Bring People to Jesus! Palm Sunday  March 24, 2024 Public speaking.  Death. “That means that if you have to go to a funeral, most people would rather be in the casket than have to give the Eulogy!”  Five excuses on why we don’t share our faith:  “I’m not an evangelist.” “I’ll mess it up.” “I’ll be rejected.” “My story is not good enough.” “They don’t want to hear it.” 29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is the one I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me, because He existed before me.’ 31I didn’t know Him, but I came baptizing with water so that He might be revealed to Israel.” 32And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He rested on Him. 33I didn’t know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The one you see the Spirit descending and resting on ​— ​He is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” 35The next day, John was standing with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37The two disciples heard him say this and followed Jesus. 38When Jesus turned and noticed them following Him, He asked them,“What are you looking for?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” 39“Come and you’ll see,” He replied. So they went and saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. 40Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard John and followed Him. 41He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated “the Christ”), 42and he brought Simon to Jesus. When Jesus saw him, He said, “You are Simon, son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is translated “Peter”). 43The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and told him, “Follow me.” 44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law (and so did the prophets ): Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” 46“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Nathanael asked him. “Come and see,” Philip answered. 47Then Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him and said about him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you,” Jesus answered. 49“Rabbi,” Nathanael replied, “You are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel!” 50Jesus responded to him, “Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51Then He said, “Truly I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” John 1:29-51 (CSB) Encountering Jesus should inspire us to share the experience with others.  Rescued people reach people.  The Five Key Practices of a person who brings people to Jesus: #1 - Initiate - Start the conversation.  #2 - Inspire - Share your story. #3 - Invite - Show them where you belong.  Church is one of the easiest arenas to invite people into.  When you don’t give people the chance to say yes you are saying no for them.  #4 - Influence - Shine your light.  Skeptics don’t always read the bible; but they always read Christians.  #5 - Invest - Stay persistent.  You can still represent Christ even if they reject the Church. Rescued people reach people.