miserable because of the cold even after the sound of the wonderful name of Jesus. This blog is to encourage you to be creative, selfless and service oriented. Not to mention, some of the people (6 others) brought a little toy wagon pulling Gatorade water coolers and gave out hundreds of cups of hot chocolate. God blessed them in their effort because none of the store employees or police officers said anything. Patrons actually thought it was a service on behalf of the store! You know the hot chocolate was a “way in” and it worked for them to share the love of Jesus and the truth of God with many.

Again, you and I will both die one day soon. Our life is as a vapor appearing for one moment and gone the very next. What makes our lives a vapor is because the time we spend each second of our day, we will never get it back. We are constantly evaporating, melting away. You will stand before Jesus (Hebrews 4:11-16). What will you tell Him as to the reason or excuse you have for why you did not accept His plan of salvation for you (to redeem you from your fallen state)? What excuse do you know will work (Romans 1:20, Romans 2:1, Romans 2:11)? What will you say as to why you rejected His love for you? And for those who call themselves professors of His word, Christians, what will you say as to why you did not preach the gospel and make disciples after Him?